SB 137: City of Mulberry; provisions related to jurisdiction of the municipal court; revise

When the City of Mulberry was incorporated in 2024, its charter set out what its municipal court could handle and how Gwinnett County services would transition to the new city. This bill amends that 2024 charter (Ga. L. 2024, p. 3518) in two main ways. First, it revises Section 4.13 to state that the municipal court has jurisdiction to try and punish violations of the city's charter, city ordinances, and other violations as provided by law. Second, it revises Section 8.11's transition provisions: Gwinnett County must keep providing the same government services at the same cost as it did in 2023 and 2024, cannot rezone property inside the city during the transition, and must transfer a service to the city with at least 60 days' written notice. It also clarifies that shifting court jurisdiction to Mulberry's municipal court does not automatically end pending county court cases or prosecutions.

• Rewrites Section 4.13 of the City of Mulberry's charter to define the municipal court's jurisdiction over charter violations, city ordinances, and other legally authorized violations.
• Requires Gwinnett County to continue providing the same government services at the same cost as in 2023 and 2024 during the city's transition period.
• Bars Gwinnett County from making zoning changes to property inside Mulberry during the transition period.
• Sets a 60-day written notice requirement before the city can take over a service or function from the county.
• Clarifies that transferring court jurisdiction to Mulberry's municipal court does not cancel pending Gwinnett County judicial proceedings or prosecutions.
• Repeals any prior laws that conflict with these changes.

Residents and property owners within the City of Mulberry, Gwinnett County government agencies that currently provide services in that area, the Municipal Court of the City of Mulberry, and anyone with a pending county court case or prosecution tied to the area now inside city limits.

The changes affect how quickly Mulberry gains control over local services and court matters, when zoning decisions freeze during the handover, and whether people with pending county cases see their cases interrupted. This shapes the practical transition from county to city governance for Mulberry residents.

• Section 1 revises Section 4.13 of the charter to set the municipal court's jurisdiction over charter violations, city ordinances, and other violations as provided by law.
• Section 2 revises Section 8.11(e), requiring Gwinnett County to keep providing services at 2023-2024 cost levels during the transition and barring county zoning changes in the city during that time, with service transfers triggered by 60 days' written notice.
• Section 2 also revises Section 8.11(g), stating that transferring jurisdiction to Mulberry's municipal court does not abate pending Gwinnett County judicial proceedings or prosecutions.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-14Effective Date
2. 2025-05-14Act 355
3. 2025-05-14Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2025-04-07Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2025-02-27House Passed/Adopted (House)
6. 2025-02-27House Third Readers (House)
7. 2025-02-27House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
8. 2025-02-21House Second Readers (House)

• Clint Dixon (R, SD-45)Primary sponsor
• Chuck Efstration (R, HD-104)

1. PassedSenate voteFebruary 19, 2025

   51 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 3 excused)

   LOCAL CONSENT CALENDAR: Senate Vote #62

2. PassedHouse voteFebruary 27, 2025

   169 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 6 excused)

   Local Calendar: House Vote #99

• City of Mulberry
• municipal court jurisdiction
• Gwinnett County
• city incorporation
• local government transition