SB 489: Board of Commissioners of the Judges of the Probate Courts Retirement Fund of Georgia; allow to set monthly dues

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Discussed in meetings (12)

The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.

1. Senate Rules Committee, February 26, 2026

   From 0:14:44 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The chair briefly called up SB 489, but no substantive explanation, questions or action followed.

2. Senate Rules Committee, March 3, 2026

   From 0:10:31 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: During a presentation initially given under a different bill number, the sponsor said fewer pistol permits following constitutional carry had reduced revenue supporting probate judges’ retirement. The sponsor cited a 60% decline in permits and an annual deficit of about $233,000. A committee member identified the proposal as SB 489 and asked whether the adjustment involved only judges’ monthly retirement contributions. The sponsor said it also involved modest fee changes and confirmed that no state dollars were involved. Members later selected the bill for the calendar as part of the approved slate.

3. Senate floor session, March 4, 2026 (legislative day 27)

   From 2:11:19 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Third Read)

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said SB 489 would strengthen the probate judges’ retirement fund, which the sponsor said relies on court fees and contributions rather than state appropriations. The sponsor said actuarial studies projected funding would fall below 100% and described changes to contributions and the portion of existing fees directed to the fund. Although the sponsor initially said no fees would increase, a questioning senator identified an additional $2 charge on criminal cases in probate courts handling such cases. The sponsor confirmed that exception and agreed that the other changes redirected collected fees into the fund. The Senate passed the bill 53-1.

4. House Retirement Committee, March 17, 2026

   From 0:09:47 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the bill would shore up the probate judges’ retirement fund after the removal of the requirement to obtain a firearms carry permit reduced permit revenue. The sponsor reported a roughly 60% decline in permits and an annual revenue loss of about $233,000 for a fund bringing in about $1.3 million a year. According to the sponsor, an actuarial study projected that the fund would fall below full funding within about three years. The sponsor said the bill would use no additional state money or increase fees, but would redirect more existing fee revenue to retirement and require judges to contribute more. Examples included increasing the marriage-license share from 20% to 25%, the civil-filing allocation from $2 to $5, and the bond-forfeiture and fine allocation from $3 to $5. The chair described the proposal as a funding change rather than a benefit change, and the sponsor agreed. The committee approved the bill by voice vote, with no opposition heard.

5. House Rules Committee, March 19, 2026

   From 0:57:59 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The presenter said the bill would increase probate judges' retirement contributions and redirect a larger share of existing fees to their retirement fund. The presenter reported a 60 percent decline in weapons-permit applications after permitless carry passed and said an actuarial study projected the fund would fall below full funding within three years. A member asked whether filing fees would rise and whether local governments might need to replace redirected operating revenue. The presenter said total filing fees would not increase and reported no concerns from GMA or ACCG. The presenter said about $1.3 million enters the fund annually, estimated the earlier law's average revenue reduction at $233,000, and described changes from 20 to 25 percent and from $2 to $5 in dedicated fee shares. The committee later placed the bill on the Legislative Day 34 calendar without voiced opposition.

6. House floor session, March 19, 2026 (legislative day 34)

   From 2:20:08 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2878

   Summary by Georgia Commons: The House sponsor said SB 489 would strengthen the Probate Judges Retirement Fund without state appropriations or a fiscal impact on the state. The sponsor cited a roughly $250,000 decrease over four or five years and an actuarial projection that funding would fall below 100% within five years. The sponsor said the bill would let the board set monthly member dues between $105 and $150, rather than a fixed $105. The sponsor also described increasing the marriage-license-fee share going to the fund from 20% to 25%, the civil-filing allocation from $2 to $5, and the bond-forfeiture and fine allocation from $3 to $5. The sponsor emphasized that the marriage-license and civil-filing changes redirected existing fees rather than raising those fees. There were no questions. The House passed the bill, 161 to 0.

• Read aloud: Senate floor session, February 11, 2026 (legislative day 17), 0:25:18
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, February 25, 2026 (legislative day 24), 0:34:04
• Read aloud: Senate floor session, February 26, 2026 (legislative day 25), 0:29:07
• Read aloud: House floor session, March 6, 2026 (legislative day 28, AM), 0:53:44
• Read aloud: House floor session, March 9, 2026 (legislative day 29), 1:10:10
• Read aloud: House floor session, March 18, 2026 (legislative day 33), 0:54:15

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