SB 491: Cobb Judicial Circuit; assistant district attorneys; change the salaries

This bill amends the 1951 Georgia law that created the Cobb Judicial Circuit, which covers Cobb County's district attorney's office. Current law lets the district attorney appoint up to 14 full-time or part-time assistant district attorneys, but the older law set a lower minimum salary for them. The bill raises that minimum to at least $83,400 a year, beginning January 1, 2027. The Cobb County district attorney still decides the exact pay for each assistant above that floor. The money comes from Cobb County's general funds, except that any state-paid portion of an assistant's salary is subtracted from what the county pays. The bill also keeps the existing rule letting the district attorney designate some assistants as supervisors. If enacted, the overall law would take effect July 1, 2026, ahead of the salary change itself.

• Raises the minimum annual salary for Cobb Judicial Circuit assistant district attorneys to at least $83,400, effective January 1, 2027.
• Keeps the district attorney's authority to appoint up to 14 full-time or part-time assistant district attorneys who serve at the district attorney's pleasure.
• Leaves it to the Cobb County district attorney to set each assistant's exact pay above the new minimum.
• Continues requiring that state-paid compensation for an assistant be deducted from the amount Cobb County pays from its general funds.
• Preserves the district attorney's power to designate certain assistant district attorneys as supervisors.

Assistant district attorneys in the Cobb Judicial Circuit, the elected Cobb County district attorney who sets exact pay and supervisory roles, and Cobb County government, which funds the salaries from its general funds alongside any state contribution.

Assistant district attorneys in Cobb County would see a higher guaranteed minimum salary, which could affect recruitment and retention of prosecutors in that office. Cobb County taxpayers would fund most of the increase through the county's general funds, with state compensation offsetting part of the cost.

• Section 1 rewrites Section 4B of the 1951 Cobb Judicial Circuit Act to set the new minimum salary of at least $83,400 annually for assistant district attorneys, starting January 1, 2027.
• Section 1 keeps the cap of 14 additional full-time or part-time assistant district attorneys the district attorney may appoint.
• Section 1 requires all assistant district attorneys to be licensed and in good standing with the State Bar of Georgia.
• Section 1 requires salaries to be paid monthly from Cobb County's general funds, minus any state-provided compensation.
• Section 2 sets the overall Act's effective date as July 1, 2026.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-02-26House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-02-25House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-24Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
4. 2026-02-24Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
5. 2026-02-11Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
6. 2026-02-10Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Ed Setzler (R, SD-037)Primary sponsor
• Michael Rhett (D, SD-033)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• Jaha Howard (D, SD-035)
• Donzella James (D, SD-028)

1. PassedSenate voteFebruary 24, 2026

   53 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 1 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #571

• district attorney salaries
• Cobb County government
• prosecutor pay
• local legislation