SB 620: State Court of Barrow County; a full-time solicitor-general; provide

The State Court of Barrow County was created in 2020, with a solicitor-general who prosecutes certain cases in that court. This bill rewrites Section 12 of that 2020 law to specify that the solicitor-general must serve full-time and to set how much that official is paid. Under the bill, the solicitor-general's salary would equal 95 percent of the district attorney for the Piedmont Judicial Circuit's salary (not counting local supplements), capped at $142,500 a year, plus required benefits, paid out of Barrow County funds. The solicitor-general could hire assistant solicitors-general, investigators, paraprofessionals, clerical staff, and victim and witness assistance personnel, if the Barrow County Board of Commissioners authorizes it and approves their pay. Investigators hired this way would have to meet Georgia's peace officer certification standards. The bill repeals any conflicting laws.

• Requires the Barrow County State Court solicitor-general to serve full-time rather than part-time.
• Sets the solicitor-general's salary at 95 percent of the Piedmont Judicial Circuit district attorney's salary, capped at $142,500 a year, plus benefits.
• Authorizes the solicitor-general to hire assistant solicitors-general, investigators, paraprofessionals, clerical staff, and victim assistance personnel with county board approval.
• Requires any investigator hired by the solicitor-general's office to meet Georgia's peace officer certification standards under the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Act.
• Keeps the existing four-year elected term structure for the solicitor-general as set in the 2020 law.

The Barrow County solicitor-general and any assistant solicitors-general, investigators, clerical and victim assistance staff hired by that office; the Barrow County Board of Commissioners, which approves hiring and pay; and Barrow County taxpayers, who fund the salaries.

Making the position full-time and setting a defined, capped salary tied to a comparable district attorney's pay affects how Barrow County recruits and retains its top local prosecutor, and clarifies how the office can staff up to handle its caseload using county funds.

• Section 1 revises Section 12 of the 2020 Act creating the State Court of Barrow County to require a full-time solicitor-general.
• Subsection (c) ties the solicitor-general's salary to 95 percent of the Piedmont Judicial Circuit district attorney's pay, capped at $142,500 annually, funded by Barrow County.
• Subsection (d) lets the solicitor-general hire additional staff, including investigators, attorneys, and clerical personnel, subject to county board of commissioners authorization and pay approval.
• Investigators hired under subsection (d) must be certified as peace officers under Georgia's Peace Officer Standards and Training Act (O.C.G.A. Chapter 8 of Title 35).
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 620
3. 2026-05-11Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2026-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2026-04-02House Passed/Adopted (House)
6. 2026-04-02House Third Readers (House)
7. 2026-04-02House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
8. 2026-03-23House Second Readers (House)

• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)Primary sponsor
• Bill Cowsert (R, SD-046)
• Frank Ginn (R, SD-047)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 19, 2026

   49 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 2 absent)

   Local Consent Calendar: Senate Vote #745

2. PassedHouse voteApril 2, 2026

   94 yea, 75 nay (2 not voting, 5 absent)

   Supplemental Local Calendar : House Vote #857

• Barrow County
• state courts
• local government salaries
• county prosecutors
• court staffing