Georgia CommonsHB1020: HB1020 Judicial Retirement System; payment of monthly retirement benefits for creditable service as a district attorney at the age of 65 years; provide
Last action May 12, 2026 · Effective Date 2026-07-01
House Bill 1020 overhauls how Georgia district attorneys are paid, replacing most county salary supplements with capped locality pay, and changes retirement rules so district attorney service counts fully toward Judicial Retirement System benefits only after age 65.
In plain language
Georgia district attorneys currently receive a state salary plus county supplements that vary widely by circuit. This bill lets district attorneys in office on July 1, 2026 choose, on an irrevocable basis, to switch to a new system of state salary plus capped county locality pay instead of their existing supplements, while those who do not choose keep their current pay under a grandfather clause. New and switching district attorneys can get locality pay capped at 10 percent of the state salary or a set dollar amount, whichever is lower, and most future county salary supplements are eliminated, though counties may still cover fringe benefits and certain contracted duties. The bill also raises minimum salaries for assistant district attorneys, temporarily freezes local laws that tie other officials' pay to a district attorney's salary (except for judges after mid-2027), and revises the Georgia Judicial Retirement System so that district attorneys who have not yet turned 65 have their creditable service calculated without counting their district attorney years, affecting benefit amounts and survivor benefit calculations. It takes effect July 1, 2026.
Who it affects
District attorneys and interim district attorneys statewide, assistant district attorneys, county governments and their governing authorities, judges and other local officials whose pay is tied by local law to a district attorney's salary, and members and beneficiaries of the Georgia Judicial Retirement System.
Why it matters
District attorneys would face a one-time, irreversible choice about how they are paid, and future hires would receive a more standardized but potentially lower combined salary. Counties lose the ability to set open-ended supplements, and some officials' pay tied to district attorney salaries would be frozen for up to a year.
Status timeline
- Effective Date 2026-07-01
- Act 716
- House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- House Sent to Governor (House)
- House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
- Senate Notice to Reconsider (Senate)
- Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Third Read (Senate)
Show full history (20 actions)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- Senate Recommitted (Senate)
- Senate Third Read (Senate)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)
- Chuck Efstration (R, HD-104)
- Stan Gunter (R, HD-008)
- Trey Kelley (R, HD-016)
- Tyler Smith (R, HD-018)
- Rob Leverett (R, HD-123)
- Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)
Votes
- House voteFebruary 19, 2026
164 yea, 0 nay (8 not voting, 5 absent)
- Senate voteMarch 23, 2026
32 yea, 19 nay (1 not voting, 2 absent)
- House voteMarch 25, 2026
100 yea, 55 nay (2 not voting, 19 absent)