HB1028: HB1028 District Attorney Compensation Reform Act; enact

Georgia district attorneys are currently paid a state salary plus county salary supplements that vary widely by circuit. This bill creates a new pay structure: starting July 1, 2026, counties could offer DAs 'locality pay' capped at 10 percent of the state salary (or a set dollar cap that shrinks as the state salary rises above $206,805), instead of open-ended local supplements. Most county salary supplements would be abolished going forward, except for contracts covering probate or magistrate court work. DAs serving on July 1, 2026 could choose to switch into the new system, but that choice is irrevocable and must be made by January 1, 2034; those who never switch keep being paid exactly as they were on June 30, 2026, including their existing county supplements. The bill also caps DA state salaries at 88 percent of a base judicial salary set by the General Assembly, and it suspends local laws that automatically tie other officials' pay to DA salaries, lifting that suspension for judges on July 1, 2027. The law would take effect July 1, 2026.

• Lets each district attorney in office on July 1, 2026 choose, irrevocably, to switch to a new state salary plus capped 'locality pay' system, with the choice available until January 1, 2034.
• Grandfathers DAs who never switch, guaranteeing they keep receiving exactly the salary and county supplements they had as of June 30, 2026.
• Creates 'locality pay' that counties may pay DAs instead of salary supplements, capped at 10 percent of the state salary or a fixed dollar amount ($20,608.05), whichever is lower, with the cap shrinking further as state pay rises above $206,805.
• Bans most new county salary supplements to district attorneys after July 1, 2026, except for supplements tied to probate or magistrate court contract work.
• Caps the state-set annual salary for district attorneys at 88 percent of the base salary used for certain judges, to be set by the General Assembly's budget each year.
• Suspends local laws that automatically link other officials' pay to district attorney salaries, so DA raises won't trigger automatic raises elsewhere, with that suspension ending for judges on July 1, 2027.

Georgia's 50 or so district attorneys, the county governments and boards that fund parts of their pay, and any state, county, or local officials or employees whose salaries are tied by local law to a district attorney's compensation, including certain judges.

District attorney pay currently varies by county because of local supplements; this bill would standardize much of that through capped locality pay while protecting current DAs from any pay cut. Counties would lose the ability to freely raise DA supplements, and some officials whose pay automatically rises with DA salaries would see those increases paused.

• Section 2 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 15-18-10 to let DAs in office July 1, 2026 opt into the new pay system or keep their current pay and supplements permanently if they never opt in, with the option deadline set at January 1, 2034.
• Section 3 repeals subsection (d) of O.C.G.A. § 15-18-10.1, removing an exception tied to the old annual accountability supplement.
• Section 4 adds O.C.G.A. § 15-18-10.2, creating locality pay capped at 10 percent of state salary or $20,608.05 (whichever is less), banning most county salary supplements after July 1, 2026, and preserving existing fringe and retirement benefits.
• Section 5 amends O.C.G.A. § 45-7-4 so the General Assembly sets DA salaries in the annual budget, capped at 88 percent of a specified base judicial salary.
• Section 6 creates O.C.G.A. § 1-3-13, suspending local laws that tie other officials' pay to DA salary changes, with the suspension automatically lifting for judges on July 1, 2027 but continuing for other officials until separately addressed.
• Section 7 sets the effective date of the Act as July 1, 2026.

1. 2026-03-03House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
2. 2026-02-25House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
3. 2026-02-20House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
4. 2026-01-29House Second Readers (House)
5. 2026-01-28House First Readers (House)
6. 2026-01-27House Hopper (House)

• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)Primary sponsor
• 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)

• district attorney pay
• local government funding
• judicial salaries
• prosecutor compensation
• county budgets