SB491: SB491 Cobb Judicial Circuit; assistant district attorneys; change the salaries

This bill amends the 1951 Act that created the Cobb Judicial Circuit, which covers Cobb County's district attorney's office. It updates Section 4B of that law, which governs how many assistant district attorneys the district attorney can hire and how much they must be paid. Under the bill, the district attorney can still appoint up to 14 full-time or part-time assistant district attorneys who serve at the district attorney's discretion. The bill raises the guaranteed minimum salary for these assistants to at least $83,400 per year, effective January 1, 2027, with the district attorney setting the exact amount above that floor. Pay comes from Cobb County's general funds, minus any amount the State of Georgia contributes toward compensation. The bill also keeps the district attorney's authority to designate some assistants as supervisors. The law would take effect July 1, 2026.

• Sets a new minimum annual salary of at least $83,400 for assistant district attorneys in the Cobb Judicial Circuit, starting January 1, 2027.
• Keeps the cap of 14 full-time or part-time assistant district attorneys the district attorney may appoint beyond those otherwise provided by law.
• Continues to require assistant district attorneys to be licensed to practice law in Georgia and be members in good standing of the State Bar of Georgia.
• Keeps the requirement that Cobb County's general funds pay the salaries, minus any amount the State of Georgia contributes.
• Preserves the district attorney's power to designate certain assistant district attorneys as supervisors.
• Sets the law's effective date as July 1, 2026.

Assistant district attorneys working in the Cobb Judicial Circuit, the Cobb County district attorney's office, and Cobb County government, which funds these salaries through its general fund alongside any state contribution.

Assistant district attorneys in the Cobb Judicial Circuit would see their guaranteed minimum pay rise to at least $83,400 a year starting in 2027, a change that affects the office's ability to hire and retain prosecutors and how much Cobb County's general funds must cover.

• Section 1 revises Section 4B of the 1951 Act creating the Cobb Judicial Circuit, keeping the 14-position cap on additional assistant district attorneys appointed by the district attorney.
• Section 1 raises the minimum annual salary for assistant district attorneys to at least $83,400, effective January 1, 2027, with the district attorney setting the exact figure.
• Section 1 keeps the rule that salaries come from Cobb County's general funds, reduced by any amount the State of Georgia pays toward compensation.
• Section 1 retains the district attorney's authority to designate some assistant district attorneys as supervisors.
• Section 2 sets the overall effective date of the Act 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
• Cobb Judicial Circuit