SB492: SB492 State Court of Cobb County; additional assistant solicitor positions; provide

This bill amends the 1964 law that created the State Court of Cobb County. Under current law, the solicitor-general (the county's chief prosecuting attorney for the state court) can appoint two assistant solicitors for each judge in the court's two divisions, plus one assistant solicitor for every full-time magistrate in the Cobb County Magistrate Court. The bill adds seven more assistant solicitor positions on top of that formula. It also sets a new minimum salary of at least $83,400 a year for all assistant solicitors, beginning January 1, 2027, with the exact amount within that floor left to the solicitor-general to decide. It keeps the existing requirement that assistant solicitors be licensed, active members of the State Bar of Georgia. The changes would take effect July 1, 2026.

• Adds seven additional assistant solicitor positions in the State Court of Cobb County, on top of the existing formula tied to judges and magistrates.
• Sets a new minimum annual salary of at least $83,400 for all assistant solicitors, starting January 1, 2027.
• Leaves the exact pay amount above that minimum to the discretion of the solicitor-general.
• Keeps the requirement that assistant solicitors be licensed to practice law in Georgia and be members in good standing of the State Bar of Georgia.
• Keeps authorization for a district attorney to designate certain assistant solicitors as supervisors.

The solicitor-general and assistant solicitors of the State Court of Cobb County, who prosecute misdemeanor cases, along with Cobb County's government, which pays their salaries from general county funds.

More assistant solicitor positions could let the Cobb County solicitor-general's office handle a larger caseload, while the new minimum salary would raise or lock in pay for these prosecutors starting in 2027, affecting the county's budget and staffing.

• Section 1 revises subsection (d) of Section 27 of the 1964 Act creating the State Court of Cobb County to add seven additional assistant solicitor positions beyond the existing per-judge and per-magistrate formula.
• Section 1 sets minimum compensation for all assistant solicitors at $83,400 annually beginning January 1, 2027, paid monthly from county general funds.
• Section 1 retains the requirement that assistant solicitors be licensed Georgia attorneys in good standing with the State Bar of Georgia.
• Section 1 retains authority for the district attorney to designate certain assistant solicitors as supervisors.
• Section 2 sets the effective date of the Act as July 1, 2026.
• Section 3 repeals all 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

• Cobb County government
• state court staffing
• prosecutor salaries
• local legislation