SB607: SB607 Grand Juries; creation, selection, composition, compensation, procedures, and term; provide

Georgia's grand juries currently work at the county level. This bill would add a new statewide body, the State Grand Jury of Georgia, limited to investigating crimes involving voting, elections, or violations of Georgia's election laws. The Attorney General could petition the Supreme Court of Georgia to convene one, and if a majority of justices agree, the Chief Justice would appoint a superior court judge to preside. The grand jury would have 13 to 23 members drawn from a statewide jury list, serve up to 12 months, and could return indictments for prosecution in whichever county has proper venue. The Attorney General would serve as the jury's legal advisor, issue subpoenas, and coordinate with local district attorneys. Proceedings would be secret, with criminal penalties for violations. The law would only take effect on January 1, 2027 if the General Assembly passes and Georgia voters ratify a constitutional amendment in the November 2026 election; otherwise it would automatically repeal.

• Creates a new statewide grand jury, the State Grand Jury of Georgia, with jurisdiction limited to crimes involving voting, elections, or violations of Georgia's election laws.
• Lets the Attorney General petition the Supreme Court of Georgia to impanel a state grand jury, with a majority of justices deciding whether to approve it.
• Sets grand jury size at 13 to 23 members, requires 12 or more votes to indict, and caps each jury's term at 12 months.
• Makes the Attorney General the legal advisor to the state grand jury, responsible for presenting evidence, drafting indictments, and coordinating with district attorneys.
• Creates criminal penalties, including contempt of court and misdemeanor charges, for violating grand jury secrecy rules or ignoring subpoenas.
• Ties the entire law's survival to a 2026 constitutional amendment; if voters do not ratify it, the law repeals automatically.

The bill affects the Attorney General's office, county district attorneys, superior court judges, county sheriffs who serve subpoenas, prospective jurors drawn from the statewide jury list, and anyone accused of or investigated for election-related crimes in Georgia.

If enacted, election crime investigations that currently stay within a single county could instead be pursued statewide by the Attorney General, with grand juries able to indict across county lines. This changes who controls election-crime prosecutions and adds new secrecy rules and penalties around the process.

• Section 1 creates new Code Sections 15-12-105 through 15-12-117, establishing the 'State Grand Jury Act' and limiting the jury's subject matter to voting, election, and related crimes.
• O.C.G.A. § 15-12-107 lets the Attorney General petition the Supreme Court under seal for a state grand jury; a majority of justices must approve and the Chief Justice appoints a presiding judge.
• O.C.G.A. § 15-12-108 sets eligibility rules for jurors, including citizenship, residency, no recent elected office, no felony convictions without restored rights, and no pending pretrial diversion programs.
• O.C.G.A. § 15-12-110 requires jurors to be drawn from a pool of 60 people summoned from the statewide master jury list, sets pay equal to state board per diem and mileage rates, and caps a jury's term at 12 months.
• O.C.G.A. § 15-12-111 gives the state grand jury subpoena power statewide and allows contempt punishment for noncompliance, while also providing limited immunity for compelled testimony.
• O.C.G.A. § 15-12-114 requires secrecy of proceedings, restricts who may be present, and makes violations a misdemeanor.
• O.C.G.A. § 15-12-116 requires the Attorney General to provide meeting space and directs the Department of Public Safety and Georgia Bureau of Investigation to support the jury, funded through annual state appropriations.
• Section 2 sets a contingent effective date of January 1, 2027, tied to voter ratification of a constitutional amendment in the November 2026 election, with automatic repeal if voters reject it.

1. 2026-03-06Senate Tabled (Senate)
2. 2026-03-04Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
3. 2026-03-03Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
4. 2026-02-26Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
5. 2026-02-25Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Bill Cowsert (R, SD-046)Primary sponsor
• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-027)
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)

• election crimes
• grand juries
• Attorney General powers
• voting law enforcement
• constitutional amendment