HB1460: HB1460 Muscogee County; State Court; salaries of the solicitor-general, the chief assistant solicitor-general, and other assistant solicitors-general; modify provisions

This bill amends the 1884 law that created the State Court of Muscogee County to update how prosecutors in that court are paid. Currently the solicitor-general's salary is set by a formula tied to a judge's pay; the bill revises that formula so the solicitor-general must earn at least 90 percent of the salary (including any local supplement) of a junior judge of the State Court of Muscogee County, paid at least monthly from county funds. The bill also rewrites the section on assistant prosecutors. It lets the solicitor-general appoint a chief assistant solicitor-general, who must be a member of the State Bar of Georgia, work full time, and not practice law privately. That chief assistant must earn at least 80 percent of the solicitor-general's salary. The solicitor-general can also designate experienced assistants as senior assistant solicitors-general, with pay set by the solicitor-general but kept consistent with other county or state attorneys. The law would take effect the first day of the month after the Governor signs it or it becomes law without signature.

• Sets the solicitor-general's minimum annual salary at 90 percent of a junior judge's salary, including any local supplement, for the State Court of Muscogee County.
• Requires the solicitor-general's salary to be paid in at least monthly installments from Muscogee County funds.
• Allows the solicitor-general to appoint a chief assistant solicitor-general who must be barred in Georgia, work full time, and not privately practice law.
• Sets the chief assistant solicitor-general's minimum salary at 80 percent of the solicitor-general's pay.
• Lets the solicitor-general designate assistants with five or more years of experience as senior assistant solicitors-general, with pay set by the solicitor-general but consistent with other county or state attorneys.
• Repeals any prior laws that conflict with these salary rules.

The solicitor-general, chief assistant solicitor-general, and other assistant solicitors-general of the State Court of Muscogee County are directly affected, along with Muscogee County government, which funds these salaries from county funds.

The bill changes how much money local prosecutors in Muscogee County are guaranteed to earn and who sets those salaries, which affects the county budget and could influence recruitment and retention of attorneys in the solicitor-general's office.

• Section 1 revises subsection (b) of Section 3A to tie the solicitor-general's salary to 90 percent of a junior judge's salary plus local supplement, paid monthly from county funds.
• Section 2 rewrites Section 3C to create rules for the chief assistant solicitor-general, including bar admission, full-time service, and a salary floor of 80 percent of the solicitor-general's pay.
• Section 2 also allows designation of senior assistant solicitors-general with five years of legal practice experience and pay consistent with comparable county or state attorneys.
• Section 3 sets the effective date as the first day of the month following the Governor's approval or the bill becoming law without approval.
• Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-19Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2026-03-18House Passed/Adopted (House)
3. 2026-03-18House Third Readers (House)
4. 2026-03-18House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
5. 2026-03-03House Second Readers (House)
6. 2026-02-26House First Readers (House)
7. 2026-02-25House Hopper (House)

• Teddy Reese (D, HD-140)Primary sponsor
• Carolyn Hugley (D, HD-141)
• Debbie Buckner (D, HD-137)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 18, 2026

   161 yea, 2 nay (7 not voting, 6 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #712

• Muscogee County
• State Court salaries
• local government law
• prosecutor pay
• Georgia courts