HB1461: HB1461 Muscogee County; Superior Court; salary of the clerk of superior court and the chief deputy clerk; change provisions

This bill amends a 1952 local law that sets pay for the clerk of the Superior Court of Muscogee County. Under current law the clerk's and chief deputy clerk's salaries are set as percentages of superior court judges' base pay in Muscogee County, and this bill changes those percentages. The clerk's salary would be set at not less than 80 percent of the base salary paid to Muscogee County superior court judges, up from whatever percentage the prior law specified. The chief deputy clerk's salary, set by the clerk, would be not less than 65 percent of that judicial base salary. Both salaries continue to be paid from Muscogee County funds. The changes would take effect on the first day of the month after the Governor signs the bill or it otherwise becomes law.

• Sets the minimum salary of the Muscogee County superior court clerk at not less than 80 percent of the base salary paid to superior court judges in the county.
• Sets the minimum salary of the chief deputy clerk of the Muscogee County superior court at not less than 65 percent of judges' base salary, with the clerk fixing the exact amount.
• Keeps both salaries funded through Muscogee County funds rather than any other funding source.
• Repeals any prior laws that conflict with these new salary provisions.
• Sets the effective date as the first day of the month following the bill's approval by the Governor or its becoming law without approval.

This bill directly affects the clerk of the Superior Court of Muscogee County and the chief deputy clerk position, as well as Muscogee County government, which pays their salaries out of county funds.

The change would raise the guaranteed minimum pay for two specific Muscogee County court officials, linking their compensation to whatever superior court judges earn locally, which affects the county's budget and how these positions are compensated relative to other local government jobs.

• Section 1 revises the 1952 Act to set the clerk's salary at not less than 80 percent of the base salary for Muscogee County superior court judges, paid from county funds.
• Section 2 revises the Act to set the chief deputy clerk's salary, fixed by the clerk, at not less than 65 percent of judges' base salary, also paid from county funds.
• Section 3 sets the effective date as the first day of the month after gubernatorial approval or the bill becoming law without approval.
• Section 4 repeals all laws and parts of laws that conflict with this Act.

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 government
• court clerk salaries
• local legislation
• Georgia superior courts