# Georgia HB 426: Courts; nonpartisan election of magistrates; provide

Georgia HB 426, Courts; nonpartisan election of magistrates; provide, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by James Burchett (Republican), Chuck Efstration (Republican), Kimberly New (Republican) and 3 others; status signed, last action 2025-07-01 (Effective Date) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB426-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Georgia HB 426
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: Courts; nonpartisan election of magistrates; provide
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2025-02-12
- Last action: 2025-07-01, Effective Date
- Sponsors: James Burchett (Republican), Chuck Efstration (Republican), Kimberly New (Republican), Holt Persinger (Republican), Mitchell Scoggins (Republican), Tyler Paul Smith (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Judiciary, Ethics, General Bill
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (186 yes, 92 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Georgia judges elected without party labels: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2025, Georgia bars local laws that authorize partisan elections for chief magistrates or other magistrates. County voters elect chief magistrates without party labels for four-year terms, before the current term ends. Terms begin January 1 after election. Other magistrates remain…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: James Burchett (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Chuck Efstration (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Kimberly New (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Holt Persinger (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Mitchell Scoggins (Republican), House
- Sponsor: Tyler Paul Smith (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Rick Williams (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-21 | Senate | MOTION TO ENGROSS: HB 266, HB 426 | pass | 32 | 22 | 1 |
| 2025-03-21 | Senate | PASSAGE | pass | 43 | 11 | 1 |
| 2025-03-04 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 111 | 59 | 4 |

## Actions (17)

- 2025-07-01: Effective Date
- 2025-05-14: House Date Signed by Governor (House)
- 2025-05-14: Act 302
- 2025-04-07: House Sent to Governor (House)
- 2025-03-21: Senate Engrossed (Senate)
- 2025-03-21: Senate Third Read (Senate)
- 2025-03-21: Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- 2025-03-18: Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- 2025-03-13: Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- 2025-03-06: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: House Third Readers (House)
- 2025-03-04: House Passed/Adopted (House)
- 2025-02-21: House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- 2025-02-19: House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
- 2025-02-18: House Second Readers (House)
- 2025-02-13: House First Readers (House)
- 2025-02-12: House Hopper (House)

## Bill text

- HB 426/AP* (v3): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/237012)

## Related bills

- SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckless stunt driving; replace the forfeiture penalty (signed)
- SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation for certain motor vehicles; provide (signed)
- SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; establish (signed)
- SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact (signed)
- HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish (signed)
- HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact (signed)

## Sources
- [HB 426/AP* (v3) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/237012)

## Related
- [SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckles…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB160-2025-2026)
- [SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB384-2025-2026)
- [SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Servic…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB76-2025-2026)
- [SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB406-2025-2026)
- [HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1391-2025-2026)
- [HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1344-2025-2026)
- [Georgia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia/bills)
- [Georgia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/georgia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB426-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).