All Roll Calls
Yes: 232 • No: 42
GeorgiaHB 852025-2026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET
Superior Court Judicial Compensation Reform Act; enact
Sponsored By: James Burchett (Republican), Chuck Efstration (Republican), Stan Gunter (Republican), Soo Hong (Republican), Rob Leverett (Republican), Matt Reeves (Republican)
Became Law
JudiciaryGeneral Bill
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
7 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 2 costs, 2 mixed.
Fringe benefits and retirement stay protected
Beginning July 1, 2025, counties can keep giving judges the same fringe benefits they provided on June 30, 2025. The law preserves all retirement benefits and rights that existed before July 1, 2025. Choosing the state salary option does not reduce a judge’s retirement benefits. Counties may base retirement benefits on locality pay only if the law allows.
Judges can choose new pay without cuts
Beginning July 1, 2025, each superior court judge in office can elect the state annual salary plus any locality pay. The judge files written notice with the Council and each county, and the change starts the next pay period beginning five business days after filing. If a judge does not elect, their pay stays exactly as it was on June 30, 2025 for the rest of that term. If a judge elects and the new state pay plus locality pay is lower than before, counties must pay a top‑up equal to the difference. The top‑up cannot push total pay above the judge’s prior total.
State sets judge pay with cap
Starting July 1, 2025, the General Assembly sets each superior court judge’s annual salary in the budget. That salary cannot be more than 90% of the base salary fixed for federal district judges in the Northern District of Georgia on July 1 of the second prior fiscal year. The annual salary set in state law is treated as the judge’s full state‑paid salary, replacing other state payments except for a few listed exceptions.
Counties move to capped locality pay
After July 1, 2025, counties generally cannot pay county salary supplements to superior court judges. Counties may instead pay locality pay to eligible judges, but it must be the same amount for all eligible judges in the circuit. Locality pay is capped at the smaller of 10% of the state salary or $20,106 per year. If the state salary is over $201,060, the cap drops by $0.50 for each extra $1. Chief judge local supplements can continue only if they were authorized on June 30, 2025, and they cannot be increased or newly created after July 1, 2025.
New judges get same local pay
When a new superior court judgeship is created and filled, the new judge gets the same local pay as other judges in that circuit. This applies to either locality pay or, where allowed, county supplements that are in effect for peers.
Pause on local pay ties, no backpay
On July 1, 2025, local laws that tie other officers’ pay to a superior court judge’s pay are paused for any increases. While paused, affected pay stays at the level in place when the pause began, and no one gets retroactive pay for the paused period. On July 1, 2026, the pause ends for judges and delayed changes take effect going forward, unless the local law changed earlier. Local governments can still change pay if authorized by law, but they cannot exceed judge locality‑pay limits or make retroactive payments. The General Assembly may repeal or amend any suspended local law at any time.
Accountability court supplement rule repealed
Effective July 1, 2025, the law repeals subsection (c) of Code Section 15-6-29.1 on an accountability court supplement and its limitation.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
James Burchett
Republican • House
Chuck Efstration
Republican • House
Stan Gunter
Republican • House
Soo Hong
Republican • House
Rob Leverett
Republican • House
Matt Reeves
Republican • House
Cosponsors
Bo Hatchett
Republican • Senate
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 3/28/2025
ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT #1 BY THE SENATOR FROM THE 26TH
Yes: 18 • No: 33
Senate vote • 3/28/2025
PASSAGE
Yes: 51 • No: 2
House vote • 2/20/2025
PASSAGE
Yes: 163 • No: 7
Actions Timeline
Effective Date
7/1/2025House Date Signed by Governor
5/12/2025HouseAct 112
5/12/2025House Sent to Governor
4/9/2025HouseSenate Third Read
3/28/2025SenateSenate Passed/Adopted
3/28/2025SenateSenate Read Second Time
3/21/2025SenateSenate Committee Favorably Reported
3/20/2025SenateSenate Read and Referred
2/21/2025SenateHouse Third Readers
2/20/2025HouseHouse Passed/Adopted By Substitute
2/20/2025HouseHouse Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
2/12/2025HouseHouse Second Readers
1/27/2025HouseHouse First Readers
1/17/2025HouseHouse Hopper
1/16/2025House
Bill Text
HB 85/AP* (v8)
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