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Senate Bill 5EX
By: Senator Summers of the 13th
AS PASSED
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend an Act creating the State Court of Turner County, approved April 18, 2002
1
(Ga. L. 2002, p. 4074), so as to provide that on and after January 1, 2024, the district attorney2
of the judicial circuit within which Turner County is located shall represent the state in all3
criminal prosecutions brought in the State Court of Turner County and shall perform the4
duties of the office of solicitor-general of the state court; to provide for the powers, duties,5
and responsibilities of said district attorney in such state court; to authorize the establishment6
of a state court division by said district attorney; to provide for the assignment, appointment,7
and compensation of personnel by said district attorney; to provide for annual budgeting; to8
provide for the transfer of books, papers, and other office property to said district attorney;9
to provide that no election shall be held for the office of solicitor-general of the state court;10
to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.11
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:12
SECTION 1.13
An Act creating the State Court of Turner County, approved April 18, 200214
(Ga. L. 2002, p. 4074), is amended by revising Section 13 as follows:15
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"SECTION 13.
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(a) On and after January 1, 2024, the district attorney of the judicial circuit in which17
Turner County is located shall represent the state in all criminal cases in the State Court of18
Turner County as provided in subsection (c) of Code Section 15-18-60 of the O.C.G.A. and19
shall have all of the duties, powers, and responsibilities of a solicitor-general as provided20
by law. The district attorney of said circuit may establish a state court division and21
designate assistant district attorneys to prosecute such cases in the State Court of Turner22
County as provided in subsection (c) of Code Section 15-18-60 of the O.C.G.A.23
(b) In addition to any other personnel which said district attorney is authorized to appoint24
pursuant to Article 1 of Chapter 18 of Title 15 of the O.C.G.A., the district attorney of said25
circuit shall be authorized to appoint an assistant district attorney to assist in the26
prosecution of criminal cases in the State Court of Turner County. Said assistant district27
attorney shall be compensated in an amount determined in accordance with the provisions28
of Code Section 15-18-20 of the O.C.G.A. In addition, the district attorney shall be29
authorized to appoint at least one administrative, clerical, and paraprofessional personnel30
to provide support for the state court division. The compensation and number of such31
additional personnel shall be determined by the governing authority of Turner County as32
part of the annual budget for said district attorney.33
(c) No election shall be held for the office of solicitor-general of the State Court of Turner34
County for the term of office that begins on or after January 1, 2025, and such office shall35
stand abolished. On or after January 1, 2024, any reference in this Act or any other law of36
this state to the solicitor-general of the State Court of Turner County shall be deemed to37
mean and refer to the district attorney of the judicial circuit in which Turner County is38
located. It shall be the duty of the solicitor-general of the State Court of Turner County to39
deliver all books, papers, and other office property to the district attorney of such circuit40
as provided by Code Section 45-6-7 of the O.C.G.A. on or before the end of the term of41
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office to which said solicitor-general was elected or vacating said office, whichever occurs
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first."43
SECTION 2.44
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.45
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