Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB646 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		25 LC 56 0366S
2		-	House Bill 646 (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE)
3		-	By: Representatives Stinson of the 150
4		-	th
5		-	, Wade of the 9
6		-	th
7		-	, Jackson of the 128
8		-	th
9		-	, Reese of the
10		-	140
11		-	th
12		-	, and Herring of the 145
13		-	th
14		-
	2	+	The House Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security offers the following
	3	+	substitute to HB 646:
15	4		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
16	5		AN ACT
17		-	To amend Chapter 16 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
18		-	1
	6	+	To amend Chapter 16 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to1
19	7		coroners, so as to provide minimum salaries of coroners; to revise compensation provisions2
20	8		for deputy coroners; to provide for benefits to certain coroners; to remove certain death3
21	9		investigation fees; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date; to repeal4
22	10		conflicting laws; and for other purposes.5
23	11		BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:6
24	12		SECTION 1.7
25	13		Chapter 16 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to coroners, is8
26	14		amended by revising Code Section 45-16-7, relating to appointment of deputy coroners, oath,9
27	15		bond, fees, powers, and qualifications, as follows:10
28	16		"45-16-7.11
29		-	(a) As soon as practicable after July 1, 1980, and at
30		-	At the beginning of each term of the12
	17	+	(a) As soon as practicable after July 1, 1980, and at At the beginning of each term of the12
31	18		coroner thereafter, the coroner of each county shall appoint a deputy coroner or coroners13
32	19		thereafter, the coroner of each county shall appoint a deputy coroner or coroners as14
33	20		provided in this Code section. A deputy coroner shall be appointed for each county, and15
34	21		one or more additional deputy coroners may be appointed for any county, in the discretion16
35	22		H. B. 646 (SUB)
36	23		- 1 - 25 LC 56 0366S
37	24		of the coroner pursuant to the provisions of subsection (c) of this Code section. Each17
38	25		deputy coroner shall serve at the pleasure of the coroner and may be replaced by the18
39	26		coroner at any time. Each deputy coroner shall take the same oath, give the same bond, be19
40	27		entitled to the same fees, and have the same powers as the coroner;, but a deputy coroner20
41	28		shall act as coroner only when the coroner is himself or herself unable to act.21
42	29		(b) No person shall be eligible to hold the office of deputy coroner unless he or she holds22
43	30		a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent. Any deputy coroner who is in office23
44	31		on July 1, 1980, however, shall without limitation be eligible to serve as deputy coroner at24
45	32		any time after said date without regard to whether he or she meets the requirements of this25
46	33		subsection.26
47	34		(c) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, there shall be appointed only one deputy27
48	35		coroner, and, on and after July 1, 1999, there shall only be one deputy coroner in each such28
49	36		county unless otherwise approved by the local governing authority of the county in the29
50	37		annual budget of the coroner's office.30
51	38		(d) A deputy coroner shall receive:31
52	39		(1) A fee of at least $250.00 for each case the deputy coroner works; and32
53	40		(2) A per diem of $100.00 for each day the deputy coroner does not work a case;33
54	41		provided, however, that a deputy coroner shall not be entitled to a per diem pursuant to34
55	42		this paragraph for more than 90 days in a calendar year; provided, further, that sufficient35
56	43		funds have been budgeted by the governing authority of the county.36
57	44		(e) As of January 1, 2026, any deputy coroner being compensated by a county in an37
58	45		amount greater than the compensation formulas provided in subsection (d) of this Code38
59	46		section shall not have his or her compensation reduced for the remainder of the term of the39
60	47		coroner."40
61	48		H. B. 646 (SUB)
62	49		- 2 - 25 LC 56 0366S
63		-	SECTION 2.
64		-	41
	50	+	SECTION 2.41
65	51		Said chapter is further amended by revising Code Section 45-16-11, relating to compensation42
66	52		of county coroners, increases, calculation, supplements, and expenses, as follows:43
67	53		"45-16-11.44
68	54		(a)(1) Any other law to the contrary notwithstanding, the minimum annual salary of each45
69	55		coroner in any of the counties in this state in the following population brackets shall be46
70	56		fixed according to the population of the county in which he or she serves, as determined47
71		-	by the United States decennial census of 1990
72		-	2020 or any future such census. Except48
	57	+	by the United States decennial census of 1990 2020 or any future such census. Except48
73	58		as otherwise provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, each such coroner shall receive49
74	59		an annual salary, payable in equal monthly installments from the funds of the coroner's50
75	60		county, of not less than the amount fixed in the following schedule:51
76	61		Population Minimum Salary52
77	62		0 — 11,889..........................................53 $ 1,200.00
78	63		11,890 — 19,999..........................................54 2,400.00
79	64		20,000 — 34,999..........................................55 3,600.00
80	65		0 — 5,999..........................................56 $17,700.00
81	66		6,000 — 11,889..........................................57 20,000.00
82	67		11,890 — 19,999..........................................58 25,000.00
83	68		20,000 — 28,999..........................................59 30,000.00
84	69		29,000 — 38,999..........................................60 35,000.00
85	70		39,000 — 49,999..........................................61 40,000.00
86	71		50,000 — 74,999..........................................62 45,000.00
87	72		75,000 — 99,999..........................................63 50,000.00
88	73		100,000 — 149,999..........................................64 55,000.00
89	74		150,000 — 199,999..........................................65 70,000.00
90	75		200,000 — 249,999..........................................66 80,000.00
91	76		H. B. 646 (SUB)
92	77		- 3 - 25 LC 56 0366S
93	78		250,000 — 299,999..........................................67 90,000.00
94	79		300,000 — 399,999..........................................68 95,000.00
95	80		400,000 — 499,999..........................................69 100,000.00
96	81		500,000 or more.............................................70 105,000.00
97	82		(2) Whenever, after January 1, 2026, the state employees subject to compensation plans71
98	83		authorized and approved in accordance with Code Section 45-20-4 receive a72
99	84		cost-of-living increase or general performance based increase of a certain percentage or73
100	85		a certain amount, the amounts fixed in the minimum salary schedule in paragraph (1) of74
101	86		this subsection, and in Code Section 45-16-11.1, or the amounts derived by increasing75
102	87		each of said amounts through the application of longevity increases pursuant to76
103	88		subsection (b) of this Code section, where applicable, shall be increased by the same77
104	89		percentage or same amount applicable to such state employees. If the cost-of-living78
105	90		increase or general performance based increase received by state employees is in different79
106	91		percentages or different amounts as to certain categories of employees, the amounts fixed80
107	92		in the minimum salary schedule in paragraph (1) of this subsection, and in Code81
108	93		Section 45-16-11.1, or the amounts derived through the application of longevity82
109	94		increases, shall be increased by a percentage or an amount not to exceed the average83
110	95		percentage or average amount of the general increase in salary granted to the state84
111	96		employees. The Office of Planning and Budget shall calculate the average percentage85
112	97		increase or average amount increase when necessary. The periodic changes in the86
113	98		amounts fixed in the minimum salary schedule in paragraph (1) of this subsection, and87
114	99		in Code Section 45-16-11.1, or the amounts derived through the application of longevity88
115	100		increases, as authorized by this paragraph shall become effective on the first day of89
116	101		January following the date that the cost-of-living increases received by state employees90
117	102		become effective; provided, however, that, if the cost-of-living increases or general91
118	103		performance based increases received by state employees become effective on January 1,92
119	104		such periodic changes in the amounts fixed in the minimum salary schedule in93
120	105		H. B. 646 (SUB)
121	106		- 4 - 25 LC 56 0366S
122		-	paragraph (1) of this subsection, and in Code Section 45-16-11.1, or the amounts derived
123		-	94
	107	+	paragraph (1) of this subsection, and in Code Section 45-16-11.1, or the amounts derived94
124	108		through the application of longevity increases, as authorized by this paragraph shall95
125	109		become effective on the same date that the cost-of-living increases or general96
126	110		performance based increases received by state employees become effective.97
127	111		(3) The county governing authority may supplement the minimum annual salary of the98
128	112		coroner in such amount as it may fix from time to time; but no coroner's compensation99
129	113		supplement shall be decreased during any term of office. Any prior expenditure of100
130	114		county funds to supplement the coroner's salary in the manner authorized by this101
131	115		paragraph is ratified and confirmed. Nothing contained in this paragraph shall prohibit102
132	116		the General Assembly by local law from supplementing the annual salary of the coroner.103
133		-	(a.1) In the event that the coroner or his or her immediate predecessor spent at least 2,080
134		-	104
	117	+	(a.1) In the event that the coroner or his or her immediate predecessor spent at least 2,080104
135	118		hours on duties related to his or her role as the coroner and the coroner's office in such105
136	119		county administered at least 100 death investigations in the preceding calendar year, the106
137	120		county governing authority shall provide the coroner the same employment benefits it107
138	121		provides the clerk of the superior court, judge of the probate court, sheriff, or tax108
139	122		commissioner.109
140	123		(b) The amounts provided in paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of this Code section and Code110
141	124		Section 45-16-11.1, as increased by paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of this Code section,111
142	125		shall be increased by multiplying said amounts by the percentage which equals 5 percent112
143	126		times the number of completed four-year terms of office served by any coroner after113
144	127		December 31, 2000 2024, effective the first day of January following the completion of114
145	128		each such period of service.115
146	129		(c) The minimum salaries provided for under this Code section shall be in addition to any116
147	130		fees, including the death investigation fee provided for under subsection (b) of Code117
148	131		Section 45-16-27, paid by the county governing authority to the coroner on a per-call basis118
149	132		and in addition to any expenses Reserved.119
150	133		H. B. 646 (SUB)
151	134		- 5 - 25 LC 56 0366S
152		-	(d) The minimum salaries provided for in this Code section shall be considered as salary
153		-	120
	135	+	(d) The minimum salaries provided for in this Code section shall be considered as salary120
154	136		only. Expenses for deputies, equipment, supplies, copying equipment, and other necessary121
155	137		and reasonable expenses for the operation of a coroner's office shall come from funds other122
156	138		than the funds specified as salary in this Code section.123
157	139		(e) This Code section shall not be construed to reduce the salary of any coroner in office124
158		-	on July 1, 2001
159		-	2026; provided, however, that successors to such coroners in office on125
	140	+	on July 1, 2001 2026; provided, however, that successors to such coroners in office on125
160	141		July 1, 2001 2026, shall be governed by the provisions of this Code section. All local126
161	142		legislation in effect on July 1, 2001 January 1, 2026, or enacted thereafter affecting127
162	143		compensation for coroners of the various counties shall be of full force and effect except128
163	144		where the same provides for a salary lower than provided in this Code section, in which129
164	145		event this Code section shall prevail."130
165	146		SECTION 3.131
166	147		Said chapter is further amended by repealing subsections (b) and (b.1) of Code132
167	148		Section 45-16-27, relating to when inquest to be held, special situations, coroner's fee,133
168	149		issuance of subpoenas, cost of copying, and limited disclosure of photographs, and134
169	150		designating subsection (b) as reserved.135
170	151		SECTION 4.136
171	152		This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2026.137
172	153		SECTION 5.138
173	154		All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.139
174	155		H. B. 646 (SUB)
175	156		- 6 -