Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HB722 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	25 LC 62 0117~~/AP~~
2		-	House Bill 722 ~~(AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)~~
	1	+	25 LC 62 0117
	2	+	House Bill 722
3	3		By: Representatives Stephens of the 164
4	4		th
5	5		, Petrea of the 166
6	6		th
7	7		, and Franklin of the 160
8	8		th
9	9
10	10		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
11	11		AN ACT
12	12		To amend an Act establishing the State Court of Bryan County (formerly the City Court of
13	13		1
14	14		Pembroke), approved January 10, 1938 (Ga. L. 1937-38, Ex. Sess., p. 714), as amended,2
15	15		particularly by an Act approved May 1, 2023 (Ga. L. 2023, p. 3851), so as to establish the3
16	16		position of chief judge; to provide for a new part-time associate judge; to provide for the4
17	17		initial appointment of such associate judge by the Governor; to provide for the elections and5
18	18		terms of office of the judges of the court; to provide for compensation of the judges; to6
19	19		provide for an effective date; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and7
20	20		for other purposes.8
21	21		BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:9
22	22		SECTION 1.10
23	23		An Act establishing the State Court of Bryan County (formerly the City Court of Pembroke),11
24	24		approved January 10, 1938 (Ga. L. 1937-38, Ex. Sess., p. 714), as amended, particularly by12
25	25		an Act approved May 1, 2023 (Ga. L. 2023, p. 3851), is amended by revising Section 1.1 as13
26	26		follows:14
27	27		H. B. 722
28		-	- 1 - 25 LC 62 0117~~/AP~~
	28	+	- 1 - 25 LC 62 0117
29	29		"SECTION 1.1.
30	30		15
31	31		There shall be one full-time chief judge of the State Court of Bryan County, who shall be16
32	32		the present judge of said Court at the time of the effective date of this Act, and one17
33	33		associate judge of such court. The chief judge shall serve the remainder of the term of18
34	34		office to which he or she was elected. Future successors of the chief judge shall be elected19
35	35		at the general election conducted immediately prior to the expiration of the term of office,20
36	36		and they shall take office on the first day of January following their election and serve for21
37	37		a term of office of four years and until their successors are duly elected and qualified. Said22
38	38		chief judge shall have and may exercise all powers, duties, jurisdictions, privileges, and23
39	39		immunities of the present judge of the State Court of Bryan County and shall serve in a24
40	40		full-time capacity as permitted by O.C.G.A. Section 15-7-20. The compensation of the25
41	41		chief judge shall be set by local act of the governing authority of Bryan County. The chief26
42	42		judge of the state court shall receive all legally required benefits. The governing authority27
43	43		of Bryan County may supplement such judge's salary. All of the expenditures authorized28
44	44		herein are declared to be an expense of court and payable out of the county treasury as29
45	45		such."30
46	46		SECTION 2.31
47	47		Said Act is further amended by revising Section 1.2 as follows:32
48	48		"SECTION 1.2.33
49	49		The new position of associate judge of the state court shall be a part-time position, and such34
50	50		judge shall not be permitted to engage in the practice of law in the State Court of Bryan35
51	51		County. The associate judge as provided by this Act shall be appointed by the Governor36
52	52		for a term beginning January 1, 2026, and expiring December 31, 2028, and until a37
53	53		successor is elected and qualified. A successor to the associate judge shall be elected in38
54	54		the manner provided by Code Section 21-2-138 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated39
55	55		H. B. 722
56		-	- 2 - 25 LC 62 0117~~/AP~~
	56	+	- 2 - 25 LC 62 0117
57	57		for the election of judges of the state courts in 2028 for a term of four years beginning on
58	58		40
59	59		January 1, 2029, and until the election and qualification of a successor. The associate41
60	60		judge shall take office on the first day of January following the date of election. Said42
61	61		associate judge shall have and may exercise all powers, duties, jurisdictions, privileges, and43
62	62		immunities of the present judge of the State Court of Bryan County. The compensation of44
63	63		the associate judge shall be set by local act of the governing authority of Bryan County. 45
64	64		The associate judge of the state court shall receive all legally required benefits. The46
65	65		governing authority of Bryan County may supplement such judge's salary. All of the47
66	66		expenditures authorized herein are declared to be an expense of court and payable out of48
67	67		the county treasury as such."49
68	68		SECTION 3.50
69	69		Said Act is further amended by adding a new section to read as follows:51
70	70		"SECTION 1.3.52
71	71		Each judge of the State Court of Bryan County shall have such qualifications and shall be53
72	72		subject to such restrictions and discipline as provided in Chapter 7 of Title 15 of the54
73	73		Official Code of Georgia Annotated."55
74	74		SECTION 4.56
75	75		Said Act is further amended by adding a new section to read as follows:57
76	76		"SECTION 1.4.58
77	77		The full-time judge of the State Court of Bryan County shall be the chief judge of said59
78	78		court. The chief judge shall have responsibility for the administration of the operations of60
79	79		the State Court of Bryan County, including, but not limited to, budgeting, scheduling, and61
80	80		the policies, rules, and standing orders of the State Court of Bryan County."62
81	81		H. B. 722
82		-	- 3 - 25 LC 62 0117~~/AP~~
	82	+	- 3 - 25 LC 62 0117
83	83		SECTION 5.
84	84		63
85	85		This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law64
86	86		without such approval.65
87	87		SECTION 6.66
88	88		All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.67
89	89		H. B. 722
90	90		- 4 -