| 6 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 8 | | To amend an Act creating a State Court of Henry County, approved March 27, 1998 (Ga. L. |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1 |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1998, p. 3954), as amended, particularly by an Act approved May 13, 2008 (Ga. L. 2008, p.2 |
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| 11 | 11 | | 4090), so as to provide an additional judge for the State Court of Henry County; to provide3 |
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| 12 | 12 | | for the appointment of the initial additional judge; to provide for the election of successors;4 |
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| 13 | 13 | | to provide for terms of office of said additional judge and successors to such judge; to5 |
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| 14 | 14 | | provide for the compensation and expenses of said additional judge; to provide for a chief6 |
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| 15 | 15 | | judge; to provide for a salary supplement for the chief judge; to provide for the appointment7 |
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| 16 | 16 | | of a judge pro hac vice; to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for8 |
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| 17 | 17 | | other purposes.9 |
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| 18 | 18 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:10 |
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| 19 | 19 | | SECTION 1.11 |
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| 20 | 20 | | An Act creating a State Court of Henry County, approved March 27, 1998 (Ga. L. 1998, p.12 |
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| 21 | 21 | | 3954), as amended, particularly by an Act approved May 13, 2008 (Ga. L. 2008, p. 4090),13 |
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| 22 | 22 | | is amended by revising Section 11 as follows:14 |
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| 23 | 23 | | S. B. 328 |
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| 24 | 24 | | - 1 - 25 LC 62 0105 |
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| 25 | 25 | | "SECTION 11. |
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| 26 | 26 | | 15 |
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| 27 | 27 | | (a) Until January 1, 2026, there shall be four judges of the State Court of Henry County. 16 |
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| 28 | 28 | | The judges of the state court in office on January 1, 2025, shall continue to serve the term17 |
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| 29 | 29 | | of office to which such judge was elected and until the election and qualification of his or18 |
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| 30 | 30 | | her successor.19 |
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| 31 | 31 | | (b) Effective January 1, 2026, there shall be five judges of the State Court of Henry20 |
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| 32 | 32 | | County. The fifth judge added effective January 1, 2026, shall be appointed by the21 |
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| 33 | 33 | | Governor for an initial term of office ending December 31, 2028, and until the election and22 |
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| 34 | 34 | | qualification of his or her successor. The successor to said judge shall be elected by the23 |
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| 35 | 35 | | qualified voters of Henry County at a nonpartisan election to be held and conducted jointly24 |
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| 36 | 36 | | with the general election in 2028 and quadrennially thereafter pursuant to Code25 |
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| 37 | 37 | | Section 21-2-138 of the O.C.G.A. The judge thus elected shall serve a four-year term until26 |
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| 38 | 38 | | the election and qualification of his or her successor.27 |
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| 39 | 39 | | (c) The judges of said court shall have such qualifications and shall be subject to such28 |
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| 40 | 40 | | restrictions and discipline as provided in Chapter 7 of Title 15 of the O.C.G.A. Said judges29 |
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| 41 | 41 | | shall be vested with the power and authority of the judges of the state courts by Chapter 730 |
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| 42 | 42 | | of Title 15 of the O.C.G.A.31 |
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| 43 | 43 | | (d) The judges shall devote their full time to the duties of said office and shall be paid a32 |
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| 44 | 44 | | salary equal to 90 percent of the salary now or hereafter paid to the judges of the Superior33 |
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| 45 | 45 | | Court of Henry County. Said salary shall be payable out of the funds of Henry County at34 |
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| 46 | 46 | | the same intervals as installments are paid to other county employees.35 |
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| 47 | 47 | | (e) The judge of the State Court of Henry County who has served the longest period of36 |
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| 48 | 48 | | time in office as judge of said court shall be the chief judge of the State Court of Henry37 |
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| 49 | 49 | | County, and such chief judge shall receive a salary supplement of $10,000.00 per annum38 |
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| 50 | 50 | | to compensate him or her for the administrative duties imposed upon the chief judge.39 |
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| 51 | 51 | | S. B. 328 |
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| 52 | 52 | | - 2 - 25 LC 62 0105 |
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| 53 | 53 | | (f) In the event it should become necessary, the chief judge may appoint a judge pro hac |
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| 54 | 54 | | 40 |
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| 55 | 55 | | vice to serve, not to exceed a one-year term per appointment. Such judge pro hac vice shall41 |
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| 56 | 56 | | meet the same requirements as a judge of the State Court of Henry County."42 |
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| 57 | 57 | | SECTION 2.43 |
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| 58 | 58 | | This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law44 |
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| 59 | 59 | | without such approval. 45 |
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| 60 | 60 | | SECTION 3.46 |
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| 61 | 61 | | All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.47 |
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| 62 | 62 | | S. B. 328 |
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| 63 | 63 | | - 3 - |
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