This legislation provides for a state salary increase of 5 percent across the board for superior court judges, district attorneys and circuit public defenders. The bill also includes a state supplement of 6,000 per year to superior court judges, district attorneys and circuit public defenders who have an accountability court operating within their judicial circuit. Language is included to exclude other officials who are tied by local legislation from receiving the same supplement or having the state supplement used in calculating any other officials salary that is tied to the superior court judge, district attorney or circuit public defender. However, if other officials are tied to the state salary, the 5 percent across the board in state pay will be used in calculating those officials salaries. This legislation also provides for the establishment of the Judicial, District Attorney and Circuit Public Defender Compensation Commission to conduct periodic reviews of all aspects of compensation and workload assessment and resource utilization.

If other county employees or officials are tied to the superior court judges salary, the 5% increase will apply to those tied.  The salary increase is effective January 1, 2016. 

This legislation allows counties to provide payroll deductions when more than 2,500 of the county's employees request to have deductions made from their salaries to be given to nonprofit organizations, associations, or corporations that provide tangible services and benefits to state government, local government or their employees. the nonprofit must provide educational, legislative or professional development activities that promote and enhance the efficiency, productivity and welfare of state government services, local government services or government employees. The county may retain 1% of the amount deducted and remitted to the nonprofit to cover the cost of administering the payroll deduction.

This legislation allows counties to provide payroll deductions when more than 500 of the county's employees request to have deductions made from their salaries to be given to nonprofit association that provide professional development activities related to their county employment, that provide assistance to or on behalf of those who are killed, injured, in need of medical attention or otherwise in need of assistance, or that promote or enhance law enforcement, corrections or registered professional nursing in Georgia. The county may retain 1% of the amount deducted and remitted to the nonprofit to cover the cost of administering the payroll deduction.

This legislation allows counties to provide payroll deductions to employees to purchase personal computers and computer related equipment through the Georgia Technology Authority or to purchase consumer offerings through an employee purchase program facilitated through the Department of Administrative Services.

This legislation requires employers, including counties, who offer sick leave to allow their employees to use up to five days sick leave to care for an immediate family member. Nothing requires employers to offer sick leave.

 This legislation removes the prohibition against State Defense officers from being entitled to the same benefits as those serving in the National Guard, such as the right to continue to be paid by the county for up to 18 days per yer while performing ordered military duty or up to 30 days during a state of emergency when called to duty by the Governor. 

This legislation is a rewrite of garnishment law necessitated by a recent federal court ruling that struck down a portion of Georgia's garnishment law. Garnishment is a court order used when an individual owes money. It requires an employer (or other third party) to take a portion of salary (or other money held by a third party belonging to the debtor) and pay it to the person who obtained the garnishment order. SB 255 addresses how counties will handle garnishments filed against their employees, as well as how county retirement plans respond to garnishments filed.

This legislation allows commissioners to adopt policies allowing their sworn peace officers to retain their weapons and badge upon retirement.

This legislation requires local governments to comply with the Georgia Personal Data Security Act. Because counties maintain electronic and physical copies of personal information, they must provide individuals with notice of any breach of security of the system that houses the personal information as soon as possible after the breach is discovered, but in no case later than 45 days. If the county uses a third party to store the personal information, the third party must notify the county within 72 hours of any data breach, so that the county can meet its notification requirements. If law enforcement determines that notification would impair an ongoing criminal investigation, notification can be delayed. If the county, after investigation and consultation with relevant federal, state or local law enforcement, determines that the breach was not likely to result in identify theft or financial harm to an individual, notification will not be necessary. The county will be required to provide a written certification within 30 days to the attorney general and to maintain a copy of the written certification for at least five years.