SB 47 allows senior magistrates to be appointed to the Georgia Magistrate Courts Training Council. The Council would have the authority to establish the minimum number of training hours (between 12 and 20 hours) required to be completed by every magistrate and senior magistrate each year. The bill expands the number of training hours that may be carried over from one year to the next to six training hours.

This bill requires a judge "exercising municipal court jurisdiction" such as Recorder's Court to complete the same training as a municipal court judge at the expense of the governing authority where the judge presides. Probate, Magistrate, State and Superior Court Judges are exempt from this requirement.

This bill would allow the probate court to hire a full time or part time prosecuting attorney (i.e., solicitor)  to represent the county in prosecutions in the probate court.  The board of commissioners must initially approve the decision to hire a solicitor.  The cost of creating an office and personnel needs of the solicitor would be an expense of the county.