Superior Court (29)
Use the drop down to the left to select the next 25 bills to display.

Date of Last Recorded Action: 3/29/2024

HB 0056 NegotiatingStatutory Guidelines for " No Knock Warrants" - Mandatory Reporting to the State Tanner, Kevin 9th
1/26/2015 House Second Readers JudyNC --
Debra Nesbit Law Enforcement Magistrate Court Open Records/Meetings Act Public Safety and Courts
State Court Superior Court
This legislation requires all law enforcement agencies who seek no-knock warrants to adopt guidelines and have an operational plan in place.  This bill also requires each judicial officer who signs warrants to report to the Administrative Office of the Courts the number and type of warrants issued on a monthly basis.
HB 0168 NeutralIncrease Maximum Per Diem for Trial and Grand Jurors Thomas, "Able" Mable 56th
2/3/2015 House Second Readers Judy --
Debra Nesbit Public Safety and Courts State Court Superior Court

This legislation increases the maximum expense allowance for trial jurors and grand jurors from a minimum of $5.00 to a maximum of $50 to $75 per day. The minimum compensation remains at $5.00 per day.

HB 0230 NeutralInnocent Persons Compensation Act Hugley, Carolyn 136th
3/18/2015 Senate Read and Referred JudyNC APPROP -
Criminal Procedure Debra Nesbit District Attorneys General County Government Government Immunity
Law Enforcement Public Safety and Courts State Court Superior Court
This legislation establishes a process and criteria for determining the compensation for a person wrongfully convicted and imprisoned.
HB 0367 NeutralSuperior courts; fourth judge of Western Judicial Circuit; provide Quick, Regina 117th
4/2/2015 House Withdrawn, Recommitted Judy --
Local Legislation Public Safety and Courts Superior Court
HB 0377 SupportClarification of Counties Contracting Ability for Collection of Delinquent Fines Fleming, Barry 121st
4/2/2015 House Withdrawn, Recommitted Judy --
Clerk of Court Debra Nesbit Forfeitures, Fees, and Fine Add Ons Magistrate Court Probate Court
Public Safety and Courts State Court Superior Court
This legislation allows the board of commissioners to contract with another party to collect delinquent fines, fees, and surcharges imposed by a court after the 12 months.
HB 0430 NeutralSearch and Seizure Law Modernization Efstration, Chuck 104th
4/2/2015 House Withdrawn, Recommitted JudyNC --
Criminal Procedure Debra Nesbit District Attorneys Law Enforcement Magistrate Court
Probate Court Public Safety and Courts Solicitors State Court Superior Court

 This legislation changes how law enforcement officers obtain search warrants and conduct searches.  

HB 0492 NeutralGuns - Clarity on Provisions of Georgia's Weapons Carry Law Jasperse, Rick 11th
7/1/2015 Effective Date PS&HS PUB SAF -
Firearms/Carry Laws General County Government Georgia Bureau of Investigation Law Enforcement Open Records/Meetings Act
Personnel/Employment Probate Court Public Safety and Courts Superior Court Todd Edwards
This legislation is intended to provide clarity on several provisions of Georgia's weapons carry law, including: the prohibition on carrying of weapons near polling places only applies when locations are being used as polling places; what constitutes a renewal license (if license has 90 or fewer days remaining or has expired within the last 30 days, regardless of county of issuance) and how to address fingerprinting on renewals; proof of serving in the Armed Forces for those between the ages of 18 and 21 who seek a license; how judges report the revocation of licenses and check for license verification; and authorizing counties to prohibit unpaid volunteers from carrying weapons during volunteer functions.    
HB 0605 NeutralJudicial Retirement System - Allow Part-time Service for Vesting Weldon, Tom 3rd
7/1/2016 Effective Date Ret RET -
Debra Nesbit General County Government Public Safety and Courts Retirement State Court
Superior Court

This legislation changes the calculation for vesting to allow inclusion of prior part time service for members of the Georgia Judicial Retirement System.

HB 0640 NeutralGwinnett Judicial Circuit; salary supplements for judges; change provisions Chandler, Joyce 105th
1/11/2016 Senate Recommitted IGC SLGO -
Compensation General County Government Local Legislation Public Safety and Courts Superior Court
HB 0646 NeutralClayton Judicial Circuit; judges of superior court; increase county supplement to state salary Scott, Sandra 76th
3/27/2015 Senate Read and Referred IGC SLGO -
Compensation General County Government Local Legislation Superior Court
HB 0669 NeutralChatham County; provide for compensation of certain officials Stephens, Ron 164th
5/12/2015 House Date Signed by Governor IGC SLGO -
Clerk of Court Compensation General County Government Juveniles Local Legislation
Magistrate Court Probate Court Public Safety and Courts Revenue & Finance Sheriff
Superior Court Tax Commissioner
HB 0729 SupportAllow Habeas Corpus Hearings by Video Conference Powell, Alan 32nd
1/13/2016 House Second Readers JudyNC --
Correctional Institutions/Jail Criminal Procedure Debra Nesbit Public Safety and Courts Superior Court
This legislation would allow habeas corpus hearings to be conducted by video conference, which would eliminate transporation costs for the Sheriff's Department.
HB 0738 SupportRevisions to County Law Library Fund Caldwell, Jr., Johnnie 131st
3/22/2016 Senate Tabled GAff S JUDY -
Clerk of Court Debra Nesbit District Attorneys Forfeitures, Fees, and Fine Add Ons General County Government
Probate Court Public Safety and Courts Revenue & Finance Solicitors State Court
Superior Court

This legislation adds the district attorney to the board of trustees of the county law library for each county in his or her judicial circuit.

The current version of the bill would allow the county law library board of trustees (i.e., the chief judge of the superior court, the probate judge, the superior court clerk, two attorneys and, if applicable, the senior state court judge and solicitor) to change the disbursement of excess funds for the county law library. The county law library is funded by a $5 fee charged in all court actions. The board of trustees uses the money to purchase books, supplies, equipment, technology and staff for the county law library, law libraries for the judges and the codification of county ordinances. Currently, the trustees must give any excess county law library money to a charitable tax exempt organization that provides civil legal representation to low income individuals. Any additional excess funds must be given to the county board of commissioners to be used to purchase fixtures and furnishings for the courthouse.

HB 738 would give the trustees the option to continue to give excess money to the representation of low income individuals or to purchase software, equipment, fixtures or furnishings for the district attorney, solicitor, and county judicial offices.  Upon the determination by trustees of excess funds, such funds shall be turned over to the county board of commissioners to be used on the courthouse.

This bill also clarifies in statute that the law library fee is an "add-on" and not deducted from the base filing fee that is retained by the county general fund.

HB 0804 NeutralSuperior courts; fifth judge of the Clayton Judicial Circuit; provide Mabra, Ronnie 63rd
7/1/2016 Effective Date Judy S JUDY -
Local Legislation Superior Court
HB 0808 NeutralCreation of a New Judicial Qualifications Commission Willard, Wendell 51st
1/1/2017 Effective Date Judy ETHICS -
Debra Nesbit Juveniles Magistrate Court Probate Court Public Safety and Courts
State Court Superior Court

 This legislation would create a new Judicial Qualifications Commission if the voters approve a statewide referendum to amend the Georgia Constitution proposed by HR 1113.

HB 0851 SupportRevisions to the Local Law Library Statute and Requirement that Funds Be Audited Atwood, Alex 179th
4/26/2016 House Date Signed by Governor B&FAO S JUDY -
Auditing/Budget Clerk of Court Debra Nesbit General County Government Open Records/Meetings Act
Probate Court Public Safety and Courts Sewer/Septage State Court Superior Court
This legislation requires the county law library board of trustees to have an annual audit; include the District Attorney on the Board; and allows for equipment purchases from the fund for the courthouse.  The bill also clarifies that the law library fee charged on all civil filings is an add-on to filing fee, not a deduction from the county portion of the filing fee.
HB 0905 EvaluatingChild Abuse Protocol Ballinger, Mandi 23rd
7/1/2016 Effective Date JudyNC JUDYNC -
Coroners/Medical Examiners Debra Nesbit District Attorneys Georgia Bureau of Investigation Health and Human Services
Juveniles Law Enforcement Magistrate Court Public Safety and Courts Sheriff
Superior Court

 This legislation changes the child abuse protocol committees in multi-county judicial circuits. 

HB 0941 NeutralGrand Jury Review of Peace Officer's Use of Deadly Force Golick, Rich 40th
7/1/2016 Effective Date JudyNC JUDYNC -
Clerk of Court Debra Nesbit District Attorneys Law Enforcement Population Acts
Probate Court Public Safety and Courts Sheriff Superior Court Tax Commissioner
This bill makes procedural improvements for grand juries investigating police use of deadly force.  Currently officers may attend the entire proceedings, provide statements, and rebuttals.  Under the new procedure a court reporter is required to take down the entire proceeding and the officer may provide a statement to the grand jury, but will not be allowed to attend the entire proceeding.
 
This legislation also provides for a 20 day notice to the officer of the proceeding, but eliminates a notice requirement to elected officials of a grand jury proceeding regarding alleged unprofessional conduct.
 
This legislation also removes a population threshold for special grand juries. Under current law, in counties with a population of 70,000 or more, any county elected official and any city elected official may request that the superior court judges convene a special grand jury to investigate any violation of state law or any other matter subject to investigation by grand juries.  HB 941 removes the 70,000 population threshold, making it apply to all counties. 
HB 1027 NeutralE-Filing of Documents in Superior and State Courts Fleming, Barry 121st
2/24/2016 House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute Judy --
Clerk of Court Debra Nesbit Public Safety and Courts State Court Superior Court
This legislation allows the Superior Court or State Court to allow electronic filing of court documents by rule.  The clerk of court may establish an additional fee for each electronic filing and electronic payment.  It does not, however, require the new fee to be turned over the county general fund.
HR 1113 NeutralJudicial Qualifications Commission; create - CA Willard, Wendell 51st
5/3/2016 House Date Signed by Governor Judy ETHICS -
Debra Nesbit Juveniles Magistrate Court Probate Court Public Safety and Courts
State Court Superior Court
 This legislation calls for a statewide referendum to consider a change to the Georgia Constitution creating a new Judicial Qualifications Commission.
HR 1363 NeutralHouse Special Study Committee on Judicial Qualifications Commission Reform; create Willard, Wendell 51st
2/24/2016 House Passed/Adopted Rules --
Debra Nesbit Magistrate Court Probate Court Public Safety and Courts State Court
Superior Court
This legislation creates the House Special Study Committee on Judicial Qualifications Commission Reform.
SB 0159 NegotiatingNo-knock Search Warrant Requirements Stone, Jesse 23rd
1/11/2016 Senate Recommitted -JUDYNC -
Criminal Procedure Debra Nesbit Law Enforcement Magistrate Court Public Safety and Courts
State Court Superior Court

This legislation prohibits law enforcement from using no knock search warrants unless the department has a written policy  that meets certain standards and the officer provides an affidavit or testimoney that the the act of knocking and announcing the officer would be dangerous to human life, inhibit the effective investigation of a crime by allowing destruction of evidence or would be futile.

SB 0234 NeutralSuperior Courts of the Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit; amount of compensation; judges by the county; change provisions Beach, Brandon 21st
3/22/2016 House Second Readers IGC SLGO -
Compensation General County Government Local Legislation Public Safety and Courts Superior Court
SB 0262 NeutralDisqualification of Judges, Judicial Officers, Grand Jurors for being Related to a Party and E-filing Stone, Jesse 23rd
7/1/2016 Effective Date Judy JUDY -
Civil Procedure Criminal Procedure Debra Nesbit Juveniles Magistrate Court
Public Safety and Courts State Court Superior Court

This legislation disqualifies judges, grand jurors and trial jurors from serving on a case where they are related within three degrees of anyone interested in the outcome of the case. This includes relations as a child, parent, sibling, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, grandparent, grandchild, great-grandparent or great-grandchild. Current law requires disqualification if there is a relationship of four degrees (which would include up to second cousins, great-aunts and uncles, great-great-aunts and uncles, great-nieces and nephews, and great-great-nieces and nephews).

This bill was amended to include HB 1027 which provides that by court rule or standing order any state court may accept electronic filings and for the acceptance of payments and remittances by electronic means.

Please contact ACCG's Debra Nesbit at dnesbit@accg.org if this will negatively impact smaller counties.

SB 0276 EvaluatingGeorgia Personal Data Security Act Albers, John 56th
1/21/2016 Senate Read and Referred -S&T -
911 Animal Control Business and Occupation Tax Clerk of Court Code Enforcement
Coroners/Medical Examiners Correctional Institutions/Jail Elections Emergency Management/Preparedness EMS/Ambulance
Fire Services Firearms/Carry Laws Forfeitures, Fees, and Fine Add Ons General County Government Health and Human Services
Impact Fees Insurance Juveniles Law Enforcement Magistrate Court
Nat. Res. & the Environment Open Records/Meetings Act Personnel/Employment Probate Court Probation
Property Tax Public Safety and Courts Retirement Revenue & Finance Sewer/Septage
Sex Offender Sheriff Solicitors Solid Waste State Court
Stormwater Superior Court Tags/Titles Tax Commissioner Todd Edwards
Traffic Enforcement Utilities

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.

Green background on status indicates a bill has been acted on the last recorded legislative day.








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