Signed by Governor Brian Kemp

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that establishes a new judicial circuit for the State of Georgia called the Columbia Judicial Circuit.

Highlights:

• Specifies all proceedings and litigations, civil, equitable, and criminal, pending in the Superior Court of Columbia County at such time as it was a part of the Augusta Judicial Circuit, including all complaints, pleadings, petitions, indictments, special presentments, summonses, processes, motions, writs, and mesne and final proceedings, together with all books and records of any kind or character belonging to or issued, returnable, filed, pending, or commenced in such county, relate to, become a part of, and are transferred to the Columbia Judicial Circuit and its jurisdiction (Sec. 1-2).

• Requires in addition to the salary and expenses paid from state funds, the district attorney of the Columbia Judicial Circuit to receive from the funds of Columbia County an additional supplement to such salary and expenses equal to the aggregate total of additional supplements to the salary and expenses of the district attorney of the Augusta Judicial Circuit than in effect and paid by the counties of the Augusta Judicial Circuit on January 1, 2021 (Sec. 1-4).

• Specifies the following funding models for the state’s judicial system (Sec. 2-2.a):

• 90% of the circuit-wide costs and expenditures of the Augusta Judicial Circuit will be paid by Richmond County; and

• 10% of the circuit-wide costs and expenditures of the Augusta Judicial Circuit will be paid by Burke County.

• Requires, in addition to the salary and expenses paid from state funds, and notwithstanding any other provision of law, each judge of the Superior Court of the Augusta Judicial Circuit will receive from the funds of Richmond County and Burke County additional supplements in proportions provided (Sec. 2-3).

• Requires Richmond County to pay an additional supplement equal to (Sec. 2-4):

• The amount of the additional supplement to the salary and expenses of the district attorney of the Augusta Judicial Circuit than in effect and paid by Richmond County on January 1, 2021; and

• 80% of the additional supplement to the salary and expenses of the district attorney of the Augusta Judicial Circuit than in effect and paid by Columbia County on January 1, 2021.

• Requires any judge of the Columbia Judicial Circuit who is in active service as of July 1, 2021, or is appointed or elected as a judge of the Columbia Judicial Circuit after July 1, 2021, to receive a retirement supplement from the county or counties that comprise the Columbia Judicial Circuit as of the date such judge discontinues active service (Sec. 3-3).

Full Bill Text