Georgia Senate Bill 261

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Completed Legislative Action
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 7)
Status: Passed on May 11 2026 - 100% progression
Action: 2026-05-11 - Effective Date 2026-07-01
Text: Latest bill text (Enrolled) [PDF]

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 25 of Title 47 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the magistrates retirement fund, so as to provide for an early retirement benefit; to provide for an employee contribution increase; to replace the statutory maximum monthly compensation used to calculate a benefit with an amount determined by the board; to increase the maximum number of years of service used to calculate a benefit; to provide for related matters; to provide conditions for an effective date and automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Magistrates Retirement Fund; early retirement benefit; provide

Sen. Marty Harbin [R]	Sen. Brian Strickland [R]	Sen. Steve Gooch [R]	Sen. Billy Hickman [R]
Sen. Ricky Williams [R]	Sen. Lee Anderson [R]	Rep. John Carson [R]

2026-04-02 - Senate - Agree To House Substitute: Senate Vote #956 (Y: 53 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2026-03-31 - House - Passage: House Vote #824 (Y: 167 N: 0 NV: 3 Abs: 6) [PASS]
2026-03-04 - Senate - Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #634 (Y: 53 N: 1 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]

Date	Chamber	Action
2026-05-11		Effective Date 2026-07-01
2026-05-11		Act 490
2026-05-11	Senate	Senate Date Signed by Governor
2026-04-10	Senate	Senate Sent to Governor
2026-04-02	Senate	Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub
2026-03-31	House	House Passed/Adopted By Substitute
2026-03-31	House	House Third Readers
2026-03-31	House	House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
2026-03-09	House	House Second Readers
2026-03-06	House	House First Readers
2026-03-04	Senate	Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute
2026-03-04	Senate	Senate Third Read
2026-02-05	Senate	Senate Read Second Time
2026-02-04	Senate	Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
2025-02-27	Senate	Senate Read and Referred
2025-02-26	Senate	Senate Hopper

Type	Source
Summary	https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70890
Text	https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/234088
Text	https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/241460
Text	https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/245101
Text	https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/248195
Text	https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/249177
Supplement	https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/234122
Supplement	https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/241461
Supplement	https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/241462
Supplement	https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/248200
Roll Call	https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70890#26058
Roll Call	https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70890#26471
Roll Call	https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70890#26612