Bill Commons

GA HB 426

enacted

Courts; nonpartisan election of magistrates; provide

Georgia · 2025_26 · lower

Quick answers

Did GA HB 426 pass?

Yes. GA HB 426 has been enacted into law as of 2025-07-01. Latest recorded action (2025-07-01): Effective Date

What is GA HB 426 about?

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 10 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to magistrate courts, so as to provide for nonpartisan election of magistrates; to amend Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elections and primaries generally, so as to revise provisions related to nonpartisan elections of judges of the probate court and magistrates; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date, a contingent effective date and automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Who sponsors GA HB 426?

Kimberly New, Chuck Efstration, James Burchett and 3 others are the primary sponsors of GA HB 426.

Description

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 10 of Title 15 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to magistrate courts, so as to provide for nonpartisan election of magistrates; to amend Chapter 2 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to elections and primaries generally, so as to revise provisions related to nonpartisan elections of judges of the probate court and magistrates; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date, a contingent effective date and automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Introduced
2025-02-12
Latest action
2025-07-01 — Effective Date
Bill type
bill
Last updated

Subjects

Sponsors

  • Kimberly Newprimary
  • Chuck Efstrationprimary
  • James Burchettprimary
  • Tyler Paul Smithprimary
  • Mitchell Scogginsprimary
  • Holt Persingerprimary

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2025-02-12

    House Hopper

    introduction

  2. 2025-02-13

    House First Readers

    reading-1

  3. 2025-02-18

    House Second Readers

    reading-2

  4. 2025-02-19

    House Withdrawn, Recommitted

    referral-committee,withdrawal

  5. 2025-02-21

    House Committee Favorably Reported

    committee-passage-favorable

  6. 2025-03-04

    House Third Readers

    reading-3

  7. 2025-03-04

    House Passed/Adopted

    passage

  8. 2025-03-06

    Senate Read and Referred

    referral-committee

  9. 2025-03-13

    Senate Committee Favorably Reported

    committee-passage-favorable

  10. 2025-03-18

    Senate Read Second Time

    reading-2

  11. 2025-03-21

    Senate Engrossed

    passage

  12. 2025-03-21

    Senate Third Read

    reading-3

  13. 2025-03-21

    Senate Passed/Adopted

    passage

  14. 2025-04-07

    House Sent to Governor

    executive-receipt

  15. 2025-05-14

    House Date Signed by Governor

    executive-signature

  16. 2025-05-14

    Act 302

    executive-signature

  17. 2025-07-01

    Effective Date

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • House Vote #180 - 2025-2026 Regular Session

    2025-03-04 · pass · 111-59

    Member-level votes (165)
    • ADESANYA: no
    • ADEYINA: no
    • ALEXANDER: no
    • ANDERSON: no
    • AU: other
    • BAKER: no
    • BALLARD: yes
    • BALLINGER: yes
    • BARNES: no
    • BARRETT: yes
    • BARTON: yes
    • BAZEMORE: no
    • BECKLES: no
    • BELL: other
    • BENNETT: no
    • BERRY: no
    • BLACKMON: yes
    • BONNER: yes
    • BUCKNER: yes
    • BURCHETT: yes
    • BURNOUGH: no
    • BURNS: other
    • BYRD: no
    • CAMERON: yes
    • CAMP: yes
    • CAMPBELL: no
    • CANNON: no
    • CARPENTER: yes
    • CARSON: yes
    • CARTER: no
    • CHASTAIN: yes
    • CHEOKAS: yes
    • CLARK: yes
    • CLIFTON: yes
    • COOPER: yes
    • CORBETT: yes
    • COX: yes
    • CRAWFORD: no
    • CROWE: yes
    • CUMMINGS: no
    • DAVIS: no
    • DAWSON: no
    • DELOACH: yes
    • DEMPSEY: yes
    • DICKEY: yes
    • DONATUCCI: yes
    • DOUGLAS: yes
    • DRAPER: no
    • DRENNER: yes
    • DUBNIK: yes
    • DUNAHOO: yes
    • EFSTRATION: yes
    • EHRHART: yes
    • ERWIN: yes
    • EVANS: yes
    • FLEMING: yes
    • FLOURNOY: no
    • FORD: yes
    • FRANKLIN: yes
    • FRYE: yes
    • GAINES: yes
    • GAMBILL: no
    • GILLIARD: yes
    • GLAIZE: no
    • GREENE: yes
    • GRIFFIN: yes
    • GULLETT: yes
    • GUNTER: yes
    • HAGAN: yes
    • HATCHETT: yes
    • HAWKINS: yes
    • HEFFNER: no
    • HENDERSON: no
    • HERRING: no
    • HILTON: yes
    • HITCHENS: yes
    • HOLCOMB: yes
    • HOLLAND: other
    • HOLLY: no
    • HONG: yes
    • HORNER: no
    • HOWARD: yes
    • HUDDLESTON: yes
    • HUGLEY: no
    • HUTCHINSON: other
    • JACKSON: no
    • JASPERSE: no
    • JENKINS: yes
    • JONES: yes
    • KAHAIAN: no
    • KELLEY: yes
    • KENDRICK: yes
    • LAHOOD: yes
    • LEVERETT: yes
    • LEWIS-WARD: yes
    • LIM: no
    • LUMSDEN: yes
    • LUPTON: no
    • MARTIN: yes
    • MARTINEZ: yes
    • MATHIAK: yes
    • MATHIS: yes
    • MCCLAIN: other
    • MCCOLLUM: yes
    • MCDONALD III: yes
    • MCQUEEN: no
    • MEEKS: yes
    • MILLER: no
    • MITCHELL: no
    • MOMTAHAN: yes
    • MOORE: no
    • MYLES: no
    • NEAL: yes
    • NEW: yes
    • NEWTON: yes
    • OKOYE: no
    • OLALEYE: yes
    • OLIVER: yes
    • O'STEEN: yes
    • PANITCH: yes
    • PARIS: no
    • PARK: no
    • PARRISH: yes
    • PARSONS: yes
    • PERSINGER: yes
    • PETREA: yes
    • POWELL: yes
    • PRINCE: yes
    • REESE: yes
    • REEVES: yes
    • RHODES: yes
    • RICE: yes
    • RICHARDSON: no
    • RIDLEY: no
    • ROBERTS: yes
    • ROMMAN: no
    • SAINZ: yes
    • SAMPSON: yes
    • SANCHEZ: no
    • SANTOS: no
    • SCHOFIELD: no
    • SCOGGINS: yes
    • SCOTT: no
    • SEABAUGH: yes
    • SHARPER: yes
    • SILCOX: yes
    • SMITH: yes
    • STEPHENS: yes
    • STINSON: other
    • TARVIN: no
    • TAYLOR: no
    • THOMAS: yes
    • TOWNSEND: yes
    • TRAN: yes
    • WADE: no
    • WASHBURN: other
    • WERKHEISER: yes
    • WESTBROOK: yes
    • WIEDOWER: yes
    • WILKERSON: other
    • WILLIAMS: no
    • WILLIAMS, JR.: yes
    • WILLIAMSON: yes
    • WILLIS: no
    • YEARTA: yes
  • Senate Vote #266 - 2025-2026 Regular Session

    2025-03-21 · pass · 32-22

    Member-level votes (54)
    • ALBERS: yes
    • ANAVITARTE: yes
    • ANDERSON: yes
    • BEACH: yes
    • BEARDEN: yes
    • BRASS: yes
    • BURNS: yes
    • COWSERT: yes
    • DAVENPORT: no
    • DIXON: yes
    • DOLEZAL: yes
    • ECHOLS: yes
    • ESTEVES: no
    • GINN: yes
    • GOOCH: yes
    • GOODMAN: yes
    • HALPERN: no
    • HARBIN: yes
    • HARBISON: no
    • HARRELL: no
    • HATCHETT: yes
    • HICKMAN: yes
    • HODGES: yes
    • HUFSTETLER: yes
    • JACKSON: no
    • JAMES: no
    • JONES: no
    • JONES II: no
    • KEMP: no
    • KENNEDY: yes
    • KIRKPATRICK: yes
    • LUCAS: no
    • MALLOW: no
    • MANGHAM: no
    • MCLAURIN: other
    • MERRITT: no
    • MOORE: yes
    • ORROCK: no
    • PARENT: no
    • PARKES: no
    • PAYNE: yes
    • RAHMAN: no
    • RHETT: no
    • ROBERTSON: yes
    • SETZLER: yes
    • SIMS: no
    • STILL: yes
    • STRICKLAND: yes
    • SUMMERS: yes
    • TILLERY: other
    • WALKER, III: yes
    • WATSON: yes
    • WICKS: no
    • WILLIAMS: yes
  • Senate Vote #271 - 2025-2026 Regular Session

    2025-03-21 · pass · 43-11

    Member-level votes (54)
    • ALBERS: yes
    • ANAVITARTE: yes
    • ANDERSON: no
    • BEACH: yes
    • BEARDEN: yes
    • BRASS: yes
    • BURNS: yes
    • COWSERT: yes
    • DAVENPORT: no
    • DIXON: yes
    • DOLEZAL: no
    • ECHOLS: yes
    • ESTEVES: yes
    • GINN: yes
    • GOOCH: yes
    • GOODMAN: yes
    • HALPERN: yes
    • HARBIN: yes
    • HARBISON: yes
    • HARRELL: yes
    • HATCHETT: yes
    • HICKMAN: yes
    • HODGES: yes
    • HUFSTETLER: yes
    • JACKSON: yes
    • JAMES: yes
    • JONES: yes
    • JONES II: no
    • KEMP: other
    • KENNEDY: yes
    • KIRKPATRICK: yes
    • LUCAS: no
    • MALLOW: yes
    • MANGHAM: yes
    • MCLAURIN: other
    • MERRITT: no
    • MOORE: yes
    • ORROCK: yes
    • PARENT: yes
    • PARKES: no
    • PAYNE: yes
    • RAHMAN: no
    • RHETT: yes
    • ROBERTSON: yes
    • SETZLER: yes
    • SIMS: no
    • STILL: yes
    • STRICKLAND: yes
    • SUMMERS: yes
    • TILLERY: yes
    • WALKER, III: yes
    • WATSON: yes
    • WICKS: no
    • WILLIAMS: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:19:40.450420Z

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

Use this data

Every field on this page is available from the free public API — no key or licence required. Fetch this bill as JSON: GET /api/v1/bills?jurisdiction=GA&identifier=HB 426. See the API docs or the MCP server for AI assistants.

Known limitations

  • Sponsor party and chamber affiliation are not yet captured by this API.
  • Committee referrals are not yet captured.

See the methodology page for data sources and limitations.