Georgia legislation · 2025-2026 Regular Session
Georgia HR251: Local government; probate judges shall be elected in nonpartisan elections; provide - CA
Status: Signed into law, May 12, 2026
A RESOLUTION proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to provide that all probate judges shall be elected in nonpartisan elections; to provide for related matters; to provide for submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection; and for other purposes.
What the bill says
A resolution Proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to provide that all probate judges shall be elected in nonpartisan elections; to provide for related matters; to provide for submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection; and for other purposes.
From the introduced text:
A RESOLUTION Proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to provide that all probate judges shall be elected in nonpartisan elections; to provide for related matters; to provide for submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection; and for other purposes. BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. Article VI, Section VII of the Constitution is amended in Paragraph I by revising subparagraph (a) as follows: "(a) All superior court and state court judges shall be elected on a nonpartisan basis for a term of four years. All Justices of the Supreme Court and the Judges of the Court of Appeals shall be elected on a nonpartisan basis for a term of six years. The terms of all judges thus elected shall begin the next January 1 after their election. All probate judges shall be elected on a nonpartisan basis for terms as provided for in Article IX, Section I, Paragraph III. All other judges shall continue to be selected in the manner and for the term they were selected on June 30, 1983, until otherwise provided by local law." H. R. LC 47 3339 SECTION 2. The above proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be published and submitted as provided in Article X, Section I, Paragraph II of the Constitution. The ballot submitting the …
Sponsors
- Brian Strickland (R, 42) · primary sponsor
- Kimberly New (R, 40) · primary sponsor
- Chuck Efstration (R, 104)
- James Burchett (R, 176)
- Tyler Smith (R, 18)
- Mitchell Scoggins (R, 14)
- Holt Persinger (R, 119)
Latest actions
- : Effective Date
- : Act 638
- : House Date Signed by Governor
- : House Sent to Governor
- : Senate Reconsidered Passed/Adopted
- : Senate Reconsidered
- : Senate Notice to Reconsider
- : Senate Lost
- : Senate Third Read
- : Senate Read Second Time
Votes
- Senate Vote #877 (March 31, 2026): 46 yea, 0 nay, passed
- Senate Vote #758 (March 20, 2026): 32 yea, 5 nay, passed
- Senate Vote #749 (March 19, 2026): 31 yea, 18 nay, passed
- House Vote #504 (February 11, 2026): 147 yea, 20 nay, passed
Common questions
- What is HR251?
- HR251 is a bill in the Georgia Legislature (2025-2026 Regular Session): Local government; probate judges shall be elected in nonpartisan elections; provide - CA.
- What does HR251 do?
- In its own words: A resolution Proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to provide that all probate judges shall be elected in nonpartisan elections; to provide for related matters; to provide for submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection; and for other purposes.
- What is the status of HR251?
- Signed into law as of May 12, 2026. Latest action: Effective Date (July 1, 2026).
- Who sponsored HR251?
- Brian Strickland (R, 42), with 6 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HR251?
- On the Georgia Legislature website: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70279
Source: official Georgia record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.