State Rep. Jasmine Clark introduced a bill in the Georgia House to add another superior court judge to the Gwinnett Judicial Circuit, expanding its judicial capacity, according to the Georgia State House.
HB960, filed Wednesday, Jan. 14 during the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, is officially titled: ’Gwinnett Judicial Circuit; superior courts; provide twelfth judge’.
Below is our summary, referencing the complete bill text, with some interpretation for clarification.
The proposed bill would establish a 12th superior court judge in the Gwinnett Judicial Circuit. The first judge would be appointed by the governor to serve from Jan. 1, 2027, to Dec. 31, 2028, with subsequent judgeships filled through nonpartisan elections for four-year terms. The new judge would hold the same authority, qualifications, salary, and expense allowances as current superior court judges, including all applicable county supplements. The method for appointing the chief judge does not change. Existing and future judges may continue collaborating on assignments, docket management, juror selection, and appointing another court reporter. County governments must provide necessary facilities, staff, and equipment. Upon approval, the appointment portion becomes effective, with all other measures beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
Rep. Chuck Efstration (Republican-104th), Rep. Sam Park (Democrat-107th), and Sen. Greg Dolezal (Republican-27th) joined Clark, with three additional legislators as co-sponsors.
Clark has introduced six more bills so far this session, with one advancing to adoption.
She earned her degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in 2005.
Clark, a Democrat, assumed office representing Georgia’s 108th House District in 2019, succeeding Clay Cox.
In Georgia, the legislative process starts when a legislator, at times at the request of a constituent, drafts a bill with the Office of Legislative Counsel. Once submitted with the Clerk of the House or Secretary of the Senate, the bill undergoes a first reading and committee review. If the committee advances the bill, it proceeds to a third reading for final debate and voting. Passage through both chambers—using a conference committee if necessary—sends the bill to the governor. The governor has six days during session, or 40 days after adjournment (Sine Die), to sign, veto, or allow the bill to become law without signing. The Georgia General Assembly meets annually for 40 legislative days starting the second Monday of January.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| HB761 | 03/11/2025 | Lilburn, City of; ad valorem tax; provide additional homestead exemption |
| HB721 | 03/04/2025 | Motor vehicles; transportation referral service providers and ride share network services; provisions |
| HB681 | 02/27/2025 | Domestic relations; sealing of name change petitions upon request; provide |
| HB670 | 02/27/2025 | Georgia Civil Rights Act of 2025; enact |
| HB497 | 02/18/2025 | Penal institutions; inmate be allowed to dress in plain clothes during trial proceedings; provide |
| HB496 | 02/18/2025 | Criminal procedure; scent of marijuana, cannabis, or hemp; provide imitations on stops, searches, seizures, or arrests |
Information in this article was sourced from the Georgia State House. Further source data is available here.
