Fulton County adopts 2026 legislative agenda, approves suite of state priorities including support for judicial officers

Fulton County commissioners approved the county's 2026 legislative agenda after staff presented proposed priorities and the board voted item-by-item.

The board unanimously approved a request to seek an additional full-time superior court judgeship. Commissioners discussed workload formulas used by the state Administrative Office of the Courts and noted Fulton County's heavy caseload; staff explained the state controls judicial appropriations and that a local position remains contingent on state action.

The board then debated support for Senate Bill 10, a measure that would allow the chief judge to appoint up to five judicial officers (appointed attorneys who would not be elected judges). Several commissioners raised concerns about accountability and the potential for judicial officers to make high-consequence decisions without election-based oversight. Commissioner Arrington and others argued the measure is a necessary stopgap to ease case backlog and improve court throughput, tying it to jail volume and public-safety impacts. Opponents noted existing magistrate judges and warned of errors and limited accountability. The board approved support for the bill; the transcript recorded the vote as "4 yeas, 2 nays."

The board approved a series of additional legislative priorities, often by voice votes after short staff explanations. Those priorities, as presented and approved, included: permitting online publication of legal notices to meet statutory notice requirements in anticipation of reduced print publication (staff noted the Atlanta Journal-Constitution will cease print publication at year-end); opposing waivers of sovereign immunity and efforts that would weaken local control; increasing state support for behavioral health and diversion programs; expanding health-care access and strengthening the health-care workforce; supporting Housing Authority of Fulton County amendments to commissioners' requirements; backing House Bill 886 to prohibit use of public funds for ransom payments after cyberattacks; clarifying rollback-rate implementation (House Bill 581 and House Bill 92 referenced); supporting NextGen 911; urging secure, fair and accessible election funding and timing alignment; seeking transit board representation parity on ATL/MARTA boards; endorsing consideration of alternative revenue sources such as legalized gaming with proceeds earmarked for public safety, mental health and public health programs; adjusting fee-authorizations in eviction cases at the marshal's request; and advocating state funding for family-justice centers serving domestic-violence, sexual-assault and trafficking survivors.

Vote tallies recorded in the transcript included a unanimous 6-0 approval for the additional superior court judgeship, a recorded 4-2 vote in favor of supporting Senate Bill 10, a 6-0 vote for permitting online publication of legal notices, and multiple other items passed by recorded or voice votes (transcript lines indicate 5-0 or 6-0 tallies on several items; where a numerical tally was spoken it is reflected below). Staff said the county's lobbying team is coordinating with the Georgia Newspaper Publishers Association and other stakeholders on the legal-notice proposal.

Several commissioners emphasized preserving local newspapers while modernizing notice procedures. Commissioner Janice Ware (speaker referenced her family) and others asked that opportunities be available for community paper publishers to compete to be the legal organ. Commissioners also discussed the fiscal and administrative constraints around judicial appointments and the importance of aligning election timing and clarifying state funding for public-safety and health priorities.

At the meeting's close, the board approved the full legislative agenda and directed staff and the county lobbyists to advance the county's priorities in the 2026 session.