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Panel reviews $4.8 million seed for new wrongful-conviction fund
Summary
The Appropriations subcommittee heard Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Rebecca Sullivan outline a proposed $4.8 million appropriation to establish a wrongful conviction compensation trust created by Senate Bill 244, plus $200,000 for adjudication support and a $61,594 adjustment tied to closing the Georgia Tax Tribunal.
Commissioner Rebecca Sullivan of the Department of Administrative Services told the Appropriations General Government Subcommittee that the governor’s amended FY2026 budget recommends seeding a wrongful conviction compensation trust with $4,800,000, part of a framework created by Senate Bill 244.
Sullivan said the trust will be managed by the state treasurer and that the governor’s recommendation also includes $200,000 in state funds to support the Office of State Administrative Hearings for adjudication of claims. “At this time, seven cases have advanced through the preliminary hearing process,” Sullivan said, adding that 36 claims have been filed with the office of wrongful-conviction claims to date and that one claim has proceeded to a final order for just over $400,000.
Representative Mitchell asked how the $4.8 million figure was derived and whether the state was disbursing awards at that level. Sullivan explained that the law allows older claims to be filed without a statute of limitation for the first three years and that seeding the trust is intended to allow the process to begin while future needs are evaluated.
Sullivan also noted a separate line item (section 12.9.0.2) that provides a $61,594 increase in state funds tied to payout obligations as the Georgia Tax Tribunal is closed out in the FY27 Appropriations Act.
The presentation emphasized that most filed claims have been closed or dismissed, and that the initial appropriation is a baseline to test the program’s fiscal needs going forward. The commissioner invited committee questions and noted the funds for hearings will cover administrative invoices associated with adjudicating claims.
The committee did not take formal action on the appropriation during this meeting; the presentation and responses will inform forthcoming appropriations deliberations.
