hb508_LC_19_6499_a

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05 LC 19 6499

House Bill 508

By: Representatives Sims of the 169th and Mosley of the 178th

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Article 1 of Chapter 16 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to coroners, so as to provide for minimum salaries for coroners of certain counties; to provide for periodic cost-of-living or general performance based increases for coroners; to provide for a minimum salary for deputy coroners; to provide for longevity increases; to provide for other matters relative to the forgoing; to provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.

Article 1 of Chapter 16 of Title 45 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to coroners, is amended by inserting at the end thereof a new Code Section 45-16-12 to read as follows:

"45-16-12.

(a) The fee system of compensating the coroners and deputy coroners of the various counties in this state or the fee system supplemented by a salary is hereby abolished.

(b)(1) The minimum annual salary for each coroner on the salary system in this state shall be fixed according to the population of the county in which he or she serves as determined by the United States decennial census of 2000 or any future such census. Each such coroner shall receive an annual salary payable in equal monthly installments from the funds of his or her county equal to but not less than 35 percent of the sheriff́s salary as established in the following schedule:

Population Minimum Salary
0 — 5,999 $ 1,200.00 plus $200.00 per case
6,000 — 11,889 $ 1,200.00 plus $200.00 per case
11,890 — 19,999	16,709.74
20,000 — 28,999	18,399.54
29,000 — 38,999	20,088.90
39,000 — 49,999	21,799.55
50,000 — 74,999	23,468.91
75,000 — 99,999	24,266.66
100,000 — 149,999	25,064.40

The governing authority of any county with a population of 150,000 or more shall set the annual salary of the coroner of that county.

(2) On and after January 1, 2006, whenever the employees in the classified service of the state merit system receive a cost-of-living increase or general performance based increase of a certain percentage or a certain amount, the amounts fixed in the minimum salary schedule in paragraph (1) of this subsection, in Code Section 15-6-89, and in subsection (b) of Code Section 15-10-105, or the amounts derived by increasing each of said amounts through the application of longevity increases pursuant to subsection (a) of Code Section 15-6-90, where applicable, shall be increased by the same percentage or same amount applicable to such state employees. If the cost-of-living increase or general performance based increase received by state employees is in different percentages or different amounts as to certain categories of employees, the amounts fixed in the minimum salary schedule in subsection (b) of Code Section 15-10-105, or the amounts derived through the application of longevity increases, shall be increased by a percentage or an amount not to exceed the average percentage or average amount of the general increase in salary granted to the state employees. The Office of Planning and Budget shall calculate the average percentage increase or average amount increase when necessary. The periodic changes in the amounts fixed in the minimum salary schedule in paragraph (1) of this subsection, in Code Section 15-6-89, and in subsection (b) of Code Section 15-10-105, or the amounts derived through the application of longevity increases as authorized by this subsection, shall become effective on the first day of January following the date that the cost-of-living increases or general performance based increases received by state employees become effective; provided, however, that if the cost-of-living increases received by state employees become effective on January 1, such periodic changes in the amounts fixed in the minimum salary schedule in paragraph (1) of this subsection, in Code Section 15-6-89, and in subsection (b) of Code Section 15-10-105, or the amounts derived by increasing each of said amounts through the application of longevity increases pursuant to subsection (a) of Code Section 15-6-90, shall become effective on the same date that the cost-of-living increases or general performance based increases received by state employees become effective.

(c) The county governing authority may supplement the minimum annual salary of the coroner or deputy coroner in such amount as it may fix from time to time; but no coroneŕs or deputy coroneŕs compensation supplement shall be decreased during any term of office. Any prior expenditure of county funds to supplement the coroneŕs salary in the manner authorized by this subsection is ratified and confirmed. Nothing contained in this subsection shall prohibit the General Assembly by local law from supplementing the annual salary of the coroner.

(d) The minimum salaries provided for in this Code section shall be considered as salary only. Expenses for deputies, equipment, supplies, copying equipment, and other necessary and reasonable expenses for the operation of a coroneŕs office shall come from funds other than funds specified as salary in this Code section.

(e) Deputy coroners shall receive as a minimum an amount equal to 50 percent of the annual salary of the coroner to be paid in equal monthly installments.

(f) This Code section shall not be construed to reduce the salary of any coroner or deputy coroner in office on January 1, 2006. All local legislation in effect on January 1, 2006, affecting compensation for coroners of the various counties shall be in full force and effect except where the same provides for a salary lower than provided in this Code section, in which event this Code section shall prevail.

(g) In addition to any salary now or hereafter provided by law, the governing authority of each county shall provide, as an operating expense of the coroneŕs office and payable from county funds, a monthly vehicle allowance to the coroner of that county when the coroneŕs personally owned vehicle is used in the carrying out of the duties of the coroneŕs office. If a vehicle allowance is so provided, it shall be in an amount determined by agreement between the budget officer of the county and the coroner.

(h) In the counties in which there is a full-time coroner, the salary for the coroner and deputy coroner shall be determined by the governing authority and the coroner.

(i) The amounts provided in paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of this Code section and Code Section 45-16-11.1, as increased by paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of this Code section, shall be increased by multiplying said amounts by the percentage which equals 5 percent times the number of completed four-year terms of office served by any coroner after December 31, 2005, effective the first day of January following the completion of each such period of service."

SECTION 2.

This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2005.

SECTION 3.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.