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157th Georgia General Assembly
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| 157th Georgia General Assembly | |||||
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| Overview | |||||
| Legislative body | Georgia General Assembly | ||||
| Meeting place | Georgia State Capitol | ||||
| Senate | |||||
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| Members |
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| Senate President | Burt Jones (R) | ||||
| Party control | Republican Party | ||||
| House of Representatives | |||||
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| Members |
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| Speaker of the House | Jon G. Burns (R) | ||||
| Party control | Republican Party | ||||
| Sessions | |||||
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| Special sessions | |||||
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The 157th Georgia General Assembly consisted of two sessions of the Georgia General Assembly in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, the first in 2023 and the second in 2024.[1] It convened its first session on January 9, 2023 at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta,[2] which adjourned sine die on March 29; as stipulated in the Constitution of Georgia, the General Assembly can only hold a session "for a period of no longer than 40 days in the aggregate each year".[3]
The Assembly's members were elected in the 2022 State Senate and State House elections.
On October 26, 2023, a special session was called by Governor Brian Kemp for November 28, 2023, to redraw congressional and legislative maps which were approved in the previous General Assembly.
During the first session, March 6, 2023 was "Crossover Day", the informal name for the date by which bills must have passed through one chamber in order to remain on track to become law.[2]
Activity
[edit]Governor Brian Kemp's floor leaders for the 2023 and 2024 sessions are senators Bo Hatchett and Mike Hodges, and representatives Matthew Gambill, Soo Hong, Lauren McDonald, and Will Wade.[4]
Legislation
[edit]In late January 2023, Democratic lawmakers Sally Harrell and Shea Roberts introduced twin bills — S.B. 15 and H.B. 75, both described as "long-shot legislation" by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution — that would repeal Georgia's 2019 anti-abortion law and add abortion protections to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.[5]
Representative John Carson sponsored H.B. 54, to increase Georgia's Qualified Education Expense Credit program cap from $120 million to $200 million.[6]
Representative Darlene Taylor (R-Thomasville) introduced the Okefenokee Protection Act (H.B. 71),[7] intended to help protect the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge from mining projects. The bill attracted bipartisan support from Buddy DeLoach and Mary Frances Williams, among about 36 others.[8] Taylor had filed an ultimately unsuccessful similar bill in the previous assembly.[8]
Sports betting
[edit]Sports betting was federally banned in the US by the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 until the Supreme Court struck down the law in Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association (2018), allowing each state to regulate sports gambling. Governor Kemp had been opposed to legalizing betting in the past, but changed his position in 2023.[9]
Several bills regarding sports betting were introduced during the 2023 session.[9]
Post-sine die
[edit]Governor Brian Kemp issued his first veto of the 2023 session on April 4, putting a stop to H.B. 319, which would have required the General Assembly to approve any University System of Georgia tuition hikes of over 3%. Kemp issued a statement noting that the "Georgia Constitution makes plain the authority to govern, control, and manage the University System and all system institutions is vested in the Board of Regents".[a] H.B. 319 had passed the House by a vote of 160–1 and the Senate unanimously; the tuition measure had been added on the last day of the legislative session to the bill, which originally aimed to abolish the Georgia Higher Education Assistance Corporation.[10]
On October 26, 2023, a special session was called by Governor Brian Kemp for November 28, 2023,[11] to redraw congressional and legislative maps which were approved in the previous General Assembly, following a ruling earlier in the day federal district judge Steve C. Jones that some districts in the U.S. House, Georgia Senate and Georgia House violated the Voting Rights Act.[12]
Composition
[edit]The lawmakers comprising the 157th Assembly were the most diverse in Georgia's history. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution counted 83 non-white members out of 236; 151 are white, 68 are black, 8 are AAPI, five are Hispanic, two are Afro-Latino, and one is Arab. Additionally, there were 81 women in the chamber.[13]
State Senate
[edit]Special elections
[edit]Governor Brian Kemp chose state senator Dean Burke to be chief medical officer of the Georgia Department of Community Health in December 2022.[14] Burke resigned on December 31, and an election to fill the Senate District 11 seat was scheduled for January 31, 2023. Three candidates qualified for the election: John H. Monds (L), Sam Watson (R),[15] and Mary Weaver-Anderson (D).[16] Watson won the election easily.[17]
Party composition
[edit]
| Affiliation | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Democratic | Vacant | ||
| End of 155th Assembly | 35 | 21 | 56 | 0 |
| End of 156th Assembly | 34 | 22 | 56 | 0 |
| Beginning of 157th Assembly | 33 | 23 | 56 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 59% | 41% | ||
Membership
[edit]As of March 2023[update], the Georgia State Senate is composed of 56 members:[18]
House of Representatives
[edit]Special elections
[edit]After former speaker David Ralston's resignation and death, a special election was held on January 3, 2023 to fill the seat in House District 7. Since no candidate reached a vote threshold of 50%,[b] a runoff between Sheree Ralston, David Ralston's widow,[20] and Johnny Chastain — both members of the Fannin County Development Authority — was held on January 31, 2023;[21] in an upset,[22] Chastain defeated Ralston.[23]
House District 119's previous representative Terry England did not seek reelection in 2022. After winning unopposed in the general election, former Barrow County Chamber of Commerce chair Danny Rampey was arrested in December 2022 and charged with stealing prescription medications.[24] Bowing to pressure from the state Republican party, Rampey announced he would not take office, and Governor Kemp scheduled a special election to be held on January 31, 2023.[25] No candidate won a majority of the vote, so a runoff was held on February 28 between Republicans Holt Persinger and Charlie Chase;[23] Persinger won the runoff.[26]
State representative Sam Watson resigned from his seat in House District 172 in order to run for the newly-open spot in State Senate District 11.[27] A special election was held on January 31, 2023; the only candidate to qualify for the ballot was Colquitt County administrator Charles Cannon.[28][23]
Democratic member Mike Glanton of District 75 resigned on January 24, 2023 for health reasons;[29] a special election was held on March 21, 2023 to fill the seat.[30] Eric Bell II was elected to fill the seat.[31]
Democratic representative Tish Naghise died on March 8, 2023; she had represented the 68th District.[32] Former Representative Derrick Jackson was elected to fill the seat.[33]
Party composition
[edit]
| Affiliation | Party (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Democratic | Vacant | ||
| End of 155th General Assembly | 105 | 74 | 179 | 1[c] |
| End of 156th General Assembly | 103 | 76 | 179 | 1 |
| Beginning of 157th General Assembly | 101 | 79 | 180 | 0 |
| July 11, 2023[35] | 102 | 78 | 180 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 57% | 43% | ||
Membership
[edit]As of July 2023[update], the membership of the House is as follows:[36]
See also
[edit]References and notes
[edit]- ^ "Session Summary – 1st Session of the 157th Biennium of the General Assembly of Georgia, 2023" (PDF). Georgia General Assembly. Office of Legislative Counsel. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ^ a b Prabhu, Maya T.; Niesse, Mark (January 8, 2023). "What you need to know about Georgia's General Assembly". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- ^ "Constitution of the State of Georgia" (PDF). Georgia State Senate.
- ^ Rowland, Hank (January 19, 2023). "Sen. Hodges named as one of Kemp's floor leaders". The Brunswick News.
- ^ Prabhu, Maya T. (January 24, 2023). "Georgia Democrats push measures to allow abortions in any instance". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- ^ Tagami, Ty (January 24, 2023). "Renewed push to expand Georgia's private school tuition subsidies". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- ^ "Rep. Darlene Taylor Introduces Okefenokee Protection Act to Prohibit Future Mining Permits for Swamp's Trail Ridge". All On Georgia. January 26, 2023.
- ^ a b Nolin, Jill (January 25, 2023). "Georgia GOP lawmaker pushes bill to protect 'vital and precious' Okefenokee from new mining proposals". Georgia Recorder.
- ^ a b Prabhu, Maya T. (March 6, 2023). "Sports betting bills stall in Georgia Legislature". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- ^ McCray, Vanessa (April 4, 2023). "Kemp vetoes bill requiring lawmaker approval for college tuition hikes". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- ^ "Kemp schedules special session after judge orders redistricting". FOX 5 Atlanta. October 26, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
- ^ "Federal judge rules Georgia's district lines violated Voting Rights Act and must be redrawn – CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. October 26, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
- ^ Prabhu, Maya T. (April 11, 2023). "Diverse Georgia Legislature made for awkward moments, learning experiences". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- ^ "Georgia senator quits for state job, prison chief steps down". Fox 5 Atlanta. December 24, 2022.
- ^ "Advance voting now in progress in State Senate special election". Donalsonville News. January 12, 2023.
- ^ Shields, Malcolm (January 11, 2023). "Qualified candidates for vacated S.W. Georgia State Senator District 11 seat set for special election". WTXL.
- ^ "Georgia Election Results 2023". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. January 31, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- ^ "Senators (2023–24 Regular Session)". Georgia State Senate. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
- ^ "January 3, 2023 House District 7 – Special Election". Georgia Secretary of State.
- ^ Lowry, Donna (December 6, 2022). "Sheree Ralston qualifies to fill district seat held by her late husband". GPB.
- ^ Hansen, Julia (January 4, 2023). "Special election for Georgia's House District 7 seat will head to a runoff". Dawson County News.
- ^ Bluestein, Greg (February 2, 2023). "'Grassroots rising.' Behind an upset defeat in North Georgia". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- ^ a b c Niesse, Mark (January 31, 2023). "Chastain wins race for former Speaker Ralston's Georgia House seat". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- ^ "Newly elected Georgia House member facing drug charges withdraws from office". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. January 1, 2023.
- ^ "New Georgia House member arrested on drug and theft charges". Associated Press. December 16, 2022.
- ^ "Persinger beats fellow Republican in Georgia House election". AP News. February 28, 2023.
- ^ Williams, Dave (December 23, 2022). "Georgia Rep. Sam Watson resigns to seek vacant state Senate seat". Capitol Beat.
- ^ Hall, Kevin C. (December 30, 2022). "2 Cairo residents qualify for state Senate seat". The Moultrie Observer.
- ^ Middleton, Heather (January 25, 2023). "Rep. Mike Glanton resigns House seat for health reasons". Clayton News Daily.
- ^ Niesse, Mark (January 24, 2023). "Jonesboro's Glanton resigns, creating 5th vacancy in Georgia General Assembly". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
- ^ "Bell wins Georgia House seat; Clayton sheriff set for runoff". Associated Press News. March 21, 2023.
- ^ Niesse, Mark (March 8, 2023). "Georgia state Rep. Tish Naghise dies". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
- ^ "Rep. Derrick Jackson sworn in for 2023–2024 legislative term". The Citizen. July 3, 2023. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
- ^ Prabhu, Maya T. "Lithonia Democratic lawmaker resigns from Georgia House". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
- ^ Vigdor, Neil (July 12, 2023). "Democrat's Defection Gives Georgia G.O.P. First Black Woman in State House". The New York Times.
- ^ "Representatives (2023–2024 Regular Session)". Georgia House of Representatives. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
- ^ Ga. Const. art. VIII, § IV, para. (b).
- ^ Sheree Ralston got 3,582 votes (45.02%), and Johnny Chastain got 3,125 votes (39.28%).[19]
- ^ Rep. Pam Stephenson resigned on September 10, 2020 and remained on the ballot in the 2020 general election unopposed. The seat is still vacant at the beginning of the 156th General Assembly pending a special election.[34]