Loading...Legislative Bulletin Week 1 Georgia Chamber of Commerce
Welcome to Week 1 of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Legislative Bulletin. You will receive this bulletin each week to keep you abreast of the latest happenings and the issues making their way through the legislature that affect business and your bottom line. Those of you who receive the weekly Legislative Bulletin by e-mail will also receive brief updates on a more frequent basis, covering events as they unfold. If you would like to change the way you receive your bulletin from U.S. Mail or fax to e-mail in order to take advantage of the additional updates, contact Ginger Hathcock by phone (404) 223-2269 or e-mail ghathcock@gachamber.com.
Major Leadership Changes in Georgia House of Representatives
Monday, January 10, marked a busy opening day of the 2005 Legislative Session as well as a day of unprecedented change in the Georgia House of Representatives. Representative Glenn Richardson (R-Dallas) was elected by a vote of 117-60 by his fellow representatives as the first Republican Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives in 134 years. Representative Mark Burkhalter (R- Alpharetta) was elected by a vote of 116-60 as House Speaker Pro Tempore.
Additional legislators assuming new leadership roles in the House include:
Rep. Jerry Keen (R- St. Simons) - House Majority Leader
Rep. Barry Fleming (R- Harlem) - House Majority Whip
Rep. Dubose Porter (D- Dublin) - House Minority Leader
Rep. Carolyn Hugley (D- Columbus) - House Minority Whip
Republican Caucus leadership includes:
Rep. Sharon Cooper (R- Marietta) – Chairman
Rep. Jay Roberts (R- Ocilla) - Vice-Chairman
Rep. Sue Burmeister (R- Augusta) - Secretary
Democratic Caucus leadership includes:
Rep. Calvin Smyre (D- Columbus) – Chairman
Rep. Nan Orrock (D- Atlanta) - Vice-Chairman
Rep. Nikki Randall (D- Macon) - Secretary
Speaker Glenn Richardson Appoints New House Committee Chairmen
Agriculture & Consumer Affairs - Tom McCall
Appropriations - Ben Harbin
Vice Chair – Health - Jeff Brown
Vice Chair – Education - Jan Jones
Vice Chair – Public Safety - Mack Crawford
Vice Chair – Higher Ed - Bob Smith
Vice Chair – Economic Dev. - Carl Rogers
Vice Chair – General - Don Parsons
MARTOC - Jill Chambers
Information & Audits - John Heard
Ethics - Joe Wilkinson
Banks & Banking - James Mills
Children & Youth - Judy Manning
Defense & Veterans Affairs - John Yates
Economic Development & Tourism - Ron Stephens
Education - Brooks Coleman
Game, Fish & Parks - Bob Lane
Governmental Affairs - Austin Scott
Health & Human Services - Sharon Cooper
Higher Education - Bill Hembree
Human Services & Aging - Len Walker
Industrial Relations - Mike Coan
Science & Technology - Amos Amerson
Insurance - Tom Knox
Interstate Cooperation - Ron Forster
Intra-governmental Coordination - Roger Williams
Judiciary - Wendall Willard
Judiciary – Non-Civil - David Ralston
Motor Vehicles - Tom Rice
Natural Resources & Environment - Lynn Smith
Public Safety - Burke Day
Public Utilities & Telecom - Jeff Lewis
Reapportionment - Bobby Franklin
Regulated Industries - David Graves
Retirement - Ben Bridges
Rules - Earl Ehrhart
Special Rules - Calvin Hill
State Institutions & Property - Terry Barnard
State Planning & Community Affairs - Tommy Smith
Transportation - Vance Smith
Ways & Means - Larry O’Neal
For a full list of Georgia House of Representatives committee assignments CLICK HERE.
Georgia House Adopts Changes in Rules, Ethics and Decorum
On Monday, January 10, House members voted in great majority (123-50) to approve rules changes in the way the Georgia House of Representatives conducts business.
The way the House Rules Committee operates has been changed to give the committee greater responsibilities in determining which bills are allowed on the House floor, and how those bills may be amended. Additionally, this committee can determine the length of debate a bill may receive in committee and ultimately on the floor of the House. New changes also state that bills will begin their journey through the Rules Committee beginning on Day 1 of the session as opposed to Day 10, as has been the tradition in years past.
Changes in the rules also outline a new type of committee member, known as a Hawk. These legislators, selected by Speaker Richardson, will serve as an Ex-Officio type of committee member, eligible to attend and vote in any and all committee meetings. Hawks named include Representatives John Lunsford (R- McDonough), Tom Graves (R- Fairmount) and Stacy Reece (R- Gainesville).
Another important change involves the way votes are cast by members of the House. Electronic voting card technology has made it possible to ensure that legislators cast their own votes.
Georgia Senate Leadership Undergoes Minor Changes
The Georgia Senate leadership for the 2005 Legislative Session includes many familiar legislators along with several additions and promotions. Leadership consists of:
Sen. Eric Johnson (R- Savannah) - Senate President Pro Tempore
Sen. Bill Stephens (R- Canton) - Senate Majority Leader
Sen. Mitch Seabaugh (R- Sharpsburg) - Senate Majority Whip
Sen. Robert Brown (D- Macon) - Senate Minority Leader
Sen. David Adelman (D- Decatur) - Senate Minority Whip
Republican Caucus leadership includes:
Sen. Don Balfour (R- Snellville) – Chairman
Sen. Tommie Williams (R- Lyons) - Vice-Chairman
Sen. Renee Unterman (R- Loganville) - Secretary
Democratic Caucus leadership includes:
Sen. Tim Golden (D- Valdosta) – Chairman
Sen. Valencia Seay (D- College Park) - Vice Chairman
Sen. Horacena Tate (D- Atlanta) - Secretary
2005 - 2006 Senate Committee Chairmen
Agriculture - John Bulloch
Appropriations - Jack Hill
Banking & Financial Institutions - Bill Hamrick
Economic Development - Jeff Mullis
Education & Youth - Dan Moody
Ethics - Renee Unterman
Finance - Casey Cagle
Health & Human Services - Don Thomas
Higher Education - Seth Harp
Insurance & Labor - Ralph Hudgens
Interstate Cooperation - Ed Harbison
Judiciary - Preston Smith
Natural Resources & Environment - Ross Tolleson
Public Safety & Homeland Security - Brian Kemp
Reapportionment - Chip Rogers
Regulated Industries - Mitch Seabaugh
Retirement - Bill Heath
Rules - Don Balfour
Science & Technology - David Shafer
Special Judiciary - Michael Meyer von Bremen
State & Local Govt. Operations - John Wiles
State Institutions & Property - Regina Thomas
Transportation - Tommie Williams
Veterans & Military Affairs - John Douglas
For a full list of Georgia Senate committee assignments CLICK HERE.
Senate Votes to Tweak the Rules
On Monday, January 10, The Georgia Senate voted, with overwhelming majority (51-5) to change several of the rules that govern the body.
In committees, a new attendance policy is now in place to ensure fairness and continuity. If a committee member misses three consecutive meetings, unless excused from the Senate that day, they may be removed from the committee. Members will continue to serve on four committees. Membership on the Ethics and Reapportionment Committees won't count as one of the four, except for the chairs. Members may not abstain from voting unless they have a direct financial interest in the item being voted on.
A couple of changes have also been made to the Senate Rules Committee. One of these changes will allow the Rules Committee to send a bill back to the committee from where it came from or send it to another committee. Another rule change affecting the committee allows the Committee on Assignments to remove members of the Rules Committee at any time.
Changes have also been made to the way debate is conducted on the floor of the Senate. The engrossment of a bill, which means that a bill can no longer be amended, will be allowed by majority vote at the third reading. Debate on a motion to engross will be limited to 10 minutes for each side. Also, engrossment extends to House amendments of Senate bills that have been engrossed. In other words, a motion to amend a House amendment to a Senate bill which has been engrossed will be out of order.
Watch for the next issue of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce Legislative Bulletin.
