Redistricting Bills Failed to Pass
“The General Assembly shall apportion the Senate and House districts. Such districts shall be composed of contiguous territory. The apportionment of the Senate and of the House of Representatives shall be changed by the General Assembly as necessary after each United States decennial census.”
– The Constitution of the State of Georgia, Article III
S.R. 23 to create a Citizens’ Redistricting Commission is a proposed constitutional amendment to change the above-quoted section of the Constitution of the State of Georgia. If passed, it would authorize seven appointees to draw legislative districts for Congress, and the Georgia House and Senate, subject to General Assembly approval. If legislators reject the Commission’s proposal twice, the General Assembly would continue to draw district boundaries for Georgia’s congressional delegation and the General Assembly. It did not pass.
S.B. 20 would implement the constitutional change, if S.R. 23 passes. Representative Elena Parent (D) introduced both bills on January 14th, and they remain alive for action in 2016. ACTION – Oppose S.R. 23 & S.B. 20. Contact the Senate Reapportionment & Redistricting Committee in 2016.
From Clean Slate in 2015 to Over-Load in 2016
When Georgia’s 180 representatives and 56 senators convened for the 2015 legislative session, their legislative plate was empty, except for dozens of pre-filed bills and resolutions awaiting official introduction. Though some were not introduced this session, they are not dead.
Since 2015 was the first half of the current two-year term for legislators in the Georgia General Assembly, bills and resolutions introduced this session remain alive for the 2016 session, unless they passed both House and Senate or were defeated in either House or Senate this year. House bills and resolutions that remain alive for the 2016 session have been recommitted for action in 2016. Also, bills and resolutions that passed the Senate into the House were sent back to their respective House committee, if they were not passed or defeated on the House floor.
Senate bills and resolutions carried into the 2016 session will be recommitted on January 11, 2016, the first day of next year’s session. House bills that passed the House into the Senate remain in the Senate for recommitment to the appropriate Senate committee on January 11th.
Do bills become law without the governor’s signature?
Yes. Bills that pass both House and Senate become law on July 1st, unless they are vetoed. Others become law when they’re signed by the governor, or as directed in the bill. Through April 2nd, the governor had signed nine bills and issued an executive order concerning H.B. 1.
Extensive Legislative Back-Log for the 2016 Session
The Preliminary Final Composite of the Georgia House of Representatives listed 2,565 bills and resolutions introduced or pre-filed for the 2015 General Assembly. Those that did not pass, and were not defeated, carry into the 2016 session. They may or may not be acted upon.
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