Republicans Retain Majority in Georgia Legislature
Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, November 23, 2018 – By Sue Ella Deadwyler
Although Election Day has come and gone, voters in the December 4th Run-off Election will elect Georgia’s next secretary of state and the public service commissioner for PSC District 3, which encompasses Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton and Rockdale counties. The secretary of state is elected at the same time and holds office for the same term as the governor. However, the five public service commissioners are elected to six-year terms in staggered-years and take office December 31st in the year they are elected.
According to statistics available at this writing, the 2019 Georgia House of Representatives will be comprised of 71 Democrats and 105 Republicans, which means Republicans lost several seats. Also according to available statistics, the Georgia Senate will have 21 Democrats and 35 Republicans for the upcoming two-year legislative term.
Before the election, Georgia’s congressional delegation included four Democrats and ten Republicans. However, Democrat voters defeated Republican Karen Handel in congressional District 6. That raised the number of Democrats in the delegation to five and reduced the number of Republicans to nine. After a recount was conducted in his very tight race, incumbent congressman Republican Rob Woodall retained his seat in District 7 with 50.1 percent of the vote.
Voters passed all of the five proposed constitutional amendments and both referendum questions. Passage of Amendment One means that up to 80 percent of sales taxes collected on the sale of sporting goods will be used for land conservation. Amendment Two authorizes the creation of a state-wide business court whose judges will be appointed and reappointed by the governor.
Amendment Three changes the method of assessing and taxing forest land conservation property and requires each tract to be at least 200 acres located over one or two counties. Amendment Four authorizes crime victims to request notification when the defendant in the case is released or escapes. Also, it assures victims the right to speak at scheduled proceedings. Amendment Five authorizes some school districts to direct full-time equivalent funding to the school attended by the student.
Statewide Referendum Question A provides homestead exemption to residents in any municipal corporation located in more than one county. Statewide Referendum Question B provides tax exemptions on certain nonprofit homes for the mentally disabled. For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.