Georgia General Assembly Convened January 11th

MEMBERS: Senate, 34 Republicans, 22 Democrats; House, 103 Republicans, 76 Democrats Vacant Seat: House District 90, Special Election February 9, 2021

COVID-19: Slightly Different House and Senate Rules Provide the Same Outcome
This year‟s session began January 11th, the second Monday of 2021, per the Constitution of the State of Georgia. Legislators and staff without COVID symptoms will have twice-weekly saliva-based tests conducted by the Georgia Tech Institute of Technology in Capitol Room 230.

Senators testing positive will quarantine at home until they test negative. Senate staff testing positive will be asked to telework and senators testing positive will be excused. The first tests were scheduled for January 5, and contact-tracing will be implemented.
Representatives and House staff experiencing COVID symptoms are asked not to report to the Capitol, but get off-site testing. Tests at the Capitol will be done on Mondays and Thursdays, with results reported to each individual within 24 hours. State funds will cover test costs. Masks are mandatory for officials, employees and visitors in the Capitol Complex.

The Page Program is suspended until further notice. The Chaplain of the Day will continue, but no guest may accompany the Chaplain into the House or Senate.
The House Gallery and Room 341 became over-flow locations for representatives who were displaced after every-other-desk was deemed to be unoccupied to acquire social distancing. Now, the House Gallery is equipped with microphones and voting machine connections.

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