Georgia General Assembly Convenes January 9th for 40 Days

In the first week of the General Assembly legislators passed S.R. 6 to set the 40-day legislative schedule, which is set to end Wednesday, March 29th, but that could change. Interestingly, S.R. 6, also, contains a four-paragraph Part II directing the General Assembly to move from the Capitol if an emergency or disaster makes it impossible to work there. Part II, also, directs the re-convening of the General Assembly in the Capitol after the emergency ends.

Officials Overseeing the Legislative Process

I. Secretary of the Senate: David A. Cook is a former senator, whose career as Secretary of the Senate began on July 2, 2013 when his peers first elected him. He has been continually re-elected since, and was re-elected this year. In 1789 the office was created to provide a Secretary to serve concurrently with the senators. He (a) manages and oversees the Office of the Secretary of the Senate and (b) all data1 and subsequent information published therein. In addition, he (c) assists in producing and updating the Senate Rules (d) while serving on the Senate Administrative Affairs Commission and the Legislative Services Committee.

II. Lieutenant Governor Presides as President of the Senate. Burt Jones, elected as the 13th Lieutenant Governor of Georgia in the 2022 election, presides over the Senate and participates in other actions. (a) On January 12th, he and other members of the Assignments Committee (SAC) announced committee chairs for this first year of the current two-year term. (b) Before the session convenes every morning, he and other SAC members meet to decide committee assignments for bills and resolutions being introduced that day. Members of SAC are the Lieutenant Governor, President Pro Tem, Majority Leader and two members appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, who, also, determines the duties of the SAC.

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