Inauguration Day in Georgia

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, January 7, 2011
By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Good morning, Jim. Monday’s a red-letter day in Georgia. Since 1863, Georgia has required a specific oath of office to be taken by the governor-elect. He must swear to faithfully execute his duties and preserve, protect and defend the Constitutions of Georgia and the United States. Governor-Elect Nathan Deal will take that oath when he’s sworn in by a state judge on the west steps of the Capitol Monday afternoon at two o’clock and everyone is invited. If you come, you’ll also witness Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle take the same oath immediately after the governor’s inauguration.

If it rains Monday, the ceremony may be moved into the House Chamber inside the Capitol, but you’re still invited to watch from the Capitol Gallery (balcony) overlooking the House or by closed circuit TV on the third floor of the Capitol. If you can’t work that into your schedule, you can watch it live at two o’clock on Georgia Public TV channel eight and again when it’s rebroadcast on channel eight in prime time at seven o’clock Monday night.

Before the governor and lieutenant governor are sworn in Monday morning, another Georgia judge will administer the oath of office in the House chamber, where he swears in the new crop of senators and representatives at the beginning of the 40-day 2011 legislative session. Also on Monday, Georgia Public TV begins its Monday through Friday seven p.m. broadcast from the Capitol of daily Lawmakers reports, that will continue throughout the session.

You’ll be interested to know that the 1959 legislature created the Legislative Counsel, which is a group of attorneys who are hired to draft bills and resolutions legislators introduce. Also, in 1959, the attorney general was made advisor to the Legislative Counsel. That makes me wonder how he advises them. Does he explain whether the proposed bills are constitutional or unconstitutional? If he DOES advise Legislative Counsel against drafting unconstitutional bills, the attorneys in Legislative Counsel could refuse to waste time drafting bad bills and legislators wouldn’t waste time trying to pass legislation that won’t pass constitutional muster. Maybe, we should check with the attorney general and find out how he plans to fulfill his duty as advisor to Legislative Counsel. For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.