Key Dates
in the Legislature
in the Legislature
How many days are within the legislative session?
40 Days
Who is the Speaker of the House and what do they do?
A representative proposed by the majority party caucus and elected by members of the House of Representatives. They preside over the House of Representatives and have the authority to name officers and name members to committees and assign bills to committees. The Speaker can vote in the case of a tie.
What is a caucus?
A group of legislators associated together in support of common interests (such as political party, race, or gender) and who meet to discuss policy and strategy and coordinate their legislative efforts.
True or false? GA has a biennium assembly.
True, GA’s legislature has a two-year period that marks the legal existence of the GA General Assembly.
What is the one piece of legislation that the Georgia Legislature must pass each session?
The budget, aka the General Appropriations Act which funds state agencies and programs beginning the following July 1, and the Supplemental Appropriations Act, that amends the General Appropriations Act from the previous year.
What is Crossover Day?
The 28th Legislative Day within the session. Bills need to "cross over" from its chamber of origin to the other chamber by "Crossover Day" to remain "alive" in the current legislative session.
Who is the President of the Senate and what do they do?
The Lieutenant Governor serves as the President of the Senate in Georgia. They preside over the Senate and have the authority to name officers and name members to committees and assign bills to committees. The President of the Senate cannot debate or vote.
What is a resolution?
A legislative proposal used to express the opinion or will of one or both houses. Resolutions are similar to bills and may or may not have the force of law, depending on the subject matter and intent of the General Assembly.
How many Senators are there within the GA Legislature?
56 Senators
What do committees do?
Study bills that have been assigned to them and make recommendations to their full chamber as to whether a bill should be supported or not. Committees also take public comment from advocates, citizens, and experts to help them better understand legislation brought before them.
What is Sine Die?
The 40th and final day that the Georgia Legislature meets every year. Sine Die means “last day” in Latin, and it’s the last day that legislation can pass during the legislative session.
Who is the Speaker Pro Tempore and what do they do?
A representative elected by members of the House of Representatives to preside over the body in the event of the absence, disability, resignation, or death of the Speaker. The current Speaker Pro Tempore is Jan Jones.
What is a simple majority?
A majority of those present and voting.
How many Representatives are there within the GA Legislature?
180 Representatives
What is the hopper?
The symbolic name for the place where legislators file bills for introduction with the Clerk of the House or the Secretary of the Senate.
What is the General Calendar?
A daily listing of bills and resolutions that have passed out of committee and are ready for floor consideration. If a bill is on the general calendar, legislators can vote on it to pass out of their chamber that day.
Who are the Governor's Floor Leaders?
Legislators designated by the governor to manage bills initiated or favored by the governor.
What are first readers?
A daily list of bills on the day of their introduction containing each new bill's number and title, and a short description of the bill. It is so called because the day of introduction is the day of the first reading of each bill.
Who appoints legislators to committees?
The Speaker of the House and the Lietenant Governor.
What is a legislative counsel and what do they do?
A full-time legislative staff agency consisting of attorneys who provide a variety of legal services to members of the General Assembly including researching proposed laws and preparing draft bill language in the proper format.
What is the Rules Committee and Calendar?
After bills pass out of their assigned committee, they are sent to the rules committee, where they must be voted on favorably by the Rules Committee before being sent to the floor for a vote. The rules calendar is in effect in the House and Senate for the last 25 days of a regular session.
Who are the Clerk of the House and Secretary of the Senate and what do they do?
The chief staff officers of each respective chamber. They’re responsible for receiving, numbering, and printing copies of all bills and resolutions introduced in the either the House or Senate, recording committee reports and floor votes, and maintaining the official record of the legislative action.
What is a Constitutional majority?
The majority required for passing a bill or resolution that will have the effect of law- a majority of the entire membership of either chamber.
Who is responsible for conducting a veto of a bill?
A bill vetoed by the governor is dead unless the General Assembly overrides the veto by a two-thirds vote of the total membership of each house.
Who is mainly responsible for calling a "special session"?
Almost always, special sessions are called by the governor, who sets the agenda of the special session in the call. Should an emergency arise and the governor refuse to call a special session, the General Assembly can convene itself. However called, special sessions are limited to 40 days, unless a resolution to extend the special session is approved by three-fifths of each house and the governor.