Georgia’s Legislative Branch: SS8CG2a & SS8CG2b

Georgia’s Legislative Branch: Main Idea: Members of the General Assembly Notes: The General Assembly is bicameral (has 2 chambers/houses). One is the House of Representatives, and one is the Senate. There are 180 members of the House of Representatives and 56 members of the Senate. Members of the legislature are elected by popular vote to 2 yr. terms of office.

Georgia’s Legislative Branch: Main Idea: Members of the General Assembly Notes: There is no limit on the number of terms a representative or senator can serve. Each of these members is elected by voters in a house or senate district. Equally important, each house district contains about the same number of people as all of the other house districts. And each senate district contains about the same number of people as all the other senate districts. .

Georgia’s Legislative Branch: Main Idea: Qualifications for the Senate Notes: At the time of their election, members of the senate are required by Georgia’s constitution to be at least 25 yrs. of age, citizens of the United States, and citizens of GA for at least 2 yrs. In addition, they must have been legal residents of the district from which they were elected for at least 1 yr.

Georgia’s Legislative Branch: Main Idea: Qualifications for the House of Representatives Notes: Members of the House of Representatives must be at least 21 yrs. of age, citizens of the United States, citizens of Georgia for at least 2 yrs., and legal residents of the district from which they were elected for at least one year.

Georgia’s Legislative Branch: Main Idea: Duties for both chambers Serving on standing committees Pass state’s operating budget Enacting laws Redistricting (every 10 years) Vote to place Constitutional Amendments on the election ballot (2/3 vote)

Georgia’s Legislative Branch: Main Idea: The Georgia General Assembly Notes: The GA General Assembly meets each year for a 40 day session, beginning on the second Monday in January. Breaks and recesses do not count as part of the 40 days, so the sessions usually last until the middle of March.

Georgia’s Legislative Branch: Main Idea: The Georgia General Assembly Notes: The House of Representatives and the Senate operate in similar fashion except for two important differences: Only the House of Representatives can write spending (appropriations) bills. Only the Senate can confirm appointments the governor makes to executive offices. Either house can propose and pass bills, and all bills must be approved by both chambers before being sent to the governor

Georgia’s Legislative Branch: Main Idea: Presiding Officers Notes: The Lieutenant Governor presides over (leads) the Senate. Members of the House of Representatives elect a Speaker as their presiding officer. The Speaker, like the Lieutenant Governor, appoints committees and their chairpersons and assigns bills (proposed laws) to those committees. The LT Gov. does not have a vote in the Senate, but the Speaker of the House votes when it is necessary to break a tie. LT. Gov. Casey Cagle Speaker David Ralston

Georgia’s Legislative Branch: Main Idea: Presiding Officers Notes: A presiding officer also has the power to determine the order of business, control debate, rule out proposed amendments to bills, enforce rules of procedure for the General Assembly, control meeting times and recesses of the General Assembly, and order a roll call vote on any issue.

Georgia’s Legislative Branch: Main Idea: Committee System Notes: Members of the Georgia House and Senate are organized into committees. All bills must be reviewed by a House or Senate committee before they can be brought to either the whole house or sent for a vote. The committee system makes it possible for members to study bills closely. There would not be time for such study if each bill were discussed only by the entire House and Senate.

Georgia’s Legislative Branch: Main Idea: Committee System Notes: Some committees are permanent, lasting from one session to the next. These are called standing committees. Some of the standing committees include: Ways and Means Committee, which handles bills involving taxes; The Appropriations Committee, which works on the budget; and the Judiciary Committee, which deals with bills concerning the state’s laws and court system.

Georgia’s Legislative Branch: Main Idea: Committee System Notes: Other committees are organized for a specific task and only last until their work is completed. One type of special committee is an interim committee, one that works on assigned issues and concerns between sessions of the legislature. Another special committee is a conference committee, which is appointed when the House and Senate pass different versions of a bill. This committee is made up of 3 senators & 3 representatives and must try to find a way to write one bill that both houses will pass.

Georgia’s Legislative Branch: Main Idea: Committee System Notes: A joint committee, another special committee, is made up of members from both houses and works on an assigned topic or issue. A member of the General Assembly may serve on several committees. Committee chair persons decide when their committees will meet. They choose the order in which assigned bills will be discussed and when bills will be voted on. House of Reps. Senate

Georgia’s Legislative Branch: Main Idea: 16 step law-making process A legislator introduces an idea for a law (this could be based on the needs of his or her constituents, suggestions made by the Governor or Floor Leader, or his or her own ideas or beliefs) The legislator goes to the Office of Legal Council to determine and remedy any legal issues that the bill may face. The legislator files the bill with the Clerk of the House or Secretary of Senate The bill is formally introduced (1st Reading)

Georgia’s Legislative Branch: The bill is assigned to a standing committee The bill receives a 2nd reading (process differs in House and Senate) The bill is considered by committee (bill can be engrossed, killed or amended) The bill is reported favorably by the committee and returned to the Clerk or Secretary Main Idea: 16 step law-making process

Georgia’s Legislative Branch: Main Idea: 16 step law-making process The bill is placed on a general calendar The rules committee meets and prepares a rules calendar The presiding officer calls up bills for calendar The bill receives a 3rd reading (bill is now up for debate and voting)

Georgia’s Legislative Branch: If bill is approved, it is sent to the other house If bill is passed by second house, it is returned. If bill is not accepted it is either killed or brought before a conference committee. If accepted by both houses, the bill is sent to the Governor for approval. **The Governor may sign bill or do nothing (it becomes law). Governor may veto bill (Assembly can override with veto with 2/3 vote). Act is printed in the Georgia Laws Series and becomes law the following July 1. Main Idea: 16 step law-making process