1. General Assembly Georgia’s Legislative Branch
EQ: What is the role of Georgia’s legislative branch, and how is it organized?

3. Georgia Legislative Branch
The legislative branch of government makes laws. Georgia’s legislative branch is called the General Assembly. It is bicameral. Two houses make up the General Assembly—the House of Representatives and the Senate. There are 180 representatives in the House of Representatives, and 56 senators in the Senate.

4. Senate Who presides? President of the Senate
lieutenant governor (designated by the Constitution)
Size
56 members
Qualifications
25 years old
U.S. citizen
GA resident for 2 years
Resident of district for at least 1 year
Term
2 years (no term limits)
How elected
By constituents (voters)

6. House of Representatives
Who presides?
Speaker of the House
Elected by the house
Size
180 members
Qualifications
21 years old
U.S. citizen
GA resident for 2 years
Resident of district for at least 1 year
Term
2 years (may be re-elected unlimited times)
How elected
By constituents (voters)

8. Duties of the General Assembly
When does it meet?
Most important duty is making laws and passing budget (proposed by governor)
They also may abolish laws or amend laws.
Can amend (change) the GA constitution with a 2/3 vote
Senate
confirms appointments
House of Representatives
originate tax bills to raise or spend money (Appropriation bills)
GA meetings begin on the 2nd Monday of January for their regular session
Session usually lasts for 40 days (recesses can make it go into April)
For remainder of their two year terms they meet in special sessions and committees
Governor can call special sessions

9. Reapportionment
Redistricting (redrawing the boundaries of the election districts)
Occurs every 10 years
Why? to make sure that the size of the populations remains equal

10. Organization of General Assembly
Caucus – meeting of party leaders
Occurs in both
Purpose – to choose a “leader” and a “whip” and other officers
Each house has a majority and a minority party
Majority party is the political party with the most members in the house
Minority party has the fewest members

11. Leadership in the General Assembly
Speaker of the House (presides over the House meetings)
elected by the House
3rd in line to succeed the governor
President of the Senate (presides over the Senate meetings)
Lieutenant Governor
2nd in line to succeed the governor
Majority Leader (leader of the party in control of the House or Senate)
Elected by majority party caucus
Majority Whip (person that keeps party members in line – vote for the party they represent)

12. Leadership in the General Assembly
Minority Leader (leader of the party in minority in the House or Senate)
Elected by minority party caucus
Minority Whip (person chosen to keep party members in line)
Administrative Floor Leaders (introduce bills that the governor wants passed)
Appointed by the governor
Committee Chairman (appointed to direct the work of his/her committee)
Appointed by the presiding officer of House or Senate

13. Powers of a Presiding Officer
Appoints committees and their chairs
Assigns bills to committees
Determine the order of business
Control debate
Rule out proposed amendments to bills
Enforce rules of procedures for the General Assembly
Control meeting times and recesses of the General Assembly
Order a roll call vote on any issue

14. The Lieutenant governor does not have a vote in the Senate, BUT can break a tie.

15. Types of Committees Standing Committees (permanent) Interim Committees
Examples
Ways and Means
Appropriations Committee
Judiciary committee
Interim Committees
One that works on assigned issues and concerns between sessions of the legislature

16. Types of Committees Conference Committees Joint Committee
When the house and senate pass different versions of a bill, 3 senators and 3 representatives try to write one bill that both houses will pass
Joint Committee
Made up of members from both the house and senate
Works on an assigned topic or issue

17. Committee System
Committees- groups of senators/representatives who consider (work on) bills and
vote in committee to bring the bills to the floor of the House or Senate for a vote
They recommend to the House or Senate whether or not to pass the bills.
Bill – written proposal to enact, amend, or repeal a law
Examples – public schools, agriculture, industry,
Each senator and representative serves on two or three committees.

18. Lobbyist
Person (representing a group) who tries to persuade legislators to vote for or against specific bills

19. The General Assembly can make laws on any subject EXCEPT those subjects specifically assigned to the U.S. Constitution. It may not violate the U.S. or Georgia constitutions.

20. Laws passed by the General Assembly are …
general application
Laws that apply throughout the state of Georgia
local application
Laws that only apply to a specific city or county

21. The Green Tree Frog

22. BillLaw Steps Bill is sent to the full House or Senate
- They debate, possibly amend
Legislature may pass or vote down
S-29 votes; H-91 votes
7. Bill is sent to the other house, and the process starts over.
Create a bill (idea is written, filed, and read to either the House or Senate)
Assign to a committee
Committee reads, researches, debates, hold public hearings
Committee votes to pass or not pass

23. 8. If both agree, the bill goes to the governor 9. The governor may
sign the bill
Veto the bill (does not become law unless both house override the veto with a 2/3 majority vote
Do nothing (bill becomes a law in 40 days)