Georgia State Senate

Georgia State Senate

Summary

The Georgia State Senate is the upper house of the Georgia General Assembly (the state legislature of Georgia, USA).

According to the state constitution of 1983, this body is to be composed of no more than 56 members elected for two-year terms. Current state law provides for 56 members. Elections are held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years.

Government Website    Wikipedia page

OnAir Post: Georgia State Senate

Wikipedia

Not to be confused with the as of yet unestablished upper house of the Parliament of the country of Georgia, anticipated by the constitution of 1995, which is also styled the "Senate".
For the current session, see 158th Georgia General Assembly.

The Georgia State Senate is the upper house of the Georgia General Assembly, in the U.S. state of Georgia. The Georgia State Senate and the lower house of the General Assembly, the Georgia House of Representatives, comprise the bicameral legislature of the state. Combined, the Senate and the House maintain authority under Article III. of the 1983 Constitution of Georgia to enact laws "necessary and proper for the welfare of the state", although state law is subordinate to the state constitution, the United States Constitution, and federal law.

Like most upper houses in the United States, the Senate has the exclusive power to confirm various appointments made by the Governor of Georgia, and to try cases of impeachment brought by the House. The Senate is often considered a springboard for those ultimately seeking higher office; all of the state's most recent governors have served in the State Senate.

The Georgia State Senate is the upper house of the Georgia General Assembly, with the lower house being the Georgia House of Representatives. Both bodies are constitutionally required to convene annually at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta.[1] The General Assembly begins each yearly session on the second Monday in January.[1] From that date of convention, sessions last for 40 legislative days.[1]

The General Assembly may call for special sessions by a three-fifths vote of the members in each chamber.[1] Special sessions in Georgia may span a maximum of 40 days.[1]

Membership requirements

The Georgia State Senate consists of 56 members, each representing a single-member legislative district of equal size with the others. State senators serve a term length of two years, with elections being held in even-numbered years. Senators officially assume their positions on the second Monday in January following their election.

To serve in the Senate, an individual must have attained the age of 25.[1] The person must also be a qualified voter who has resided in the state of Georgia for at least two years.[1] Unlike most states, senators are not required to have lived in their districts for a specific period of time before running.

Leadership

The formal President of the State Senate is the Lieutenant Governor of Georgia, who is elected statewide every four years. Other important figures in the Senate include the President pro tempore (who is elected by all members of the Senate), as well as the Majority Leader, Majority Whip, and Majority Caucus Chair (each of whom are elected by the majority of what is currently the Republican caucus).[1]

The minority party is headed by the Minority Leader, who is elected by the minority party caucus.[1]

Compensation

The current salary for state senators is $17,342.[2] The Majority Leader and Minority Leader earn an additional $400 per month.

Officers

The presiding officer of the Senate is the president of the Senate. A president pro tempore, usually a high-ranking member of the majority party, acts as president in case of the temporary disability of the president. In case of the death, resignation, or permanent disability of the President or in the event of the succession of the president to the executive power, the President pro tempore becomes President. The Senate also has as an officer, the secretary of the Senate.

As of January 2025, the majority and minority leadership is as follows:

OfficeOfficeholderParty
Lt. Governor and senate presidentBurt Jones[3]Republican
President pro temporeJohn F. Kennedy[4][5]Republican
Majority leaderSteve Gooch[5]Republican
Majority whipRandy Robertson[5]Republican
Majority caucus chairmanJason Anavitarte[5]Republican
Majority caucus vice-chairmanMatt Brass[5]Republican
Majority caucus treasurerDean Burke[5]Republican
Minority leaderHarold V. Jones II[6]Democratic
Minority whipKim Jackson[6]Democratic
Minority caucus chairElena Parent[6]Democratic
Minority caucus vice-chairSonya Halpern[6]Democratic
Minority caucus vice-chair of fundraising and campaignsDavid Lucas[6]Democratic
Minority caucus secretaryNan Orrock[6]Democratic

List of committees

Composition

Map of current partisan composition of legislative districts for the State Senate:
  Democratic senator
  Republican senator

According to the state constitution of 1983, this body is to be composed of no more than 56 members elected for two-year terms. Current state law provides for 56 members. Elections are held the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November in even-numbered years.

Senators must be at least 25 years old, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Georgia for two years and their senatorial district for one year (preceding the election). The highest position in the Senate is the President of the Senate, a position currently held by Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones. The second-highest position is president pro tempore, currently held by Senator Butch Miller.

↓
3323
RepublicanDemocratic
AffiliationParty
(Shading indicates majority caucus)
Total
RepublicanDemocraticVacant
End of 155th Assembly3521560
End of 156th Assembly3422560
Beginning of 157th Assembly3323560
Latest voting share59%41%

Past composition of the Senate

Main article: Political party strength in Georgia (U.S. state)

List of current senators

As of January 2025, the Georgia State Senate is composed of 56 members:[8]

DistrictSenatorPartySinceResidenceCounties represented
1Ben WatsonRepublican2015SavannahBryan, Liberty, part of Chatham
2Derek MallowDemocratic2023SavannahPart of Chatham
3Mike HodgesRepublican2023BrunswickBrantley, Camden, Charlton, Glynn, McIntosh, part of Ware
4Billy HickmanRepublican2020StatesboroBulloch, Candler, Effingham, Evans, part of Chatham
5Sheikh RahmanDemocratic2019LawrencevillePart of Gwinnett
6Matt BrassRepublican2017NewnanCoweta, Heard, part of Carroll
7Nabilah IslamDemocratic2023DuluthPart of Gwinnett
8Russ GoodmanRepublican2021CogdellAtkinson, Clinch, Echols, Lanier, Lowndes, Pierce, part of Ware
9Nikki MerrittDemocratic2021GraysonPart of Gwinnett
10Emanuel JonesDemocratic2005DecaturParts of DeKalb and Henry
11Sam WatsonRepublican2023MoultrieBrooks, Colquitt, Cook, Decatur, Grady, Seminole, Thomas
12Freddie SimsDemocratic2009DawsonBaker, Calhoun, Clay, Dougherty, Early, Miller, Mitchell, Quitman, Randolph, Stewart, Sumter, Terrell, Webster
13Carden SummersRepublican2020CordeleBen Hill, Berrien, Crisp, Irwin, Lee, Tift, Turner, Worth, part of Coffee
14Josh McLaurinDemocratic2023Sandy SpringsPart of Fulton
15Ed HarbisonDemocratic1993ColumbusChattahoochee, Macon, Marion, Schley, Talbot, Taylor, part of Muscogee
16Marty HarbinRepublican2015TyroneLamar, Pike, Spalding, part of Fayette
17Gail DavenportDemocratic2007JonesboroParts of Clayton and Henry
18John F. KennedyRepublican2015MaconCrawford, Monroe, Peach, Upson, parts of Bibb and Houston
19Blake TilleryRepublican2017VidaliaAppling, Bacon, Jeff Davis, Long, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Wayne, Wheeler, part of Coffee
20Larry Walker IIIRepublican2015PerryBleckley, Dodge, Dooly, Laurens, Pulaski, Treutlen, Wilcox, part of Houston
21Brandon BeachRepublican2013AlpharettaParts of Cherokee and Fulton
22Harold V. Jones IIDemocratic2015AugustaPart of Richmond
23Max BurnsRepublican2021SylvaniaBurke, Emanuel, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins, McDuffie, Screven, Taliaferro, Warren, parts of Columbia and Richmond
24Lee AndersonRepublican2017GrovetownElbert, Greene, Hart, Lincoln, Oglethorpe, Wilkes, part of Columbia
25Rick WilliamsRepublican2023MilledgevilleBaldwin, Butts, Jasper, Jones, Putnam, parts of Bibb and Henry
26David LucasDemocratic2013MaconHancock, Johnson, Twiggs, Washington, Wilkinson, parts of Bibb and Houston
27Greg DolezalRepublican2019CummingPart of Forsyth
28Donzella JamesDemocratic2009AtlantaParts of Cobb, Douglas, and Fulton
29Randy RobertsonRepublican2019CataulaHarris, Meriwether, Troup, part of Muscogee
30Tim BeardenRepublican2024CarrolltonHaralson, parts of Carroll, Douglas, and Paulding
31Jason AnavitarteRepublican2021DallasPolk, part of Paulding
32Kay KirkpatrickRepublican2017MariettaParts Cherokee and Cobb
33Michael RhettDemocratic2015MariettaPart of Cobb
34Kenya WicksDemocratic2025FayettevilleParts of Clayton and Fayette
35Jason EstevesDemocratic2023AtlantaParts of Cobb and Fulton
36Nan OrrockDemocratic2007AtlantaPart of Fulton
37Ed SetzlerRepublican2023AcworthParts of Bartow and Cobb
38RaShaun KempDemocratic2025AtlantaPart of Fulton
39Sonya HalpernDemocratic2021AtlantaPart of Fulton
40Sally HarrellDemocratic2019AtlantaParts of DeKalb and Gwinnett
41Kim JacksonDemocratic2021Stone MountainPart of DeKalb
42Brian StricklandRepublican2018McDonoughMorgan, parts of Henry, Newton, and Walton
43Tonya AndersonDemocratic2017LithoniaRockdale, parts of DeKalb, Gwinnett, and Newton
44Elena ParentDemocratic2015AtlantaParts of Clayton and DeKalb
45Clint DixonRepublican2021BufordParts of Barrow and Gwinnett
46Bill CowsertRepublican2007AthensParts of Barrow, Clarke, Gwinnett, Oconee, and Walton
47Frank GinnRepublican2011DanielsvilleMadison, parts of Barrow, Clarke, and Jackson
48Shawn StillRepublican2023NorcrossParts of Forsyth, Fulton, and Gwinnett
49Drew EcholsRepublican2025AltoPart of Hall
50Bo HatchettRepublican2021CorneliaBanks, Franklin, Habersham, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, parts of Hall, Jackson, and White
51Steve GoochRepublican2011DahlonegaDawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Pickens, Union, part of White
52Chuck HufstetlerRepublican2013RomeParts of Bartow, Floyd, and Gordon
53Colton MooreRepublican2023TrentonCatoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Walker, part of Floyd
54Chuck PayneRepublican2017DaltonMurray, Whitfield, part of Gordon
55Randal ManghamDemocratic2025Stone MountainParts of DeKalb and Gwinnett
56John AlbersRepublican2011RoswellParts of Cherokee, Cobb, and Fulton

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i The Book of the States (53 ed.). The Council of State Governments. January 7, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  2. ^ Salzer, James. "Georgia Senate rejects big pay raise for the General Assembly, state officials". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Prabhu, Maya T. (January 12, 2023). "Lt. Gov. Burt Jones assigns Senate committee chairs". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  4. ^ "Senator John F. Kennedy Elected President Pro Tempore of the Georgia State Senate". Middle Georgia CEO. January 11, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Prabhu, Maya T. (November 11, 2022). "Georgia Senate Republicans elect new leadership". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  6. ^ a b c d e f Williams, Dave (November 28, 2022). "Georgia Senate Democrats reelect Gloria Butler minority leader". Capitol Beat.
  7. ^ "Ethics Committee". Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  8. ^ "Senators (2023-24 Regular Session)". Georgia State Senate. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_State_Senate

    Discuss

    OnAir membership is required. The lead Moderator for the discussions is Scott Joy. We encourage civil, honest, and safe discourse. For more information on commenting and giving feedback, see our Comment Guidelines.

    This is an open discussion on the contents of this post.

    Home › Forums › Open Discussion

    Viewing 0 reply threads
    Viewing 0 reply threads
    • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
    Skip to toolbar