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Georgia's 2025 Legislative Session
Hello Friends! I hope everyone enjoyed peaceful holidays and had some time to rest, renew, and rejuvenate. The new year has ushered in fresh opportunities for collaboration, creativity, civility, and the official swearing-in ceremony for my second term serving as Georgia’s Representative for House District 35.
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Pre-Legislative Session Prep
Our team has been busy since the election meeting with constituents and organizations to listen to the important issues to help us better understand our communities’ needs as we develop our priorities and strategic plans including:
- 34th Biennial Institute for Georgia Legislators
- National Foundation for Women Legislators Annual Conference
- Technology Association of Georgia's Legislative Forum
- Georgia School Boards Association/Georgia School Superintendents Association Annual Winter Conference
- Cobb County Board of Commissioners’ Legislative Breakfast hosted by Chairwoman Lisa Cupid
- Cobb Chamber of Commerce Legislative Breakfast
- Eggs & Issues Breakfast Hosted by the Georgia Chamber
- Meeting with the Mayor of Acworth, Tommy Allegood, the Acworth Board of Aldermen, and Cobb County Educators
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Legislative Session Week One
"If your voice didn't make a difference, they wouldn't be so afraid of it."
Ruth Bader Ginsburg
On Monday, January 13th, the Georgia General Assembly convened for the first day of the 159th Legislative Session with members of the Georgia House of Representatives taking the oath of office. Once we were sworn in, we immediately took up our first order of business, which was to elect a Speaker of the House. Speaker Jon Burns was reelected with a vote of 153 to 21. Speaker Pro Tempore Jan Jones was reelected with a vote of 158 to 19.
New House Rules were introduced (House Resolution 3) that included a number of key changes designed to empower the Republican majority and suppress the voices of the members of the Democratic minority including the following:
- Codifies the ability to undermine local delegations that impact cities or counties
- Stifles the ability to speak during morning and afternoon orders
- Limits our ability to file legislation with a limit of 10 bills per member, per session, with exceptions
How do these new rules impact your voice and representation? Today there are increasingly fewer ways the minority party can address Georgians or the press. Our opportunities to speak mostly arise from the Chamber floor during speeches from the “well” or morning or afternoon orders. In addition to the public attending in the gallery and online, the press cover events in the Chamber on a daily basis.
During the last session, the Georgia House Democratic Caucus (GHDC) spoke out about Georgia's unacceptably high maternal mortality rate by sharing data and constituent stories during morning orders. The GOP majority party was not pleased when the press covered our efforts; we were asked to stop. Rather than affirm the importance of our rights to voice the needs of everyday Georgians, the GOP’s new House Rules further diminish opportunities for our members to discuss important issues of public interest on the record.
The other way we raise our voices, and the voices of our constituents, is to file a bill. Under this GOP leadership, Democratic members do not have parity on committees, only hold one committee chair (out of 44 committees) and our bills rarely get a committee hearing. Speaking during the orders is one of the only ways we can get coverage of issues that are important to our communities. In previous years, we did not have a limit on the number of bills we could file; this is just one more way the GOP is suppressing Georgians.
I made a motion to reconsider when the Speaker limited our debate and stopped our vote on the rules by his moving for unanimous consent. I also voted Nay on the Speaker given his support of new rules limiting the voices of my constituents, ongoing lack of parity for minority members on committees and chair positions, and to demonstrate that we have competing priorities. I also submitted my request for the House Journal to reflect my intention to vote Nay on House Resolution Three. You may watch the session here.
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Also on the first Monday, the House and Senate voted to adopt an Adjournment Resolution, Senate Resolution 6, to set our calendar for this legislative session. Each session lasts 40 non-consecutive days, and this year’s calendar sets our final day of session, or “Sine Die,” on Friday, April 4th. We have a fast-paced schedule this year and much work to accomplish before session ends this spring.
Later in the week, I joined the Women's Legislative Caucus to honor Leader Carolyn Hugley as the second woman to have been elected to serve as the Minority Leader for the Georgia House and celebrate this important milestone for women.
The House and Senate also convened for a joint legislative session for the State of the State Address given by Governor Brian Kemp. I issued a press release to share my thoughts in response. Read the full statement here.
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Committee Assignments
The House Committee on Assignments recently completed its work and announced committee assignments for each representative. I am excited to announce that I have been appointed to serve on the following House committees for the next two years:
I am also excited to share that I am the co-chair of the Democratic Caucus’ Communications Committee. Along with co-chair Rep. Inga Willis and our elected leadership, we will be shaping ur Caucus’ communications plan and developing a unified approach to get out our message about policy positions and legislative work to improve the lives of all Georgians.
You can learn more about the House committees here: https://www.legis.ga.gov/committees/house.
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What's Next
This week, the state's public Budget Hearings were postponed due to weather. This annual focus on the state budget (deciding how our tax dollars are used to invest in our communities in education, healthcare, bridges, roads, and natural resources) is critical. At this time, these public hearings have not been rescheduled; this is unacceptable. This is one more way Georgia's GOP are prohibiting government transparency, minority party questions on the record, and public input. Here is a link to the budget documents. I encourage you to reach out to the Chairs of the Appropriations Committees to voice concerns and ask for the hearings to be rescheduled.
Here are other events that happened this week:
- Mental Health Day at the Capitol, January 22nd (virtual)
- Maternal Health Awareness Day at the Capitol, January 23rd (virtual)
- Cobb County Legislative Delegation Meeting, January 24th (New officers elected: Representative David Willkerson (D), Chair; Representative Terry Cummings (D), Vice-Chair; Senator Michael “Doc” Rhett (D), Secretary)
These events are planned for the upcoming week at Georgia's Gold Dome:
- GA Department of Community Affairs' Planning Day at the Capitol, Monday, January 27th. I am excited to be the sponsor of this House Resolution and host the event where the City of Acworth and seven other cities will receive the PlanFirst designation.
- 100% Renewable Georgia Day hosted by Georgia Conversation Voters at the Capitol, Monday, January 27th. I am excited to join as an invited guest and speaker.
As we move forward, I encourage you to reach out if you would like to join me at the Georgia Capitol, or if you have questions or concerns regarding the state budget bills, the legislative process or any other measures being considered under the Gold Dome. As your state representative, I want to know what issues are most important to you, your family and our neighbors, and I welcome an opportunity to hear feedback from you.
Keep following this newsletter each week to stay up to date with what’s happening under the Gold Dome and encourage your friends to subscribe.
I am humbled to have this opportunity to serve as your representative, and I look forward to collectively building relationships across the state and learning how we can collaborate to build a better Georgia for all.
With love and respect,
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