SR5: SR5 Senate Special Committee on Investigations; reauthorizing

In 2024 the Georgia Senate created a special committee to look into misconduct allegations against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, tied to her office's prosecution of the 2020 presidential election case and a romantic relationship with a special prosecutor she hired. That committee held hearings and gathered records but could not finish before the legislative term ended. This resolution reauthorizes and recreates that committee for the new General Assembly. It gives the committee up to nine senators, with at least three from the minority party, chosen by the Senate Committee on Assignments. The committee keeps its power to administer oaths, subpoena witnesses and records, take depositions, and enforce subpoenas. It inherits all records from the earlier committee, can meet anytime including during the interim, is funded from existing Senate appropriations, and must file any findings or recommendations in a formal report signed by its chairperson.

• Recreates and reauthorizes the Senate Special Committee on Investigations to continue the prior probe into District Attorney Fani Willis's conduct.
• Limits committee membership to no more than nine senators, with at least three required to come from the minority party.
• Grants the committee power to administer oaths, subpoena witnesses and documents, take depositions, and enforce subpoenas against those who refuse to comply.
• Names the new committee the legal successor to the 2024 committee, giving it access to and control over all records the earlier committee collected.
• Allows the committee to meet at any time, including during the legislative interim after the Senate adjourns for the year, to finish its work.
• Requires any adopted findings or recommendations to be filed in a signed, majority-approved report with the Secretary of the Senate.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her office, senators appointed to the special committee, any witnesses or record holders who could be subpoenaed, and Fulton County taxpayers who have funded the underlying prosecution costs the committee is examining.

The resolution keeps alive a legislative inquiry that could lead to new state laws or funding changes affecting how district attorneys hire and pay special prosecutors, and it gives senators continued authority to compel testimony and records from Willis's office or other witnesses.

• Paragraph (1) delegates the Senate's investigative powers to the recreated committee, reauthorizing it to pick up where the 2024 committee left off.
• Paragraph (2) sets membership at up to nine senators, at least three from the minority party, appointed and chaired through the Senate Committee on Assignments.
• Paragraph (3) reauthorizes subpoena power, oath administration, and enforcement action against witnesses who refuse to comply, and limits any single member from issuing subpoenas without committee or chairperson consent.
• Paragraph (4) lets the chairperson call meetings at any time, including during the interim after the Senate adjourns sine die (the end of the legislative session).
• Paragraph (5) funds the committee from money already appropriated to the Senate rather than creating new funding.
• Paragraph (6) requires that any findings, recommendations, or reports be approved by majority vote and filed with the Secretary of the Senate, with meeting minutes filed if no report is approved.

1. 2025-01-13Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
2. 2025-01-13Senate Engrossed (Senate)
3. 2025-01-13Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
4. 2025-01-13Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-027)Primary sponsor
• John Kennedy (R, SD-018)
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
• Brandon Beach (R, SD-021)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
• Bill Cowsert (R, SD-046)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)

1. PassedSenate voteJanuary 13, 2025

   33 yea, 23 nay

   Motion To Engross: Senate Vote #6

2. PassedSenate voteJanuary 13, 2025

   33 yea, 23 nay

   Adoption: Senate Vote #7

• Fani Willis investigation
• Senate special committee
• legislative subpoena power
• prosecutorial conduct
• Fulton County district attorney