SR3: SR3 Senate Rules; adopt

Each two-year term, the Georgia Senate must formally adopt rules governing how it operates. This resolution readopts the Senate Rules used at the end of the 2024 session as the rules for the 2025-2026 biennium, with a dozen specific amendments. The changes update references to Senate staff offices (renaming the Senate Research Office as the Office of Policy and Legislative Analysis), revise the Committee on Administrative Affairs' makeup and duties, and add a new detailed rule governing interim special committees, including meeting limits, notice requirements, quorum rules, and reporting deadlines. Other sections update rules on Senator conduct, use of cell phones and computers on the floor, aide eligibility restrictions for lobbyists, and the vote threshold for future rule changes. The resolution also removes an outdated index entry about prefiling bills.

• Readopts the existing Rules of the Senate from the end of the 2024 session as the governing rules for the 2025-2026 term, with listed amendments.
• Renames the Senate Research Office to the Office of Policy and Legislative Analysis throughout multiple rules covering staff, travel approval, and floor access.
• Creates a new rule (2-1.14) setting limits, notice requirements, quorum rules, and reporting deadlines for interim special committees.
• Bars Senators from designating a registered lobbyist as an office aide and from issuing that person a Senate identifying badge.
• Updates rules on cell phone and computer use, smoking, eating, and reading materials in the Senate Chamber during session.
• Sets the vote threshold for future Senate Rules changes at two-thirds of members to which the Senate is entitled.

Georgia state Senators and their staff, including aides, interns, and directors of the Senate Budget and Evaluation, Press, and Research (Policy and Legislative Analysis) offices, plus the Secretary of the Senate, the Committee on Administrative Affairs, and anyone registered as a lobbyist seeking an aide role.

These internal rules govern how the Senate does its day-to-day business, from committee travel approvals to how interim committees can meet and report findings. The lobbyist-aide restriction and cell phone/reading rules affect transparency and decorum inside the chamber during session.

• Section 1 requires Administrative Affairs Committee approval documentation before out-of-state travel reimbursements are paid to Senate staff.
• Section 2 revises the Committee on Administrative Affairs' membership and gives it authority over hiring and pay for Senate staff, including renamed offices.
• Section 3 adds Rule 2-1.14, limiting interim special committees to five meetings without leadership approval, requiring 72-hour meeting notice, and setting reporting deadlines.
• Section 8 bars Senators from designating a registered lobbyist as a paid or unpaid aide or issuing that person an identifying badge.
• Section 11 sets a two-thirds vote requirement of members entitled to serve for adopting future Senate Rules changes.
• Section 12 removes an outdated index reference to prefiling bills and resolutions under O.C.G.A. 28-1-17.

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)

• John Kennedy (R, SD-018)Primary sponsor
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
• Harold Jones (D, SD-022)

1. PassedSenate voteJanuary 13, 2025

   32 yea, 24 nay

   Motion To Engross: Senate Vote #2

2. PassedSenate voteJanuary 13, 2025

   55 yea, 1 nay

   Adoption: Senate Vote #3

• Georgia Senate rules
• legislative procedure
• lobbying restrictions
• interim committees
• legislative staff