HR885: HR885 House Study Committee on Election Procedures; create

LC 57 0290S The House Committee on Rules offers the following substitute to HR 885: A RESOLUTION Creating the House Study Committee on Election Procedures; and for other purposes.1 WHEREAS, the elective franchise is the cornerstone of our representative government; and2 WHEREAS, Article II, Section I, Paragraph I of the Constitution provides that elections in3 Georgia shall be conducted in accordance with procedures provided by law; and4 WHEREAS, over the years Georgia election laws have divided resp onsibility for5 administering and overseeing elections to a variety of state-wi de and local officials and6 boards, including but not limited to the Secretary of State, the State Election Board, and local7 election superintendents and registrars; and8 WHEREAS, while certain provisions of the Georgia Election Code, Chapter 2 of Title 21 of9 the O.C.G.A., have been updated and modernized in recent years, other provisions have10 remained unchanged since the original adoption of the state-wide Election Code in 1964; and11 WHEREAS, further study and evaluation of the laws, policies, an d procedures utilized in12 administering Georgia elections is warranted; and13 - 1 - LC 57 0290S WHEREAS, the state has a compelling governmental interest in ensuring that Georgia has14 the most secure and effective electoral system in the nation.15 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:16 (1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee17 on Election Procedures.18 (2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of a number of members19 of the House of Representatives as determined and appointed by the Speaker of the House20 of Representatives. The Speaker shall designate the chairperson of the House Committee21 on Governmental Affairs as chairperson of the committee.22 (3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,23 issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or24 legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.25 (4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee; pro vided,26 however, that the Speaker of the House of Representatives may set a maximum number27 of meetings that the committee may conduct. The committee may conduct such meetings28 at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to29 exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives30 and purposes of this resolution.31 (5) Allowances and funding. The legislative members of the committee shall receive32 the allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Offic ial Code of Georgia33 Annotated. The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any34 member of the committee for more than three days unless additional days are authorized. 35 Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds36 appropriated to the House of Representatives.37 - 2 - LC 57 0290S (6) Report.38 (A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that39 include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the40 same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolut ion, subject to41 subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.42 (B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not i nclude suggestions for43 proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)44 of this paragraph.45 (C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of46 abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee.47 A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with48 the Clerk of the House of Representatives.49 (D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the50 House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu51 thereof.52 (7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.53 - 3 -