HB 713: Georgia Legislative Integrity and Representation Act of 2025; enact

Currently the Georgia House and Senate can adopt internal rules, including limits on how many bills a member may introduce in a session. This bill would add new sections to Georgia law (O.C.G.A. Title 28, Chapter 1) declaring that no rule, statute, or executive action can cap the number of bills a member files or otherwise restrict a member's ability to introduce legislation for their district. It says any such limit is an unconstitutional restriction and gives members standing to sue over it. The bill also requires physical, recorded votes for electing the Speaker of the House, Speaker Pro Tempore, and Senate President Pro Tempore, and for adopting or amending chamber rules, which would need two-thirds approval and public journal entries. It creates a new Legislative Constitutional Counsel, appointed by two-thirds vote of both chambers, to give lawmakers independent legal advice and defend them in constitutional disputes. The law would take effect as soon as the Governor signs it or it becomes law without a signature.

• Prohibits any rule, statute, or executive action from limiting how many bills or resolutions a legislator can introduce in a session.
• Declares that any procedural move to override this protection without a recorded vote is null and void.
• Requires physical, recorded votes for electing the House Speaker, House Speaker Pro Tempore, and Senate President Pro Tempore.
• Requires a two-thirds recorded vote, open debate, and public journal entry to adopt or amend either chamber's internal rules.
• Creates a new Legislative Constitutional Counsel position, appointed by two-thirds vote of both chambers, to give lawmakers independent legal advice and court representation.
• Gives individual legislators legal standing to sue in state or federal court if their ability to file legislation is restricted.

Members of the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate, especially rank-and-file lawmakers who may face bill-filing limits set by chamber leadership; House and Senate leadership positions subject to new voting rules; and any future Legislative Constitutional Counsel hired to represent members in legal disputes.

If enacted, chamber leaders could no longer cap how many bills individual members introduce, and top leadership elections and rules changes would require public, recorded votes instead of voice votes. Lawmakers would also gain a dedicated legal office and the right to sue if their bill-filing rights are restricted.

• New Code Section 28-1-17 bars any rule, statute, or executive action from limiting a member's right to introduce or advocate for legislation and calls bill-number caps unconstitutional restrictions.
• Section 28-1-17(f) gives members standing to challenge suppression of their filing rights in court, with representation from the new Legislative Constitutional Counsel's Office.
• Section 28-1-17(g) voids any procedural attempt to override these protections without a recorded vote.
• New Code Section 28-1-18 requires physical, recorded votes for electing the Speaker, Speaker Pro Tempore, and Senate President Pro Tempore.
• Section 28-1-18(b) requires a two-thirds recorded vote and public journal entry to adopt or amend chamber rules, voiding any rule that removes this requirement.
• New Code Section 28-1-19 creates the Legislative Constitutional Counsel, appointed and removable only by two-thirds vote of both chambers, independent of executive or partisan leadership control.
• Section 3 sets the effective date as upon the Governor's signature or the bill becoming law without signature.

1. 2025-03-06House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-03-04House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-03-03House Hopper (House)

• Sandra Scott (D, HD-76)Primary sponsor
• Viola Davis (D, HD-87)
• Kim Schofield (D, HD-63)
• Derrick Jackson (D, HD-68)

• legislative rules
• General Assembly procedure
• legislative transparency
• bill introduction limits
• recorded voting