HR 885: House Study Committee on Election Procedures; create

Georgia's election laws are spread across a mix of state and local officials, including the Secretary of State, the State Election Board, and local election superintendents and registrars. Some parts of the Election Code date back to 1964 and have not been updated since. This resolution responds to that by creating a temporary House Study Committee on Election Procedures to look into these laws, policies, and procedures. The Speaker of the House would appoint the committee's members and would name the chairperson of the House Committee on Governmental Affairs to lead it. The committee could meet as needed, subject to any limit the Speaker sets, and members would receive standard legislative allowances for up to three days unless more are approved. If the committee approves findings by majority vote, the chairperson would file a report with the Clerk of the House. The committee is set to be abolished on December 1, 2025.

• Creates the House Study Committee on Election Procedures to study Georgia's election laws, policies, and procedures.
• Lets the Speaker of the House appoint the committee's members and designates the chairperson of the House Committee on Governmental Affairs as its chair.
• Authorizes the committee to hold meetings, subject to a maximum number set by the Speaker, and to recommend legislation it deems necessary.
• Provides legislative members with standard per diem allowances (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8) for up to three meeting days unless more are authorized.
• Requires any approved findings or recommendations to be filed as a report with the Clerk of the House before the committee ends.
• Sets December 1, 2025 as the date the committee is abolished.

Members of the Georgia House of Representatives who may be appointed to or chair the committee, and more broadly Georgians affected by future election law changes, since the committee's recommendations could shape future legislation on how elections are administered statewide.

This resolution does not change any election law itself; it sets up a temporary legislative body to examine how Georgia elections are run and to propose possible updates, some of which could later affect voters, election officials, and local election boards if enacted as legislation.

• Paragraph (1) formally creates the House Study Committee on Election Procedures.
• Paragraph (2) gives the Speaker of the House authority to appoint members and names the chair of the House Committee on Governmental Affairs as the study committee's chairperson.
• Paragraph (3) directs the committee to study election administration issues and recommend action or legislation as it sees fit.
• Paragraph (4) lets the chairperson call meetings, subject to a cap on meeting numbers the Speaker may impose.
• Paragraph (5) sets member allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at three days unless additional days are authorized, funded through the House's existing appropriated budget.
• Paragraph (6) lays out reporting requirements, including that any report with legislative recommendations must be approved by majority vote before filing with the Clerk of the House.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2025.

1. 2025-04-04House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
2. 2025-04-04House Third Readers (House)
3. 2025-04-04House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
4. 2025-04-02House Second Readers (House)
5. 2025-03-31House First Readers (House)
6. 2025-03-31House Hopper (House)

• Victor Anderson (R, HD-10)Primary sponsor
• Brad Thomas (R, HD-21)
• Tim Fleming (R, HD-114)
• Rob Leverett (R, HD-123)

1. PassedHouse voteApril 4, 2025

   166 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 9 excused)

   Uncontested House Resolutions: House Vote #444

• election procedures
• election administration
• legislative study committee
• Georgia House of Representatives