Georgia CommonsHouse · Passed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HR 997: Joint session; message from the Governor
Last action January 12, 2026 · Senate Transmitted House
A House resolution schedules a joint session of the Georgia House and Senate on January 15, 2026, so Governor Brian Kemp can deliver an address to lawmakers.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
This resolution sets up a formal joint meeting of the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate to hear a speech from Governor Brian Kemp. It fixes the time and place: 10:45 A.M. on January 15, 2026, in the House chamber, with the Governor's address beginning at 11:00 A.M. The resolution also creates a 14-member escort committee, seven lawmakers chosen by the Speaker of the House and seven chosen by the President of the Senate, to bring the Governor into the chamber. It invites the Justices of the Georgia Supreme Court and the Judges of the Court of Appeals to attend, and it directs the Clerk of the House to send copies of the resolution to the Governor and to each judge and justice.
What the bill does
- Schedules a joint session of the Georgia House and Senate for 10:45 A.M. on January 15, 2026, in the House chamber.
- Invites Governor Brian Kemp to address the joint session starting at 11:00 A.M. that same day.
- Creates a 14-member escort committee, split evenly between House and Senate members, to bring the Governor to the chamber.
- Extends an invitation to the Justices of the Supreme Court of Georgia and the Judges of the Court of Appeals to attend.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to send a copy of the resolution to the Governor and to each invited judge and justice.
Who it affects
This mainly affects Governor Brian Kemp, members of the Georgia House and Senate who will attend or serve on the escort committee, and the Justices of the Supreme Court of Georgia and Judges of the Court of Appeals who are invited to attend.
Why it matters
The resolution formally organizes the logistics for the Governor's address to the legislature, a customary event where the Governor typically outlines policy priorities. It matters mainly as a procedural step ensuring lawmakers, judges, and the Governor coordinate on the event's timing and format.
Key provisions
- First resolving clause invites Governor Brian Kemp to address a joint session at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, January 15, 2026.
- Second clause sets the joint session itself to convene at 10:45 A.M. that day in the House chamber.
- Third clause creates a 14-member escort committee, with seven members named by the Speaker of the House and seven named by the President of the Senate.
- Fourth clause invites the Justices of the Supreme Court and Judges of the Court of Appeals to attend.
- Fifth clause instructs the Clerk of the House to transmit copies of the resolution to the Governor and to each invited judge and justice.
From the bill
“His Excellency, Governor Brian Kemp, is hereby invited to address a joint session of the House of Representatives and the Senate at 11:00 A.M., Thursday, January 15, 2026, in the hall of the House of Representatives.”
Discussed in meetings (4)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
Senate floor session, January 12, 2026 (legislative day 1)
From 2:04:03 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Read and Adopted)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The secretary read HR 997, calling a joint House and Senate session to hear a message from the governor and inviting the Supreme Court justices and Court of Appeals judges to attend. The Senate adopted the resolution without objection.
House floor session, January 12, 2026 (legislative day 1)
From 1:22:34 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (House First Readers)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The majority leader presented HR 997 to call a joint House and Senate session for the governor’s State of the State address on Thursday, January 15, at 11 a.m. In response to the chair’s question, the majority leader confirmed that the address would take place in the House chamber. The House adopted the resolution without objection.
Senate floor session, January 15, 2026 (legislative day 4)
From 1:00:38 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The Senate approved a voice-vote motion under HR 997 to recess for a joint session to hear the governor and adjourn afterward until 9 a.m. Friday, January 16. The resolution was later read in the joint session. In the State of the State address, the governor proposed a $1 billion tax rebate, providing $250 for an average filer and up to $500 for a married couple, and reducing personal and corporate income tax rates to 4.99%. The governor said reserves would remain above $10 billion and argued for preserving funds for future downturns. The governor also proposed a one-time $2,000 supplement for state employees, including educators and state public safety officers, and a $325 million endowment for need-based Dream Scholarships. Other proposals included $40.7 million for healthcare education facilities and medical workforce training, $2.1 million for additional medical residency positions, and higher retirement contributions for eligible state law enforcement officers, reaching a 15% maximum match by year 10. The governor reviewed economic development, education and public safety efforts and announced forthcoming legislation addressing silence imposed on child abuse victims. No votes on these proposals were shown. The joint session was dissolved after the address.
Status timeline
- Senate Transmitted House (Senate)
- Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
- House Read and Adopted (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Chuck Efstration (R, HD-104)
Topics
- state government
- Georgia legislature
- Governor's address
- joint session