SR 3: Senate Rules; adopt

Senate Resolution 3

By: Senators Kennedy of the 18th, Gooch of the 51st and Jones II of the 22nd ADOPTED SENATE

A RESOLUTION

Adopting the Rules of the Senate; and for other purposes.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the Rules of the Senate in effect at the adjournment of the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly are hereby adopted as the Rules of the Senate for the 2025-2026 biennium of the General Assembly unless and until otherwise provided by resolution of the Senate, with the following amendments:

SECTION 1.

The Rules of the Senate are amended by revising subsection (b) of Rule 1-3.2, relating to travel and reimbursement for employees of the Senate, as follows: "(b) Prior to any disbursement by the Legislative Fiscal Officer, there shall be on file with said fiscal officer documentation of the approval by the Committee on Administrative Affairs of all out-of-state travel reimbursement requests, submitted by the Secretary of the Senate, the Senator to which such staff member is assigned, or the directors of the Senate Research Office of Policy and Legislative Analysis, Press Office, or Budget and Evaluation offices Office, as applicable, and the person requesting reimbursement shall submit an itemized listing of all expenses claimed hereunder."

SECTION 2.

Said Rules of the Senate are further amended by revising Rule 2-1.2 as follows: "2-1.2 Committee on Administrative Affairs

There shall be a Committee on Administrative Affairs composed of the President of the Senate, the President Pro Tempore, the Majority Leader, the Minority Leader, the Secretary of the Senate, and three members appointed by the President of the Senate. This committee shall have the responsibility of employing, supervising, disciplining, and setting the compensation of all aides, secretaries, and other personnel for the Senate, including the Senate Budget and Evaluation Office, Senate Press Office, and Senate Research offices Office of Policy and Legislative Analysis. The committee shall supervise the purchase and allotment of supplies for the Senate. This committee shall also supervise and approve all out-of-state travel of members of the Senate and staff. The committee shall be chaired by the President Pro Tempore or his or her designee. The committee is authorized to meet and take official action after adjournment sine die of a session and prior to the convening of the next session."

SECTION 3.

Said Rules of the Senate are further amended by adding a new rule as follows: "2-1.14 Interim Special Committees

(a) Any interim special committee created by the Senate shall be subject to a resolution creating such committee. The Senate may also authorize the President of the Senate to create such committees.

(b) Without the approval of the President of the Senate or subject to a resolution adopted pursuant to paragraph (a), no interim special committee may hold more than five (5) meetings. The members of any such committee shall receive the allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, provided that such allowances shall not be received by any member of the committee for more than five (5) days of service unless additional days of service are authorized by the President of the Senate or resolution.

(c) The chairperson shall call all meetings of any interim special committee. The chairperson shall provide notice at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to a meeting of the committee. Such notice shall be directed to the committee members; the Secretary of the Senate, who shall post notice of the meeting on the General Assembly's website as soon as practicable following receipt; and additional individuals at the discretion of the chair. The committee may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and purposes set forth in the resolution creating the committee; provided that should a chairperson desire to hold a meeting of the committee in a location other than the State Capitol or the Coverdell Legislative Office Building, he or she must obtain prior written approval from the Committee on Administrative Affairs.

(d) Each interim special committee at its first organizational meeting shall set the number of members required for a quorum; however, the quorum shall not be set at less than a majority of the membership of the committee. An interim special committee cannot circumvent the provisions of the Senate Rules governing such committees by suspending any Rule or part thereof. Interim special committees may establish rules of operation that are not in conflict with Senate Rules.

(e) In the event an interim special committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the same prior to the date of abolishment set forth in the resolution creating the committee. In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report. No report shall be filed unless the same has been adopted prior to the date of the committee's abolishment by majority vote of a quorum of the committee. A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with the Secretary of the Senate. In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Secretary of the Senate a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu thereof."

SECTION 4.

Said Rules of the Senate are further amended by revising Rule 2-5.1 as follows: "2-5.1 Motions; How Made

All motions in standing committees shall receive a second before being put by the presiding officer."

SECTION 5.

Said Rules of the Senate are further amended by revising Rule 4-2.10 as follows: "4-2.10 Bills Placed on Desk; Calendar Changes

No general bill or resolution shall be put for final passage unless the same has been put on a calendar and placed on each Senator's desk no less than one hour prior to the time of convening on the date of passage. The Secretary of the Senate shall put all bills which appear on the prepared calendar and which may be considered that day in numerical order on the Senators' desks. The calendar can be changed by a vote of two-thirds of the Senators voting, provided such two-thirds constitutes a majority of the members elected to the Senate."

SECTION 6.

Said Rules of the Senate are further amended by revising Rule 9-1.1 as follows: "9-1.1 Senatorial Conduct

When the Senate is in session, Senators shall conduct themselves at all times with dignity and in a manner to insure ensure decorum in the deliberations of the body and shall be called to order by the President for activities to the contrary, including unnecessary conversation which is disruptive to the business of the session and inappropriate dress."

SECTION 7.

Said Rules of the Senate are further amended by revising paragraph (7) of subsection (a) of Rule 9-1.4, relating to persons entitled to admission to the Senate during session, as follows: "(7) Staff members of the office of the Lieutenant Governor, the office of the President Pro Tempore, the office of the Majority Leader, the office of the Minority Leader, the Senate Budget and Evaluation Office, the Senate Research Office of Policy and Legislative Analysis, and the Senate Press Office,"

SECTION 8.

Said Rules of the Senate are further amended by revising subsection (b) of Rule 9-1.6, relating to secretaries, interns, and aides, as follows:

"(b) Each Senator may select an aide (not paid by the Senate) by designating in writing his or her name to the Secretary of the Senate; this aide shall not be changed during the session except by permission of the Committee on Administrative Affairs. No intern may be designated as an aide by a Senator. The aide provided for in this paragraph shall be issued an identifying badge, but shall not come on the floor of the Senate while the Senate is in session. No Senator may designate, and there shall be no identifying badge issued to, an individual as an aide who is a registered lobbyist or is required to register as a lobbyist pursuant to Article 4 of Chapter 5 of Title 21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated."

SECTION 9.

Said Rules of the Senate are further amended by revising Rule 9-1.13 as follows: "9-1.13 Smoking, Eating, Use of Cellular Phones Prohibited There shall be no smoking, or eating, use of cellular telephones, or reading of newspapers and other materials not pertinent to legislation in the Senate Chamber while the Senate is in session."

SECTION 10.

Said Rules of the Senate are further amended by revising Rule 9-1.14 as follows: "9-1.14 Use of Computers, Cellular Phones, Reading Materials on the Senate Floor A Senator shall use his or her computer and cellular phone in the Senate Chamber only for legislative business, provided that this shall not prohibit the Senator from using the computer at such times such devices for purposes of ordinary and necessary communications with his or her home and business. Such devices shall not make audible noises nor distract other Senators from the business before the Senate. Maintenance and repair of Senators' computers or cellular phones shall not be conducted on the floor of the Senate while the Senate is in session. There shall be no use of reading materials in the Senate Chamber while the Senate is in session except that which is pertinent to legislation or current events."

SECTION 11.

Said Rules of the Senate are further amended by revising subsection (a) of Rule 10-1.3, relating to changes in rules, as follows:

"(a) Senate Rules shall be adopted at the beginning of any two-year term of the General Assembly and at the beginning of any special session. Adoption of the Senate Organizational Rules Resolution or Senate Special Session Organizational Rules Resolution shall require an affirmative vote of a majority of the members to which the Senate is entitled. All subsequent resolutions introduced to change or amend the Senate Rules shall be assigned to the Committee on Rules and would require a two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the members to which the Senate is entitled for adoption."

SECTION 12.

Said Rules of the Senate are further amended by striking the following from page xvii of the Index to the Rules of the Senate:

"PREFILING OF PROPOSED BILLS AND RESOLUTIONS . . . . . O.C.G.A. 28-1-17"