SR 4: Senate Officials, Employees, and Committees; relative

Senate Resolution 4

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

A RESOLUTION

Relative to officials, employees, and committees in the Senate; and for other purposes.

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the following provisions shall be in effect during the 2025-2026 biennium of the General Assembly unless and until otherwise provided for by resolution of the Senate:

PART 1

SECTION 1-1.

(a) Subject to the availability of funds appropriated or otherwise available for the Senate, the Senate Committee on Administrative Affairs, pursuant to Senate rules, is authorized to employ on behalf of the Senate a postmaster or postmistress, assistant doorkeepers, a director of pages, pages, aides, administrative assistants, court reporters, consultants, and other necessary personnel; and the Senate Committee on Administrative Affairs is authorized to provide for a Senate Office of Policy and Legislative Analysis, a Senate Budget and Evaluation Office, and a Senate Press Office, including a Senate Photographer, and to employ personnel for said offices. The numbers and compensation of personnel so employed pursuant to this section shall be fixed by the Senate Committee on Administrative Affairs within the limitations of funds appropriated or otherwise available for the operation of the Senate. Personnel employed pursuant to this section may be employed on a permanent or temporary basis and on a part-time or full-time basis, as may be determined by the Senate Committee on Administrative Affairs. The assignment and duties of personnel employed pursuant to this section shall be as determined by the Senate Committee on Administrative Affairs; and any such personnel may be assigned to Senate officers, committees, and committee officers as deemed appropriate by the Senate Committee on Administrative Affairs. The Senate Committee on Administrative Affairs is authorized to purchase stationery and postage for use by Senators in the conduct of Senate business.

(b) By agreement with the appropriate officer or officers of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate may authorize the establishment and employment of staff for newly created joint offices of the General Assembly.

SECTION 1-2.

The Senate Committee on Administrative Affairs is also authorized to secure the services of chaplains and interns and provide expense reimbursement allowances for them within the limitations of funds appropriated or otherwise available.

SECTION 1-3.

The Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate, who is elected by the Senate, shall be compensated in an amount to be fixed by the Senate Committee on Administrative Affairs. PART 2

SECTION 2-1.

Subject to the availability of funds appropriated or otherwise available for the Secretary of the Senate's Office, the Secretary of the Senate is authorized to employ necessary personnel for the Secretary's office. The numbers and compensation of personnel employed pursuant to this section shall be fixed by the Secretary within the limitations of funds appropriated or otherwise available for the operation of the Secretary of the Senate's Office. Personnel employed pursuant to this section may be employed on a permanent or temporary basis and on a part-time or full-time basis, as may be determined by the Secretary. The assignment and duties of personnel employed pursuant to this section shall be as determined by the Secretary.

SECTION 2-2.

Pursuant to the provisions of Code Section 28-3-23 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the annual salary of the Secretary of the Senate shall be in the same amount as in effect immediately prior to the adoption of this resolution. In addition to that amount, the Secretary shall also receive the same percentage salary increase provided in the General Appropriations Act when granted to other employees of the legislative branch of state government.

PART 3

SECTION 3-1.

Subject to the availability of funds appropriated or otherwise available for the operation of the President of the Senate's Office, the President of the Senate is authorized to employ in the President of the Senate's Office interns, aides, administrative assistants, consultants, and other necessary personnel. The numbers and compensation of personnel employed pursuant to this section shall be fixed by the President of the Senate within the limitations of funds appropriated or otherwise available for the operation of the President of the Senate's Office. Personnel employed pursuant to this section may be employed on a permanent or temporary basis and on a part-time or full-time basis. The duties of personnel employed pursuant to this section shall be as determined by the President of the Senate. PART 4

SECTION 4-1.

During any day or period of time during which the General Assembly is not in session, including without limitation any day or period of adjournment during a regular or special session, each of the following officers shall be a committee of one for each day spent on official business: the President Pro Tempore, the Majority Leader, and the Minority Leader. For each such day spent on official business each of such officers shall receive the expense, mileage, and travel allowances authorized by law for members of interim legislative committees. Each such officer shall provide with his or her claim for such allowances for each such day a brief statement of the nature of the official business carried out on such day. These officers shall not be subject to Section 5-3 of this resolution (limit on number of days).

SECTION 4-2.

(a) During any day or period of time during which the General Assembly is not in session, including without limitation any day or period of adjournment during a regular or special session, each other member of the Senate is designated as a committee of one for the purpose of carrying out legislative duties only within the State of Georgia. Subject to any limits established pursuant to Section 5-3 of this resolution, for each such day of service, each member shall receive the expense, mileage, and travel allowances authorized by law for legislative members of interim legislative committees. Each such member shall provide with his or her claim for such allowances for each such day a brief statement of the nature of the legislative duties carried out on such day.

(b) In addition to the days provided for in subsection (a) of this section and without counting toward the limit specified in such subsection, each member of the Senate is designated as a committee of one for the purpose of carrying out legislative duties on any weekday which:

(1) is a one-day recess or adjournment during a regular session; and (2) occurs after Monday and prior to Friday. For each such day of service, each member shall receive the expense and travel allowances (not including mileage which shall be covered by the weekly round trip) for legislative members of interim legislative committees. Each such member shall provide with his or her claim for such allowances for each such day a brief statement of the nature of the legislative duties carried out on such day.

SECTION 4-3.

Pursuant to the provisions of law, in addition to any other compensation they receive as members of the General Assembly, the Majority Leader and the Minority Leader each shall receive an amount of $2,400.00 per annum, as salary, to be paid in equal monthly or semimonthly installments; and each Administration Floor Leader shall receive an amount of $1,200.00 per annum, as salary, to be paid in equal monthly or semimonthly installments. PART 5

SECTION 5-1.

During any period or day of adjournment during a regular or special session, the Senate Committee on Assignments is empowered to give authorization for standing committees of the Senate to remain at the Capitol during any such period of time for the purpose of considering and studying proposed legislation and other matters. Members of such committees as shall be designated by the Senate Committee on Assignments to remain at the Capitol shall receive the expense, mileage, and travel allowances authorized by law for members of interim committees.

SECTION 5-2.

The President of the Senate is authorized to appoint committees from the members of the Senate to serve as interim legislative study committees and for the purpose of performing such duties as the committee shall deem necessary. Such committees are authorized to serve during the interim and the members thereof shall receive the expense, mileage, and travel allowances authorized by law for legislative members of interim legislative committees. The President of the Senate shall designate the chairperson of any such committee and shall prescribe the time for which any such committee is authorized to function. The President of the Senate is authorized to extend the time allowed for any committee, whether the committee is created by resolution or by the President of the Senate. The chairperson of any standing committee is empowered to authorize his or her committee or any standing subcommittee of his or her committee to meet during the interim for the purpose of hearing testimony or gathering information on legislative issues; provided, however, that standing committees, or their subcommittees, may not take official action unless authorized by the Rules of the Senate or pursuant to statute. The members shall receive the expense, mileage, and travel allowances authorized by law for legislative members of interim legislative committees.

SECTION 5-3.

The Senate Committee on Administrative Affairs shall be authorized to set limits on the number of days per year that a member shall receive the allowances authorized in Sections 4-2 (committee of one) and 5-2 (committee meetings during interim) of this resolution. For this purpose a year shall begin on the opening day of a regular session and end on the day prior to the opening day of the next regular session.

PART 6

SECTION 6-1.

The funds necessary to carry out the provisions of Parts 1, 4, and 5 of this resolution shall come from funds appropriated or otherwise available for the operation of the Senate except that funds for any joint staff or joint offices under subsection (b) of Section 1-1 of this resolution shall come from ancillary funds of the General Assembly. The funds necessary to carry out the provisions of Part 2 of this resolution shall come from funds appropriated or otherwise available for the operation of the Secretary of the Senate's Office. The funds necessary to carry out the provisions of Part 3 of this resolution shall come from funds appropriated or otherwise available for the operation of the President of the Senate's Office.

SECTION 6-2.

Any personnel employed pursuant to this resolution shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority; and any such personnel may be discharged by the appointing authority with or without cause.

SECTION 6-3.

This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the Senate.