Georgia CommonsSenate · Passed · 2026 Special Session
SR 1: Senate Rules; adopt
Last action June 17, 2026 · Senate Passed/Adopted
A Senate resolution adopts the Georgia Senate's regular-session rules for the 2026 special session, with amendments that shorten deadlines, debate times, and committee timelines to fit a short special session.
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
When the Georgia Senate meets for the 2026 special session, it needs procedural rules to govern how bills move. This resolution adopts the Senate rules that were in effect at the end of the 2026 regular session as the rules for the special session, but changes several of them so they work for a shorter, compressed session. The amendments let committees act during a special session recess, let the Rules Committee set the calendar starting the first day instead of the fifth, shorten Committee of Conference deadlines from days to hours, cut debate time on Local Contested Calendar bills and personal privilege speeches, and require bills needing House action to be transmitted immediately rather than waiting. It also allows a bill or resolution needing House concurrence to be introduced without the usual filing deadline on the first day of the special session.
What the bill does
- Adopts the Georgia Senate's existing rules from the end of the 2026 regular session as the rules for the 2026 special session, with listed changes.
- Lets committees act on bills during a recess or adjournment in a special session, not just a regular session.
- Shortens the time a Committee of Conference has before it can be discharged from five days to twenty-four or forty-eight hours.
- Requires any bill or resolution needing House action to be transmitted to the House immediately at any point during the 2026 special session.
- Cuts debate time for proponents and opponents of Local Contested Calendar bills from ten minutes to three minutes.
- Limits personal privilege speeches to three minutes during a special session, instead of the usual five-minute limit for early regular session days.
Who it affects
This resolution affects Georgia state senators and Senate staff, including the Secretary of the Senate and the President of the Senate, who must follow these procedural rules during the 2026 special session. It also indirectly affects any bills or resolutions senators introduce during that session.
Why it matters
These rule changes speed up how quickly the Senate can move bills during the special session, shortening deadlines for committee reports, debate, and transmitting bills to the House. That means less time for senators to review conference reports or debate contested bills before votes happen.
Key provisions
- Section 1 lets standing committees act on legislation during a recess in a special session, not only a regular session.
- Section 2 and Section 8 let the Rules Committee begin setting the daily calendar on the first day of a special session instead of the fifth legislative day.
- Section 4 shortens the time before a Committee of Conference can be discharged, from five legislative days to twenty-four or forty-eight hours.
- Section 5 allows a bill needing House concurrence to be introduced on the first day of a special session without the normal prior-day filing deadline.
- Section 7 cuts debate time on Local Contested Calendar bills from ten minutes to three minutes for each side.
- Section 9 and Section 10 require immediate transmittal of bills to the House and set notice rules for reconsideration motions during the special session.
- Section 13 limits personal privilege speeches to three minutes during a special session, shorter than the usual five-minute early-session limit.
From the bill
“any bill, resolution, or other matter which requires action by the House shall be immediately transmitted to the House by the Secretary of the Senate”
Discussed in meetings (1)
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, June 17, 2026 (legislative day 1)
From 0:51:32 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Engrossed)
Summary by Georgia Commons: The president pro tempore presented special-session rules under SR 1, saying they largely followed procedures used during the final five days of a regular session. The presenter said actions would be sent immediately to the House, debate on contested local bills would fall from 10 minutes to three minutes per side, and personal-privilege speeches would fall from five minutes to three. The presenter argued that the local tax bills would be similar and need limited debate. One senator questioned why redistricting provisions remained when leaders had announced no maps would be redrawn. The presenter said the draft had anticipated redistricting, but map changes would occur at a future date. That senator objected that blocking amendments prevented removal of those provisions. A second senator said an amendment would have barred racial and partisan gerrymandering and urged a state voting-rights law focused on discriminatory results rather than intent. Another senator criticized limited access to the rules and the inability to amend them. The Senate voted 29-21 to block amendments and 30-21 to end debate. On adoption, the chair announced 30 yeas and 21 nays and declared the resolution failed.
Status timeline
- Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Engrossed (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Larry Walker, III (R, SD-20)
- Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-31)
- Randy Robertson (R, SD-29)
- Shawn Still (R, SD-48)
- Clint Dixon (R, SD-45)
Votes
- Senate voteJune 17, 2026
29 yea, 21 nay (1 not voting, 4 excused)
- Senate voteJune 17, 2026
30 yea, 21 nay (0 not voting, 4 excused)
- Senate voteJune 17, 2026
30 yea, 21 nay (0 not voting, 4 excused)
Topics
- legislative procedure
- Georgia Senate rules
- special session
- committee deadlines