SR875: SR875 State-Wide Grand Juries; jurisdiction, powers, and duties; provide -CA

Currently, Georgia grand juries operate at the county level, limiting their reach when investigating crimes that cross county lines. This resolution proposes a constitutional amendment adding a new section to Article VI that creates state-wide grand juries, summoned by the Attorney General petitioning the Georgia Supreme Court. These grand juries would have 13 to 23 members, jurisdiction across the entire state, and a term limit of 12 months. The Chief Justice would designate a superior court judge to preside, and the Attorney General or a designee would serve as legal adviser and could assign staff or district attorneys to assist. Their subject matter is limited to crimes involving voting, elections, or violations of election laws and related crimes. The amendment would go before Georgia voters for ratification or rejection, with specific ballot language spelled out in the resolution.

• Adds a new Section XI to Article VI of the Georgia Constitution creating state-wide grand juries with authority reaching across all counties.
• Limits state-wide grand jury jurisdiction to crimes involving voting, elections, or violations of election laws and related offenses.
• Sets grand jury size at 13 to 23 members and caps each grand jury's term at 12 months.
• Requires the Attorney General to petition the Supreme Court to summon a state-wide grand jury, with the Chief Justice designating a superior court judge to preside.
• Makes the Attorney General or a designee the legal adviser and allows subpoenas to compel witnesses and documents even before an indictment is proposed.
• Sends the proposed amendment to Georgia voters for ratification or rejection with specific ballot wording included in the resolution.

The change would affect the Attorney General's office, the Georgia Supreme Court and Chief Justice, superior court judges, district attorneys, and anyone investigated or indicted for election-related crimes anywhere in the state. Georgia voters would decide whether to approve the amendment.

If approved by voters, prosecutors would gain a tool to investigate and indict election-related crimes across county lines through a single grand jury, rather than relying only on county-based grand juries, potentially changing how such cases are pursued statewide.

• Paragraph I(a) requires the Attorney General to petition the Supreme Court to summon and empanel a state-wide grand jury under procedures set by law.
• Paragraph I(b) sets membership at 13 to 23 people, gives statewide jurisdiction, and limits each grand jury's term to 12 months.
• Paragraph I(c) has the Chief Justice designate a superior court judge as presiding judge to summon and empanel each grand jury.
• Paragraph I(d) makes the Attorney General or a designee the legal adviser, with discretion to assign staff or district attorneys to assist.
• Paragraph I(e) restricts subject matter jurisdiction to crimes involving voting, elections, election law violations, and related crimes.
• Paragraph I(f) allows investigative activity and subpoenas for witnesses and documents before any indictment is proposed.
• Section 2 sets the ballot question voters will see and specifies that ratification would add the amendment to the state constitution.

1. 2026-03-06Senate Lost (Senate)
2. 2026-03-06Senate Third Read (Senate)
3. 2026-03-06Senate Taken from Table (Senate)
4. 2026-03-06Senate Tabled (Senate)
5. 2026-03-04Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
6. 2026-03-03Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
7. 2026-02-26Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
8. 2026-02-25Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Bill Cowsert (R, SD-046)Primary sponsor
• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-027)
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)

1. PassedSenate voteMarch 6, 2026

   29 yea, 20 nay (3 not voting, 3 absent)

   Motion To Remove From The Table: Senate Vote #681

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 6, 2026

   28 yea, 21 nay (1 not voting, 5 absent)

   Adoption Of Constitutional Amendment: Senate Vote #682

• election law
• grand juries
• constitutional amendment
• Attorney General powers
• voting crimes