Senate Rules Committee, June 18, 2026 Video: https://vimeo.com/1176653375 (a timestamp t plays at https://vimeo.com/1176653375#t=s) Page: https://georgiacommons.org/meetings/2026-06-18/senate-rules This is a machine transcript of the General Assembly's video, made by a speech-recognition model. It is not an official record and can mishear words, names, and numbers. Speakers are not identified. The video is the record: every timestamp links to the moment it plays. [0:06:08] Quorum. So let's get rolling. All right. First order of business, we have to have rules for the Rules Committee. And before we do get started on that, I do want to, um, you'll notice Mercedes looks a little different. And, uh, um... And anyway, Mercedes is, uh, injured. She's on the injured reserve, hurt her ankle last night, so, uh, she's getting checked out. [0:06:38] So y'all keep her in your thoughts and prayers. And, uh, Mercedes, we miss you. We love you. And, um, I know- [0:06:47] Was she in the World Cup? [0:06:48] She was not in the World Cup, so, um, but Ashley and Betsy are doing a fine job filling in, so. Um, all right. So here's, uh, the agendas in your folders. We're gonna vote on our rules, and then we're gonna look at the rules consideration calendar. So, um, first thing is the rules we need to vote on for our special session. [0:07:12] Make a motion. [0:07:12] Motion to read that. [0:07:13] Second. [0:07:13] I know everybody has had ample time to read them. They are the same rules we had before. So, uh, I've got a motion from my vice chairman. I got a second from Senator Robertson. Is there any further discussion? Hearing none, all in favor say, "Aye." [0:07:29] Aye. [0:07:30] All opposed? None opposed. Okay. Moving on. Consideration calendar, your yellow sheet. We have SB 3EX. Senator Burns, you're the author of our Election Equipment Specifications and Standard Committee Act. You have the floor. [0:07:57] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. You know, it's always an honor to come to the Rules Committee. [0:08:00] We're honored to have you. [0:08:01] And, you know, what can I tell you? Life is good in the summer, don't you think, Mr. Chairman? [0:08:06] It, it is, but, uh, Senator, your microphone works, and we're in a small room, so you don't have to yell. [0:08:12] I will. I will whisper. I, I'll just, I'll use the old faculty method. [0:08:18] No, you're good. [0:08:19] Okay. [0:08:19] I love your enthusiasm. [0:08:20] At the end of the day, we have Senate Bill 3EX. I appreciate your favorable consideration to schedule, uh, our election legislation for this special session. Uh, this does three things. It establishes an Election Equipment Specification Standards Committee, it expands risk-limiting audits, and it defers the implementation of SB 189 to January the 1st of 2028. Happy to take questions. [0:08:43] Are there any questions from anyone? When you say expand the risk-limiting audits, we're going from what to what potentially? [0:08:54] We're going from, uh, two audits to, uh, quite a number. But basically, a risk-limiting audit, which is already defined in code, but it would allow us to verify top-of-ticket races. [0:09:07] Mm-hmm. [0:09:08] Uh, governors race, US Senate, US House, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, uh, attorney general. [0:09:16] Many of our statewide. [0:09:17] All, uh, not all of them, but the major statewides- [0:09:19] Many of them [0:09:20] ... and then one of the, uh, other five, uh, four or so statewide offices. So it expands the use of risk-limiting audits to verify that our elections are accurate. Uh, and, um, this is a process and a procedure that we've used for quite some time. It's just expanding the use of that tool. [0:09:40] I love it. All right. Any other questions? Uh, Senator Ginn, you're recognized. [0:09:46] Uh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. I, I know there's a lot of bills to pick from on the committee today, but at the proper time- [0:09:51] They're all- [0:09:51] ... I'd love to pick one. [0:09:52] Well, Senator, I'm gonna let the first person that showed up to committee today have the pick, so Senator Robertson. Is there any other questions, though, before we get into that? I don't see any other questions. Senator Robertson, you were the first to report to duty, therefore you get rewarded with the first pick- ... in the 2026 Special Session Rules Committee draft. [0:10:18] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to thank my parents and my sister. And God. [0:10:23] And God. Um- [0:10:27] Take your time. [0:10:31] I hope it's available, but I think I'm gonna go with Senate Bill 3EX. [0:10:36] The senator has selected Senate Bill 3EX. [0:10:41] Thank you. [0:10:42] I need a motion first. I've got a motion from Senator Ginn. Do we have a second? [0:10:48] Second. [0:10:48] Got a second from Senator Dixon. Is there any further discussion? All in favor, raise your hand. All opposed, same sign. All right, we have three nays. I shoulda done the neat. [0:11:03] We'll get it next time. [0:11:05] All right. Next time, next time. [0:11:06] Mr. Chairman, a- a- as a point of personal privilege. [0:11:09] We don't do those in here- [0:11:10] I know [0:11:10] ... but I'll recognize you. [0:11:11] For a moment. Uh, during committee meeting this morning, my good friend, the esteemed whip, suggested that I remember the Pony Express, and I just want the committee to know that while I was not here during that time, I would've been happy to have been a courier on the US Pony Express. Thank you. [0:11:31] I do believe he was a courier- ... on the Pony Express. [0:11:35] I thought the Pony Express was the Running Backs, uh, SMU in the '80s. [0:11:39] Uh, th- and that could be true as well, Mr. Chairman. [0:11:42] Eric Dickerson. [0:11:43] Dickerson and Craig James, and there was one other guy. I can't... I'm sure he's a pony. Uh, Senator Rhett, you're recognized briefly, and then we're leaving. [0:11:54] That bill the senator chose a dinger. [0:11:58] Um, actually it was not. It was not. At the request of the minority leader. [0:12:08] Okay. [0:12:08] Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [0:12:09] Well, that's it. Let's end our quorum. Meeting adjourned.