148th Georgia General Assembly

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148th Georgia General Assembly
147th 149th
Great Seal of the State of Georgia
Overview
Legislative bodyGeorgia General Assembly
Meeting placeGeorgia State Capitol
Senate
Members56 (34 R, 22 D)
President of the SenateMark Taylor (D)
Party controlRepublican Party
House of Representatives
Members180 (99 R, 80 D, 1 I)
Speaker of the HouseGlenn Richardson (R)
Party controlRepublican Party

The 2005 regular session of the 148th Georgia General Assembly met from January 10, 2005, to March 31, 2005, at which time both houses adjourned sine die. In addition, Governor Sonny Perdue called for a special session, which met from September 6, 2005, to September 10, 2005. This was the first session since Reconstruction that both houses were controlled by Republicans, as the House of Representatives was won by the GOP at the 2004 election. The legislature redrew legislative and congressional maps in 2005 after federal judges struck down both maps which were drawn by the 146th legislature as violating the one person, one vote guarantee of the U.S. Constitution, resulting in a reshuffling of districts which took effect in the next legislature which shored up Republican gains in both chambers and in Congress.

The 2006 regular session of the 148th General Assembly met from January 9, 2006, to March 30, 2006, at which time both houses adjourned sine die.

Party standings[]

Senate[]

Affiliation Members
  Republican Party 34
  Democratic Party 22
  Other party* 0
  Seat vacant** 0
 Total 56

House of Representatives[]

Affiliation Members
  Republican Party 99
  Democratic Party 80
  Other party* 1
  Seat vacant** 0
 Total 180

*Active political parties in Georgia are not limited to the Democratic and Republican parties. Libertarians, Greens, the , and others, run candidates in numerous elections. However, for the 2005-06 session of the General Assembly, only one legislator was not from the two major parties, and he did not run as a member of any other party.

Officers[]

Senate[]

Presiding Officer[]

Position Name Party District
President Mark Taylor Democrat n/a
President Pro Tempore Eric Johnson Republican 1

Majority leadership[]

Position Name District
Senate Majority Leader 27
Majority Caucus Chairman Don Balfour 9
Majority Whip Mitch Seabaugh 28

Minority leadership[]

Position Name District
Senate Minority Leader Robert Brown 26
Minority Caucus Chairman Tim Golden 8
Minority Whip David I. Adelman 42
Minority Whip Gloria Butler 55

House of Representatives[]

Presiding Officer[]

Position Name Party District
Speaker of the House Glenn Richardson Republican 19
Speaker Pro Tempore Mark Burkhalter Republican 50
Speaker Emeritus Terry Coleman Democrat 144

Majority leadership[]

Position Name District
House Majority Leader 179
Majority Caucus Chairman Sharon Cooper 41
Majority Caucus Vice Chairman Jay Roberts 154
Majority Caucus Secretary 119
Majority Whip Barry A. Fleming 117

Minority leadership[]

Position Name District
House Minority Leader DuBose Porter 143
Minority Caucus Chairman Calvin Smyre 132
Minority Caucus Vice Chairman Nan Grogan Orrock 58
Minority Caucus Secretary Nikki T. Randall 138
Minority Whip Carolyn Fleming Hugley 133

Members of the Georgia State Senate, 2005-2006[]

District Senator Party Residence
1 Eric Johnson Republican Savannah
2 Regina Thomas Democratic Savannah
3 Jeff Chapman Republican Brunswick
4 Jack Hill Republican Reidsville
5 Curt Thompson Democratic Norcross
6 Doug Stoner Democratic Smyrna
7 Greg Goggans Republican Douglas
8 Tim Golden Democratic Valdosta
9 Don Balfour Republican Snellville
10 Emanuel D. Jones Democratic Decatur
11 John Bulloch Republican Ochlocknee
12 Michael S. Meyer von Bremen Democratic Albany
13 Republican Tifton
14 George Hooks Democratic Americus
15 Ed Harbison Democratic Columbus
16 Ronnie Chance Republican Tyrone
17 Republican Covington
18 Cecil Staton Republican Macon
19 Tommie Williams Republican Lyons
20 Ross Tolleson Republican Perry
21 Chip Rogers Republican Woodstock
22 Ed Tarver Democratic Augusta
23 Democratic Blythe
24 Jim Whitehead Republican Evans
25 Johnny Grant Republican Milledgeville
26 Robert Brown Democratic Macon
27 Republican Canton
28 Mitch Seabaugh Republican Sharpsburg
29 Seth Harp Republican Midland
30 Bill Hamrick Republican Carrollton
31 Bill Heath Republican Bremen
32 Judson H. Hill Republican Marietta
33 Steve Thompson Democratic Marietta
34 Valencia Seay Democratic Riverdale
35 Kasim Reed Democratic Atlanta
36 Sam Zamarripa Democratic Atlanta
37 Republican Marietta
38 Horacena Tate Democratic Atlanta
39 Vincent D. Fort Democratic Atlanta
40 Republican Dunwoody
41 Steve Henson Democratic Tucker
42 David Adelman Democratic Decatur
43 Steen Miles Democratic Decatur
44 Terrell Starr Democratic Jonesboro
45 Renee S. Unterman Republican Buford
46 Brian P. Kemp Republican Athens
47 Ralph T. Hudgens Republican Comer
48 David J. Shafer Republican Duluth
49 Casey Cagle Republican Chestnut Mountain
50 Nancy Schaefer Republican Turnerville
51 Chip Pearson Republican Dawsonville
52 Preston W. Smith Republican Rome
53 Jeff E. Mullis Republican Chickamauga
54 Republican Dalton
55 Gloria Butler Democratic Stone Mountain
56 Dan Moody Republican Alpharetta

Members of the Georgia State House of Representatives, 2005–2006[]

District Representative Party Residence
1 Jay Neal Republican LaFayette
2 Martin Scott Republican Rossville
3 Republican Ringgold
4 Republican Dalton
5 John D. Meadows, III Republican Calhoun
6 Tom Dickson Republican Cohutta
7 David Ralston Republican Blue Ridge
8 Charles F. Jenkins Democratic Blairsville
9 Amos Amerson Republican Dahlonega
10 Benjamin D. Bridges, Sr. Republican Cleveland
11 Barbara Massey Reece Democratic Menlo
12 Tom Graves Republican Ranger
13 Democratic Rome
14 Barry Dean Loudermilk Republican Cassville
15 Republican White
16 Democratic Rockmart
17 Howard R. Maxwell Republican Dallas
18 Mark Butler Republican Carrollton
19 Glenn Richardson Republican Hiram
20 Charlice H. Byrd Republican Woodstock
21 Republican Canton
22 Republican Woodstock
23 Jack Murphy Republican Cumming
24 Republican Suwanee
25 Republican Gainesville
26 Republican Gainesville
27 Republican Gainesville
28 Democratic Toccoa
29 Alan Powell Democratic Hartwell
30 Tom McCall Republican Elberton
31 Tommy Benton Republican Jefferson
32 Judy Manning Republican Marietta
33 Don Wix Democratic Austell
34 Rich Golick Republican Smyrna
35 Ed Setzler Republican Acworth
36 Earl Ehrhart Republican Powder Springs
37 Terry Johnson Democratic Marietta
38 Steve Tumlin Republican Marietta
39 Alisha Thomas Morgan Democratic Austell
40 Rob Teilhet Democratic Smyrna
41 Sharon Cooper Republican Marietta
42 Don Parsons Republican Marietta
43 Bobby Franklin Republican Marietta
44 Sheila Jones Democratic Atlanta
45 Matt Dollar Republican Marietta
46 Jan Jones Republican Milton
47 Chuck Martin Republican Alphretta
48 Harry Geisinger Republican Roswell
49 Wendell Willard Republican Sandy Springs
50 Mark Burkhalter Republican Johns Creek
51 Republican Norcross
52 Joe Wilkinson Republican Atlanta
53 Democratic Atlanta
54 Edward Lindsey Republican Atlanta
55 "Able" Mable Thomas Democratic Atlanta
56 Kathy Ashe Democratic Atlanta
57 Pat Gardner Democratic Atlanta
58 Nan Grogan Orrock Democratic Atlanta
59 Democratic Atlanta
60 Georganna T. Sinkfield Democratic Atlanta
61 Robert A. "Bob" Holmes Democratic East Point
62 Democratic East Point
63 Tyrone L. Brooks, Sr. Democratic Atlanta
64 Roger B. Bruce Democratic Atlanta
65 Sharon Beasley-Teague Democratic Red Oak
66 Virgil Fludd Democratic Tyrone
67 Bill Hembree Republican Winston
68 Republican Villa Rica
69 Republican LaGrange
70 Lynn Ratigan Smith Republican Newnan
71 Billy Horne Republican Sharpsburg
72 Republican Peachtree City
73 John P. Yates Republican Griffin
74 Democratic Riverdale
75 Independent Lake City
76 Democratic Jonesboro
77 Democratic Riverdale
78 Democratic Duluth
79 Fran Millar Republican Atlanta
80 Mike Jacobs Democratic Brookhaven
81 Republican Atlanta
82 Republican Atlanta
83 Mary Margaret Oliver Democratic Decatur
84 JoAnn McClinton Democratic Atlanta
85 Stephanie Stuckey Benfield Democratic Atlanta
86 Karla Drenner Democratic Avondale Estates
87 Michele D. Henson Democratic Stone Mountain
88 Billy Mitchell Democratic Stone Mountain
89 Earnest "Coach" Williams Democratic Avondale Estates
90 Howard Mosby Democratic Atlanta
91 Democratic Decatur
92 Pam Stephenson Democratic Atlanta
93 Walter Ronnie Sailor, Jr. Democratic Lithonia
94 Democratic Lithonia
95 Republican Loganville
96 Pedro Rafael Marin Democratic Duluth
97 Brooks P. Coleman, Jr. Republican Duluth
98 Republican Buford
99 Hugh Floyd Democratic Norcross
100 Democratic Lilburn
101 Republican Lawrenceville
102 Clay Cox Republican Lilburn
103 David Casas Republican Lilburn
104 Republican Lawrenceville
105 Donna Sheldon Republican Dacula
106 Melvin Everson Republican Snellville
107 Republican Loganville
108 Terry Lamar England Republican Auburn
109 Republican McDonough
110 John Lunsford Republican McDonough
111 Republican Monroe
112 Republican Social Circle
113 Republican Watkinsville
114 Democratic Athens
115 Jane Kidd Democratic Athens
116 Mickey Channell Republican Greensboro
117 Barry A. Fleming Republican Harlem
118 Republican Evans
119 Republican Augusta
120 Quincy Murphy Democratic Augusta
121 Henry Howard[1] Democratic Augusta
Democratic Augusta
122 Democratic Augusta
123 Democratic Waynesboro
124 Democratic Sparta
125 Republican Monticello
126 David Knight Republican Griffin
127 Republican Concord
128 Democratic LaGrange
129 Republican Columbus
130 Debbie Buckner Democratic Junction City
131 Richard H. Smith Republican Columbus
132 Calvin Smyre Democratic Columbus
133 Carolyn Fleming Hugley Democratic Columbus
134 Mike Cheokas Democratic Americus
135 Lynmore James Democratic Montezuma
136 Democratic Fort Valley
137 David B. Graves Republican Macon
138 Nikki T. Randall Democratic Macon
139 David E. Lucas, Sr. Democratic Macon
140 Republican Macon
141 Bobby Eugene Parham Democratic Milledgeville
142 Jimmy Lord Democratic Sandersville
143 DuBose Porter Democratic Dublin
144 Terry Coleman Democratic Eastman
145 Willie Lee Talton Republican Warner Robins
146 Larry O'Neal Republican Bonaire
147 Republican Cordele
148 Bob Hanner Democratic Parrott
149 Gerald E. Greene Democratic Cuthbert
150 Winfred J. Dukes Democratic Albany
151 Freddie Powell Sims Democratic Dawson
152 Ed Rynders Republican Albany
153 Austin Scott Republican Tifton
154 Republican Ocilla
155 Greg Morris Republican Vidalia
156 Larry "Butch" Parrish Republican Swainsboro
157 Jon G. Burns Republican Newington
158 Bob Lane Republican Brooklet
159 Buddy Carter Republican Pooler
160 Bob Bryant Democratic Garden City
161 Lester Jackson Democratic Savannah
162 Tom Bordeaux Democratic Savannah
163 Burke Day Republican Savannah
164 Ron Stephens Republican Savannah
165 Al Williams Democratic Midway
166 Republican Glennville
167 Republican Darien
168 Republican Nicholls
169 Chuck Sims Republican Ambrose
170 Penny Houston Republican Nashville
171 Democratic Camilla
172 Gene Maddox Republican Cairo
173 Mike Keown Republican Thomasville
174 Ellis Black Democratic Valdosta
175 Democratic Valdosta
176 Democratic Lakeland
177 Mark Hatfield Republican Waycross
178 George Hinson Mosley Republican Jesup
179 Republican Brunswick
180 Republican Woodbine
  • ^ Henry Howard died in office of a heart attack on October 3, 2005. A special election was held on November 8, 2005, to fill the seat, which was won by Rep. Howard's widow, Earnestine Howard. She was sworn in on November 17, 2005, and will serve out the remainder of her late husband's term of office.

Notable Legislation[]

2005 general session[]

Voting[]

House Bill 244 [2] requires voters to provide photographic identification at polling locations in order to vote and makes voting by absentee ballot easier, and also reinstituted the majority vote and runoffs for primaries and general elections which were abolished by the Democratic-majority General Assembly in 1995. Amid great controversy, the law was signed by Governor Perdue on April 22, 2005. Although the law received preclearance from the Department of Justice under the provisions of the Voting Rights Act, the law was later ruled unconstitutional by a court in Rome, Georgia. The current status of the law remains uncertain.

2006 general session[]

Voting[]

Senate Bill 84, like H.B. 244, requires photographic identification at poll locations to vote. To address some of the concerns raised by the court ruling against H.B. 244, S.B. 84 has more extensive provisions for assisting those without photographic identification to obtain acceptable identification. The bill was passed by both chambers and signed by Governor Perdue on January 26, 2006. Like H.B. 244, S.B. 84 received preclearance from the Justice Department, although it is currently being challenged in court.

Eminent domain[]

House Bill 1313 [3], which would restrict the uses for which private property can be taken via eminent domain, passed both the House and the Senate with no "no" votes. The bill is expected to be signed by Governor Perdue.

House Resolution 1306 [4] would amend the state constitution by replacing language allowing broad freedom to apply eminent domain with more restrictive language providing for additional restrictions as specified by laws such as H.B. 1313. The resolution passed the House and the Senate and was signed by Governor Perdue, and the question of its final adoption will be put to Georgia voters in the November election.

Immigration[]

Senate Bill 529 [5] was strongly advocated by Senator Chip Rodgers and requires beneficiaries of many state services to provide proof of residency. Most Democrats voted against the legislation, but it nevertheless passed the House and Senate and was signed into law by Governor Perdue on April 17, 2006.

References[]

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