Georgia Official and Statistical Register 1983-84 - the Digital Library ...

SECTION II.COMPOSITION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLYParagraph I. Senate and House of Representatives, (a) TheSenate shall consist of not more than 56 Senators, each ofwhom shall be elected from single-member districts.(b) The House of Representatives shall consist of not fewerthan 180 Representatives apportioned among representativedistricts of the state.Paragraph II. Apportionment of General Assembly. TheGeneral Assembly shall apportion the Senate and House districts. Such districts shall be composed of contiguous territory.The apportionment of the Senate and of the House of Representatives shall be changed by the General Assembly as necessary after each United States decennial census.Paragraph III. Qualifications of members of GeneralAssembly, (a) At the time of their election, the members of theSenate shall be citizens of the United States, shall be at least 25years of age, shall have been citizens of this state for at least twoyears, and shall have been legal residents of the territoryembraced within the district from which elected for at least oneyear.(b) At the time of their election, the members of the Houseof Representatives shall be citizens of the United States, shall beat least 21 years of age, shall have been citizens of this state forat least two years, and shall have been legal residents of theterritory embraced within the district from which elected for atleast one year.Paragraph IV. Disqualifications, (a) No person on activeduty with any branch of the armed forces of the United Statesshall have a seat in either house unless otherwise provided bylaw.(b) No person holding any civil appointment or office having any emolument annexed thereto under the United States,this state, or any other state shall have a seat in either house.(c) No Senator or Representative shall be elected by theGeneral Assembly or appointed by the Governor to any officeor appointment having any emolument annexed thereto duringthe time for which such person shall have been elected unlessthe Senator or Representative shall first resign the seat to whichelected; provided, however, that, during the term for whichelected, no Senator or Representative shall be appointed to anycivil office which has been created during such term.Paragraph V. Election and term of members, (a) Themembers of the General Assembly shall be elected by thequalified electors of their respective districts for a term of twoyears and shall serve until the time fixed for the convening ofthe next General Assembly.(b) The members of the General Assembly in office on June30, 1983, shall serve out the remainder of the terms to whichelected.(c) The first election for members of the General Assemblyunder this Constitution shall take place on Tuesday after thefirst Monday in November, 1984, and subsequent electionsbiennially on that day until the day of election is changed bylaw.SECTION III.OFFICERS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLYParagraph I. President and President Pro Tempore of theSenate, (a) The presiding officer of the Senate shall be styledthe President of the Senate.(b) A President Pro Tempore shall be elected by the Senatefrom among its members. The President Pro Tempore shall actas President in case of the temporary disability of the President.Incase of the death, resignation, or permanent disability of thePresident or in the event of the succession of the President tothe executive power, the President Pro Tempore shall becomePresident and shall receive the same compensation and allowances as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. TheGeneral Assembly shall provide by law for the method ofdetermining disability as provided in this Paragraph.Paragraph II. Speaker and Speaker Pro Tempore of theHouse of Representatives, (a) The presiding officer of theHouse of Representatives shall be styled the Speaker of theHouse of Representatives and shall be elected by the House ofRepresentatives from among its members.(b) A Speaker Pro Tempore shall be elected by the House ofRepresentatives from among its members. The Speaker ProTempore shall become Speaker in case of the death, resignation, or permanent disability of the Speaker and shall serveuntil a Speaker is elected. Such election shall be held as provided in the rules of the House. The General Assembly shallprovide by law for the method of determining disability asprovided in this Paragraph.Paragraph III. Other officers of the two houses. The otherofficers of the two houses shall be a Secretary of the Senate anda Clerk of the House of Representatives.SECTION IV.ORGANIZATION AND PROCEDUREOF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLYParagraph I. Meeting, time limit, and adjournment, (a) TheSenate and House of Representatives shall organize each oddnumberedyear and shall be a different General Assembly foreach two-year period. The General Assembly shall meet inregular session on the second Monday in January of each year,or otherwise as provided by law, and may continue in sessionfor a period of no longer than 40 days in the aggregate eachyear. By concurrent resolution, the General Assembly mayadjourn any regular session to such later date as it may fix forreconvening. Separate periods of adjournment may be fixed byone or more such concurrent resolutions.(b) Neither house shall adjourn during a regular session formore than three days or meet in any place other than the statecapitol without the consent of the other. Following the fifth dayof a special session, either house may adjourn not more thantwice for a period not to exceed seven days for each suchadjournment. In the event either house, after the thirtieth day ofany session, adopts a resolution to adjourn for a specifiedperiod of time and such resolution and any amendmentsthereto are not adopted by both houses by the end of thelegislative day on which adjournment was called for in suchresolution, the Governor may adjourn both houses for a periodof time not to exceed ten days.(c) If an impeachment trial is pending at the end of anysession, the House shall adjourn and the Senate shall remain insession until such trial is completed.Paragraph II. Oath of members. Each Senator and Representative, before taking the seat to which elected, shall take theoath or affirmation prescribed by law.Paragraph III. Quorum. A majority of the members towhich each house is entitled shall constitute a quorum totransact business. A smaller number may adjourn from day today and compel the presence of its absent members.Paragraph IV. Rules of procedure; employees; interimcommittees. Each house shall determine its rules of procedure