Among the Senate-passed bills spurned by the House: A push to place a statue of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in a state judicial building, a range of measures targeting transgender youth and a revived “religious liberty” bill.
The Senate ignored its share of House bills, too, including a measure to temporarily ban certain mines near the Okefenokee Swamp. And while House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington, backed a resolution to protect access to in vitro fertilization in Georgia, the Senate left the IVF issue unaddressed entirely.
As Burns put it shortly after he banged the final gavel of the session at 12:59 a.m. Friday: “Some folks choose politics, the House chooses results.”
Tensions between the chambers have been simmering all session and began to reach a boiling point Thursday evening.
After the state Senate voted to declare 7 p.m. the “Walker Hour of Power,” in honor of state Sen. Larry Walker, a Republican from Perry, House Appropriations Committee chairman Matt Hatchett, R-Dublin, joked he planned to adopt a House resolution honoring Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Hatchett praised his Senate counterpart on the Appropriations Committee — state Sen. Blake Tillery, R-Vidalia — but took a clear swipe at the upper chamber when he criticized Lt. Gov. Burt Jones’ push to pay teachers to carry weapons.
“Just so we are clear. This budget does not include funds for teachers to carry guns in schools,” Hatchett said to the applause of House members.
The diverging agendas of the two chambers can be traced directly back to their leaders. While Burns is settling in for what is expected to be an extended term as speaker, Jones is expected to run for governor in 2026. And he’ll need to woo the GOP base to do it.
The clashes between the chambers left some members exasperated. “A fun fact is that you only need a simple majority to abolish the state Senate,” an agitated House member quipped as the evening wore on. “And I bet I could get the votes…
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