By Maggie Lee
Next week, some 236 Georgia lawmakers will file into the Gold Dome downtown for the state Legislative session.
Some of them have been there long enough to remember when it was OK to smoke anywhere.
And some of them won’t know where the bathrooms are.
Voting and ballot access are likely to dominate a large part of media and legislator attention, especially if Senate Republicans make good on a pledge to try and curtail absentee voting.
Technically, the state budget is all that lawmakers are required to do. So far, no COVID-19 recession has blighted Georgia’s tax revenue or financial situation, which is good. But in a state that’s deeply conservative about spending, it’s wisest to expect a conservative budget and fairly steady or lower spending.
A majority of lawmakers are Republicans in both chambers; and so are all the statewide elected officials, like governor and lieutenant governor.
Here’s Part I of an intro to your lawmakers. Next week, how to follow Georgia’s official business on social media.
