This past week, the 56 Senate members of the Georgia General Assembly were sworn in and convened for the 2025-2026 session. The first week of the new Biennium is marked with committee assignments, reintroducing legislation that may have stalled in past years or new solutions to new problems.
On Thursday, the Governor spoke to a joint session of the Assembly for his State of The State speech. This annual speech is what, for the most part, guides the Governor’s staff in what they ask the legislature to provide by enacting legislation or funding. Over the next weeks we will discuss what the governor wants legislatively and then set to the task of formulating state budgets.
The General Assembly adjourned for “budget week,” January 21-24, where the various state agencies present their budgets to the Joint Appropriations Committee. For those interested in those hearings, all activities will be streamed on the General Assembly website. For the hearing schedule, please visit the House Budget and Research Office website and click on the tab labeled “Joint Budget Hearings.”
The Senate leadership released the senators’ committee assignments. I was once again chosen to serve as the chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee. I was also selected for the role of vice chairman of the Senate Rules Committee. The Rules Committee has an oversight on which bills will be debated on the Senate floor and the mechanism for debating the bill by senators.
I will also serve on the Appropriations Committee, as well as serve on the Administrative Affairs Committee, the Judiciary Committee and have the role of ex-officio member of the Economic Development and Tourism Committee.
Over the continuing weeks of the General Assembly, I will continue to explain some of the bigger issues that we deal with including the annual two budget bills I will keep you updated on legislation affecting our community as we progress through the session. Thank you for your continued interest in the work of our General Assembly.
As your public servant, feel free to visit me at the Capitol or to reach out to me by phone or email. I am in 325A, Coverdell Legislative Office Building. My office phone number is (404) 656-7880, and my email is ben.watson@senate. ga.gov. I look forward to continuing to serve you.