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Senate Bill 2EX
By: Senator Echols of the 49th, Kennedy of the 18th, Gooch of the 51st, Robertson of the
29th, Brass of the 28th and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To provide for the composition and number of state senatorial districts; to provide for a short
1
title; to provide for the contingent nature of this Act and the circumstances under which it2
shall or shall not apply, according to the enforceability of prior provisions under federal law;3
to provide for the continuation of present Senators; to provide an effective date; to repeal4
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:6
SECTION 1.7
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Georgia Senate Redistricting Act of 2023."8
SECTION 2.9
(a) As used in this Act, the term "2021 Senate redistricting plan" means the districts for10
the Georgia State Senate as described in the Georgia Senate Redistricting Act of 2021,11
approved December 30, 2021 (Ga. L. 2021, Ex. Sess., p. 173).12
(b) If, as of 60 days prior to the first day of qualifying for nomination or election to the13
entire Georgia State Senate in 2024 or any future year, the 2021 Senate redistricting plan14
may lawfully be implemented pursuant to court order or otherwise, then qualifying for the15
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Georgia State Senate in 2024 or such future year and the ensuing elections shall be
16
conducted according to the 2021 Senate redistricting plan; and this Act shall not apply to17
such qualifying or elections or otherwise be of any further force or effect.18
(c) If, as of 60 days prior to the first day of qualifying for nomination or election to the19
entire Georgia State Senate in 2024 or any future year, the 2021 Senate redistricting plan20
may not lawfully be implemented, then qualifying for the Georgia State Senate in 2024 or21
such future year and the ensuing elections shall be conducted according to the Senate22
redistricting plan provided for in this Act.23
(d) Notwithstanding any provisions of subsections (b) or (c) of this section to the contrary,24
any special election to fill a vacancy in the General Assembly occurring after enactment25
of this Act shall use the same Georgia State Senate redistricting plan in place during the26
immediately preceding regular election. Except for the initial adoption of the Senate27
redistricting plan provided for in Section 3 of this Act, it is the intention of the General28
Assembly that any alteration or amendment to the composition of Senate districts provided29
for in this Act shall only apply to subsequent bienniums of the General Assembly and that30
the Senate redistricting plan used for the regular election of the entire Senate shall apply31
for the entire biennium of the General Assembly elected at such regular election.32
(e) This Act does not repeal or amend the provisions of the Georgia Senate Redistricting33
Act of 2021 or the 2021 Senate redistricting plan; and those provisions are merely34
suspended pending a final determination of their enforceability by the federal judiciary.35
SECTION 3.36
(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 2 of this Act, for the purpose of electing members37
of the Senate, the State of Georgia is divided into 56 senatorial districts. Such senatorial38
districts shall be and correspond to those 56 numbered districts described in Appendix A,39
incorporated into and made a part of this Act and further identified as "User: TBD
Plan40
Name: TBD Plan Type: Senate".41
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(b) For the purposes of such plan:
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(1) The term "VTD" shall mean and describe the same geographical boundaries as43
provided in the report of the Bureau of the Census for the United States decennial census44
of 2020 for the State of Georgia. The separate numeric designations in a district45
description which are underneath a "VTD" heading shall mean and describe individual46
Blocks within a VTD as provided in the report of the Bureau of the Census for the United47
States decennial census of 2020 for the State of Georgia; and48
(2) Whenever the description of any senatorial district refers to a named county without49
any additional VTD, it shall mean the geographical boundaries of that county as shown50
on the census maps for the United States decennial census of 2020 for the State of51
Georgia.52
(c) Any part of the State of Georgia which is not included in any senatorial district53
described in subsection (a) of this section shall be included within that district contiguous54
to such part which contains the least population according to the United States decennial55
census of 2020 for the State of Georgia.56
(d) Any part of the State of Georgia which is described in subsection (a) of this section as57
being included in a particular senatorial district shall nevertheless not be included within58
such senatorial district if such part is not contiguous to such senatorial district. Such59
noncontiguous part shall instead be included within that senatorial district contiguous to60
such part which contains the least population according to the United States decennial61
census of 2020 for the State of Georgia.62
(e) The members of the Senate elected in 2022 shall continue to serve for the terms of63
office to which they were elected. 64
(f) Subject to Section 2 of this Act, any special election to fill a vacancy in the 157th65
General Assembly shall use the composition of districts provided for in this Act.66
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SECTION 4.
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Subject to the provisions of Section 2 of this Act, this Act shall become effective upon its68
approval by the Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval and shall apply69
to future elections for the Georgia State Senate to the extent provided for in Section 2 of this70
Act.71
SECTION 5.72
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.73
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APPENDIX A
74
User: TBD 75
Plan Name: TBD 76
Plan Type: Senate 77
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