Members of the Georgia State Senate Republican Caucus met in Macon Friday to determine what role the Lieutenant Governor will play when the legislative session starts in January. At the end of the nearly 8 hour meeting the group decided to share the power.

Senate Majority leader Chip Rogers says the meeting was long and exhaustive but necessary. He says there is nothing wrong with trying to dilute the power of the lieutenant governor and called the meeting routine.

“Every year we start with a clean slate and it is our responsibility to look at the rules and say what are the best rules for the Senate and so every two years there are changes to the previous rules because those rules only govern for a two years period.”

Rogers calls the changes a power sharing agreement. Cagle will still preside over the senate and assign bills to committees but he will no longer wield the real power of appointing committee members and chairmen. That now falls to senate leadership.

Cagle says any change in governance should be voted on by the people of Georgia but he will not let it get in the way of doing his job. The changes will be voted on by the full senate in January.

Tags: Casey Cagle, lieutenant governor, Macon, caucus, GOP, mark taylor