A quick recap of Friday's (Day 4) legislative session includes reaction to two big events in the capital this week, President Biden's speech in Atlanta and the governor's State of the State speech. 

Georgia legislators convened under the Gold Dome on Monday to kick off the 2022 legislative session. 

There’s bills that pass and bills that get a lot of attention. Sometimes, they’re both.

As the 2022 legislative session approaches, Republican leaders of both chambers of the General Assembly had strong words for members who may use the time under the Gold Dome to fight past battles.

The Georgia House passed the new congressional map along party lines 96-68. It now joins the state’s legislative map awaiting Gov. Brian Kemp’s signature.

The joint congressional map heads to the floor of the Senate for a vote tomorrow. After gaining approval from the Reapportionment and Redistricting Committee, it moved forward by a vote of 9-5 along party lines.

State Sen. Clint Dixon (R-Gwinnett) withdrew from consideration in the special redistricting session two controversial bills that would change the makeup of both the Gwinnett County Commission and school board. 

A House vote of 96-70 along party lines sent the Senate legislative redistricting map to the governor’s desk — joining the House map approved last week. 

The first map of the 2021 redistricting Special Session is headed for the governor’s desk for a signature. The Senate passed the House legislative map 32-21 with one Republican voting with Democrats against it.

A Senate committee voted 4-3 to send a bill to expand the Gwinnett County Commission from five members to nine and make the chairperson a non-voting member. 

The House Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment Committee drew angry comments from residents upset over the proposed Republican map.

A Senate committee ended the first few days of the General Assembly special session by voting for a Republican legislative map, leading Democrats to blast the committee for not allowing time for public input.

On Tuesday night, the Atlanta Braves win offered Georgia lawmakers a spirit of bipartisan unity on this first day of the special session of the Georgia General Assembly. The harmony over a sports victory is not likely to last.

When Georgia lawmakers convene this fall to draw new legislative boundaries, they will bring a political eye to the process, colored by partisanship and a distinct self-interest in the outcome.

Georgia legislators are scheduled to return to the Gold Dome in the fall for the redistricting process but Gov. Brian Kemp also has indicated that he will also task lawmakers with legislation to combat crime.