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Georgia Senate elects Larry Walker III president pro tem, adopts resolutions and transmits notice to House
Summary
The Georgia Senate elected Senator Larry Walker III as president pro tempore by acclamation, adopted a memorandum-style resolution to notify the House that the Senate had convened, agreed to recommit several local bills to committee and approved a calendar resolution by a 51-0 vote. The chamber also received Secretary of State certifications from recent special-election runoffs.
The Georgia Senate on the opening day of its session elected Senator Larry Walker III as president pro tempore by acclamation, adopted procedural resolutions and took steps to recommit and transmit legislative business to the House.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger read certifications from consolidated returns of recent special-election runoffs, including results for State Senate District 21 and State Senate District 35, stating, “I, Brad Raffensperger, secretary of state of the State of Georgia, do hereby certify that the attached page contains the results as shown on the consolidated returns.” The Presiding Officer then announced that the newly elected senators would be seated with no objection.
Senator Larry Walker III was nominated from the floor and, after a second, the majority leader moved to close nominations and instruct the secretary to cast the ballot for the body. The Presiding Officer declared Walker “the duly elected president pro tem of the Georgia Senate.” Walker thanked colleagues and outlined goals for the coming session: “As your president pro tem, my goal is to ensure that the senate continues to lead, remains a place of deliberation, efficient procedure, and transparent government,” he said.
The Senate adopted Senate Resolution 557, a notification to the House that the Senate had convened, and approved the majority leader’s request that transmittals be sent immediately. The chamber also granted unanimous consent to recommit bills on the local consent calendar to the Committee on State and Local Government Operations and to take bills and resolutions from the table that had been set aside during the 2025 session.
On calendar and scheduling, the majority leader urged support for House Resolution 998, saying the measures provide certainty and transparency for staff and constituents. A parliamentary inquiry about whether the projected schedule would change prompted a response that any change would require action by both chambers; the resolution passed by a recorded voice tally stated as 51 yeas and 0 nays.
What’s next: senators received notice that SB 204 will be moved on the next legislative day after House action and the chamber stood at ease to wait for House materials before reconvening; the Senate adjourned to reconvene at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026.
Votes at a glance: SR 557 — adopted (unanimous/no objection, transmittal approved); HR 996 — adopted (no objection); HR 997 — adopted (no objection); HR 998 — adopted, recorded as 51-0; HR 999 — adopted (no objection).
(Reporting based on Senate proceedings and Secretary of State certification read into the record.)
