Committee backs enabling law for statewide grand jury on election-law violations

The chair summarized substitute to Senate Bill 607, an enabling statute that would allow the attorney general to petition the Georgia Supreme Court to impanel a statewide grand jury to investigate violations of state election laws in primary or runoff contests for state or federal offices.

Under the substitute, the chief justice would enter an order calling for the statewide grand jury and designate a superior court judge to preside; the process contemplates a statewide master jury list and empanels a panel (60 names from the master list with a final empanelment of 13–23 jurors). The clerk for the statewide grand jury would be the clerk of the statewide business court and the grand jury would have subpoena power for testimony and documents. Any trial arising from a grand-jury indictment would be held in the county with jurisdiction over the alleged criminal acts.

The chair emphasized that the enabling statute does not strip local district attorneys of jurisdiction to prosecute election- law violations in their districts; it is narrowly focused on primary/runoff contests for state and federal offices where statewide coordination is appropriate. The committee also considered the companion constitutional amendment, Senate Resolution 875, and voted to advance the enabling substitute and the resolution to the next stage (committee recorded support with a 3–2 tally on the substitute and resolution).

The measure will proceed to Rules for further consideration; committee members did not express substantive opposition to the narrow scope as drafted but emphasized the constitutional-change requirement.