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Leadership in the Georgia State Senate will have a new look this year, starting with newly-elected Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who presides over the Senate in his role. Committee leadership will be named as the 2023 session of the Georgia General Assembly kicks off on Jan. 9. And recently, Sen. Greg Dolezal (R-Cumming) and Sen. Brandon Beach (R–Alpharetta) were appointed by Jones to serve on the Senate Committee on Assignments for the 2023-2024 Legislative Session.

The commitment on assignments also includes the Lt. Governor, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Majority Leader. Ironically, Beach and Jones were both stripped of their committee chairmanships last year by then-Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan for pushing Trump’s election theories. But, as one of his first official acts as Lt. Gov., Jones appointed Beach to the influential committee that decides assignments.

“I am both humbled and honored to be appointed by Lt. Governor-elect Burt Jones to serve on the Senate Committee on Assignments for the upcoming legislative session,” said Beach. “In recent years, the General Assembly has made great strides towards improving our workforce, strengthening our economy, and prioritizing the accessibility of numerous resources across the state of Georgia.

“However, these accomplishments could not have been possible without the hard work of our Senate committees. I want to thank Lt. Governor-elect Burt Jones for trusting me with this important responsibility and I look forward to working alongside my Senate colleagues in the upcoming legislative session to continue to put in the work to find innovative solutions necessary to maintain the high standards that have been set by my predecessors,” Beach added.

Dolezal said: “I am incredibly honored to be appointed by Lt. Governor-elect Burt Jones to serve on the Senate Committee on Assignments for the upcoming legislative session. We anticipate that the approaching legislative session will be a significant one, as there will be new leaders in both chambers. Last year, we saw a number of great improvements to our state in the form of legislation that prioritized the needs of Georgians, while continuing to strengthen our economy. With that being said, this upcoming legislative session is an opportunity for our Senate committees to continue to build on those advances. I want to thank Lt. Governor Elect Burt Jones for placing his trust in me to serve in this prestigious capacity as I look forward to doing all that is necessary to uphold Georgia’s standard as the best state in the nation to live, work and raise a family.”

Both the Republican and Democratic parties have already voted in their leadership for the upcoming session. However, the Senate will have to fill one vacancy when lawmakers convene for the new year. Sen. Dean Burke (R-Bainbridge) was recently elected to the Senate Leadership team by his peers to serve as Majority Caucus Secretary, but he resigned his Senate seat recently after being appointed by Gov. Brian Kemp to serve as Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Community Health.

The Senate Majority Caucus recently announced the leadership positions for the 2023-2024 Legislative Session.

● Majority Leader: Sen. Steve Gooch (R-Dahlonega)

● Majority Whip: Sen. Randy Robertson (R-Cataula)

● Majority Caucus Chair: Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R-Dallas)

● Majority Caucus Vice Chair: Sen. Matt Brass (R-Newnan)

● Majority Caucus Secretary: TBD

Additionally, the Senate Majority Caucus nominated Sen. John F. Kennedy (R -Macon) to serve as President Pro Tempore of the Senate. His nomination will be voted upon by the Senate once the Legislative Session begins.

Sen. Gloria Butler (D-Stone Mountain) was re-elected to serve as Leader of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

Other Democratic Leaders include:

● Caucus Chair: Sen. Elena Parent (D-Atlanta)

● Caucus Whip: Sen. Harold Jones II (D-Augusta)

● Caucus Vice Chair: Sen. Sonya Halpern (D-Atlanta)

● Vice Chair of Fundraising and Campaigns: Sen. David Lucas (D-Macon)

● Caucus Secretary: Sen. Nan Orrock (D-Atlanta)