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Researching the Legislative History of an Enacted Georgia statute: Before you begin ...

Before you begin ...

Be sure you are familiar with how legislation is passed in Georgia. 

Decide how much time you want to spend
In general, state legislative history is elusive and Georgia is no exception.   The Georgia General Assembly does not publish transcripts of its floor debate or committee reports.   The hunt for legislative intent can be time-consuming and may not always produce results.  To avoid frustration, decide up front how much time you are willing to devote this research task.

Also keep in mind, the Georgia courts primarily look at the plain meaning of the statute when determining legislative intent.  You may do a great deal of research into the legislative intent of a statute only to have your argument rejected by the court.

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