Legislature allows Georgians to challenge laws in court
The Georgia House unanimously approved a bill Tuesday that allows residents to sue over laws they believe are unconstitutional.
The 166-0 vote sends House Bill 311 to Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature or veto.
The legislation permits lawsuits over statutes that may have gone too far, and it gives judges the authority to halt those laws. The bill bars monetary relief.
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Georgians lost the ability to use the courts to stop illegal government actions in 2017, when the Georgia Supreme Court ruled that citizens couldn't sue without the government's permission.
The legislation gives that permission by granting a limited waiver to the legal doctrine of sovereign immunity.
About the Author
Mark Niesse is an enterprise reporter and covers elections and Georgia government for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and is considered an expert on elections and voting. Before joining the AJC, he worked for The Associated Press in Atlanta, Honolulu and Montgomery, Alabama. He also reported for The Daily Report and The Santiago Times in Chile.
