2026 Legislative Score: 0%
Lifetime Score: 35%
Lifetime:
2026:
2025:
2024:
2023:
2022:
2021:
2020:
2019:
2018:
2017:
35%
0%
0%
46%
30%
50%
49%
31%
43%
33%
31%
Since being elected as Speaker of the House, Rep. Jon Burns has not voted on legislation. However, before he was elected Speaker, we did track his voting record in the years 2017 through 2024.
As Speaker, Burns has the most influence over which bills make it to the floor of the House for a vote, and how those bills may be changed in committee. Therefore, the GRA intends in the future to develop a unique evaluation system for the Speaker of the House that scores him on which bills he allows to make it to the floor for a vote, and which ones he blocks from making it to the floor for a vote.
In 2026, many bad bills were brought to the floor due to the influence of the Speaker, and many good bills were blocked from advancing. Still others had good provisions which were removed under the Speaker’s influence.
The Senate under the leadership of Lt. Governor Burt Jones has been considerably more conservative than the House under the leadership of Jon Burns.
Speaker Burns is known for preventing good legislation from getting a vote on the House floor. Through his influence over committee chairmen, and his control over the House Chamber he has blocked good legislation such as:
• SB 74: A much-needed bill that would have prevented libraries and librarians from being allowed to give obscenity to minor children. This bill has been ignored for 5 years or more! https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69803
• HB 441: The Prenatal Equal Protection Act, a much-needed pro-life bill that would have given pre-born children equal protection while in the womb. Speaker Burns refused to allow this bill to be voted on in committee and progress to the House Chamber. https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70313
