What Does a State Representative Do When the Legislature is Not in Session?

I get asked this question a lot. First, let me remind you that being a state representative is a part-time job. With a salary of just over $17,000, almost every representative must have a full-time job in addition to their public service. Consequently, when the legislature is not in session, I am focused on fulfilling my duties as the young adult pastor at Woodstock Baptist.

When people ask me to describe my job as a state representative, I tell them that it is basically a fulltime job from the second Monday in January until the end of session, which is typically around April 1st (about three months). The rest of the year it is a part-time job. I typically spend about eight hours a week fulfilling my duties as your state representative during off-session time. What do these duties entail?

Constituent Services

I spend most of my off-session time responding to the concerns and requests of constituents. Sometimes, these are quite simple — such as answering a question, pointing them to the proper government agency or providing a resource of some kind.

Other times, it’s more complicated. As the title indicates, I’m often called upon to “represent” a constituent’s concerns. This could involve an email, a phone call or scheduling a meeting.

Here are a few recent examples:

I scheduled a meeting with the Georgia Department of Transportation Commissioner and staff to express my concerns about the Highway 20 widening project, the salt barn on Ball Ground Highway, and the use of downtown Ball Ground by tractor trailers to get from 575 to Highway 20.

I attended a meeting of the Fulton County delegation to express our concerns to the Board of Commissioners about the recent massive hike in property assessments, which would cause a lot of senior adults to have to move out of their homes of many years.

I reached out to my Forsyth County delegation members to express concern about the expansion of the landfill located right on the Cherokee County border.

I hosted a Listening Lunch with Congressman Loudermilk and many leaders in Cherokee County including mayors, law enforcement and education leaders.

Committee Meetings

As a member of the Education, Energy, Juvenile Justice and Small Business Development Committees, I am often asked to attend meetings during our off session time.

Legislation Development

I am often asked during the off-session if I would consider drafting and carrying legislation to address a concern that an individual or organization has. This is a time-consuming process, which requires a tremendous amount of patience and thoroughness.

It’s an honor to serve as your representative. If I can ever help you with a question or concern, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or call 770-722-7526.