Georgia’s DOGE would give lawmakers more power over state agencies

Senate Bill 28, cosponsored by Kennedy, would give lawmakers the authority to stop new rules and regulations by a two-thirds vote of a legislative committee. A rule would not go into effect until the full Legislature could review it.

The measure would allow the governor and legislative leaders to call for reports on how proposed bills could affect small businesses and require agencies to consider the economic impact of proposed rules. Additionally, it would require state agencies to review all rules and regulations every four years unless they’ve reduced the number of rules by 10%.

“It’s about simply trying to make sure that government is working efficiently for citizens,” Kennedy said.

On Tuesday, the DOGE-branded legislation passed the Tourism and Economic Development Committee along party lines in a 7-4 vote. Democratic lawmakers said the measure is overly broad and gives too much power to legislators over agency rulemaking.

Jones, who is expected to run for governor in 2026, made rolling back government regulation a priority last year. And some of the measures that eased licensing requirements for hairstylists, veterinarians and qualified veterans seeking certain medical certifications drew bipartisan support.

Republicans have long sought to shrink government. Elon Musk’s effort this year on behalf of the Trump administration to slash billions in federal spending has inspired state-level copycat legislation across the country. DOGE has also sparked backlash from both sides of the aisle for potentially overstepping its authority, including the firing and laying off thousands of federal workers.