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Running forState Senate, District 39

Sonya Halpern

DemocratHas the job now

Overview

Sonya McLaughlin Halpern is an American politician and former marketing executive who is a member of the Georgia State Senate representing the 39th district.

Official site →Ballotpedia →

Facts from Wikipedia.

Bills they wrote

Bills and joint resolutions where they're the main author, since 2023. Laws first, then the ones that got furthest.

Wrote

30 bills

Became law

3 became law. Another 3 passed the House or Senate but didn't.

  • Introduced Mar 3, 2026SB 616: Fulton County; written consent for the creation of community improvement districts; provide
    Became law
  • Introduced Feb 25, 2026SB 601: Atlanta Board of Education; residency limitations on qualifications for employment of the executive assistant to the board, chief financial officer, and internal auditor; remove
    Became law
  • Introduced Feb 25, 2025SB 252: Real and Personal Property; conveyance of municipal property interests to independent school systems; provide
    Became law
  • Introduced Mar 14, 2023SB 303: Fulton County; ad valorem taxes for county purposes; seniors have to reapply for such exemption every two years; remove the requirement
    Vetoed
  • Introduced Feb 18, 2026SB 532: Proceedings; defendant notices of certain proceedings and pleadings when such defendant failed to file pleadings; provide
    Passed the Senate
  • Introduced Feb 22, 2023SB 235: "HBCU Innovation and Economic Prosperity Planning Districts Act"; enact
    Passed the Senate
  • Introduced Mar 23, 2026SB 631: "Veterans Mental Health Innovations Act"; enact
    Introduced
  • Introduced Mar 3, 2026SB 617: Dispossessory Proceedings; public access to court records of dispossessory proceedings under certain conditions; prohibit
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 25, 2026SB 583: False Advertising; any person, firm, or corporation to display all fees associated with a consumer transaction when displaying the total price of a good; require
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 16, 2026SB 416: "Stop Online Booking Scams Act"; enact
    Introduced
  • Introduced Mar 3, 2025SB 320: "Georgia Civil Rights Act of 2025"; enact
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 26, 2025SB 287: Medical Assistance; Georgia Interested Parties Advisory Group within the Department of Community Health; create and establish a purpose
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 26, 2025SB 262: Insurance; health benefit policies to cover preventive services; provide
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 25, 2025SB 253: State Board of Education; establish a three-year pilot robotics program for eligible public schools; provide
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 14, 2025SB 182: "Georgia Music Office and Music Ready Communities Act"; enact
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 22, 2024SB 556: Education; State Board of Education to establish a three-year pilot robotics program for eligible public schools; provide
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 21, 2024SB 553: "National Warrior Call Day"; designate the Sunday following Veterans Day each year
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 21, 2024SB 552: General Assembly; Office of Legislative Counsel to prepare demographic notes for certain proposed legislation; require
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 21, 2024SB 551: Public Property; priority parking spaces for veterans on state owned properties; provide
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 20, 2024SB 536: "Dietitian Licensure Compact"; enter into an interstate compact
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 29, 2024SB 423: Education; maintenance and placement of one or more automated external defibrillators in certain public schools; provide
    Introduced
  • Introduced Jan 24, 2024SB 396: Economic Development; Georgia State-wide Music Office; create
    Introduced
  • Introduced Mar 10, 2023SB 296: Department of Public Health; appointment of a state surgeon general; provide
    Introduced
  • Introduced Mar 1, 2023SB 279: "Garden of Heroes"; placement of a statue garden in honor of Georgia heroes upon the grounds of the state capitol building; provide
    Introduced
  • Introduced Mar 1, 2023SB 280: "Georgia Residential Tenant Safety Bill"; enact
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 22, 2023SB 234: Motor Vehicles; the enforcement of laws with equipment which produces excessive noise levels using recorded images; provide
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 14, 2023SB 182: Stalking; the offense of doxxing; provide
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 14, 2023SB 175: Searches with Warrants; additional requirements for the issuance and execution of search warrants and no-knock warrants; provide
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 10, 2023SB 150: Health; functional automated external defibrillator on site; require certain public schools, health clubs, and public sports facilities
    Introduced
  • Introduced Feb 6, 2023SB 101: Elections and Primaries; application for an absentee ballot in a primary or election shall also be an automatic application for an absentee ballot in a runoff resulting from such primary or election; provide
    Introduced

Source: Open States

How they voted

Final votes on bills that passed either chamber of the Georgia legislature, since 2023. Votes on amendments, committees, and procedure are left out. A bill can show up under more than one topic.

Votes shown

1,331 votes on bills that passed at least one chamber.

Attendance

Didn't vote on 106 of 1,704 votes (6%). They had permission to be away (excused) for 72 of them.

By topic
Agriculture36 votes
    Alcoholic Beverages5 votes
      Animals6 votes
        Appeal and Error17 votes
          Aviation9 votes
            Banking and Finance17 votes
              Buildings and Housing20 votes
                Civil Practice38 votes
                  Commerce and Trade51 votes
                    Commercial Code3 votes
                      Conservation and Natural Resources38 votes
                        Contracts5 votes
                          Corporations, Partnerships, and Associations6 votes
                            Courts108 votes
                              Crimes and Offenses (Criminal Code)120 votes
                                Criminal Procedure33 votes
                                  Domestic Relations23 votes
                                    Education207 votes
                                      Elections33 votes
                                        Equity3 votes
                                          Evidence10 votes
                                            Fire Protection and Safety11 votes
                                              Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics22 votes
                                                Game and Fish11 votes
                                                  General Assembly49 votes
                                                    General Provisions, Ocga4 votes
                                                      Guardian and Ward7 votes
                                                        Handicapped Persons9 votes
                                                          Health125 votes
                                                            Highways, Bridges, and Ferries43 votes
                                                              Insurance68 votes
                                                                Labor and Industrial Relations14 votes
                                                                  Law Enforcement Officers and Agencies53 votes
                                                                    Local Government90 votes
                                                                      Mental Health20 votes
                                                                        Military, Emergency Management, and Veterans Affairs34 votes
                                                                          Minors49 votes
                                                                            Motor Vehicles and Traffic103 votes
                                                                              Nuisances2 votes
                                                                                Penal Institutions31 votes
                                                                                  Professions and Businesses106 votes
                                                                                    Property67 votes
                                                                                      Public Officers and Employees56 votes
                                                                                        Public Utilities and Transportation18 votes
                                                                                          Retirement and Pensions45 votes
                                                                                            Revenue and Taxation153 votes
                                                                                              Social Services41 votes
                                                                                                State Government106 votes
                                                                                                  Torts20 votes
                                                                                                    Waters, Ports, and Watercraft9 votes
                                                                                                      Wills, Trusts, and Administration of Estates9 votes
                                                                                                        Local laws (one city or county)23 votes
                                                                                                          Other66 votes

                                                                                                            Source: Open States, Georgia General Assembly. Topics from the state legislature.