LISTEN: The House Committee on reapportionment and redistricting passed the congressional map proposed by Senate Republicans as the Legislature moves closer to wrapping up the special legislative session on Thursday. GPB'S Sarah Kallis reports.

House Reapportionment and Redistricting Chair Rob Leverett

House Reapportionment and Redistricting Chair Rob Leverett led the committee hearing where lawmakers passed the proposed new congressional map.

Credit: Screengrab from Georgia House livestream

The House Committee on reapportionment and redistricting passed the congressional map proposed by Senate Republicans as the Legislature moves closer to wrapping up the special legislative session on Thursday.

The map maintains a Republican majority in Georgia’s U.S. congressional delegation.

House Minority Leader James Beverly said the proposed map could lead to the judge appointing a special master to re-draw the map.

He asked the committee to vote for the Democratic map "so we can avoid a special master.”

Judge Steve Jones, the federal judge who struck down Georgia's current voting maps, maintains the ability to appoint a special master to re-draw the maps if the legislature's edits are not up to par. 

The committee voted for SB 3EX, the Republican-drawn map, in a party-line vote.

The map now heads to the House floor where it will be debated and voted on.

Gov. Brian Kemp must sign the new maps into law before Friday.

Tags: Politics  Georgia Politics  Redistricting  special session  Legislature