Ed Setzler

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Since taking office in 2005, Setzler has frequently supported anti-abortion legislation. [3] In 2019, he was the lead sponsor of Georgia House Bill 481, a six-week abortion ban in Georgia. [14] [15] [16] Setzler initially included no exceptions in the legislation; a few exceptions were later added in order to secure enough votes for passage. [17] The legislation was opposed by Georgia physicians, who feared that it would limit a physician's ability to provide medical care and advice that's in the best interest of the patient" and contains language that "could expose doctors to criminal prosecution for following what’s widely considered to be a medically acceptable standard of care." [18] Setzler and the other anti-abortion advocates who supported for the legislation sought to use the law as a vehicle to overturn Roe v. Wade (1973). [18] [16]

Georgia governor Brian Kemp signed the legislation into law in May 2019, fulfilling a campaign promise to sign into law the nation's most stringent abortion ban, [15] which was set to go into effect on January 1, 2020. [19] However, the ACLU of Georgia, Planned Parenthood, and others challenged the legislation as unconstitutional; in October 2019, U.S. District Judge Steve C. Jones of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia blocked the legislation from taking effect, [19] and in July 2020, the court issued a permanent injunction declaring it unconstitutional. [20] In 2022, however, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe, and three weeks later, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit vacated the district court's injunction. [21]

Other legislation

In 2013, Setzler was named chairman of the House Committee on Science and Technology. [3]

In 2012, Setzler introduced legislation, which passed the Georgia House and Senate, to make assisting suicide a felony in the state. The legislation was introduced after Georgia's earlier law on assisted suicide was struck down as unconstitutional by the Georgia Supreme Court. [22]

Setzler has introduced legislation to ban embryonic stem cell research in Georgia. [3]

In 2015, Setzler introduced legislation that would have eliminated Georgia's 4 percent state sales tax on gasoline, lowered state income tax rates, created a flatter tax structure; and "gradually raise the excise tax on fuel over the next eight years." [23]

Setzler was an outspoken critic of proposals to expand the number of conditions for which patients are eligible for CBD oil for medical use in Georgia. [24]

In January 2024, Seltzer co-sponsored S.B. 390, which would withhold government funding for any libraries in Georgia affiliated with the American Library Association. [25] [26]

Personal life

Seltzer and his wife Tracie have four children; they live in Acworth. [2]

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References

  1. 1 2 General Election: November 4, 2014, Office of the Georgia Secretary of State.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Shaddi Abusaid, Setzler, Castellana square off in race for House District 35, Marietta Daily Journal (October 19, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Aaron Gould Sheinin, Stem cell foe named chair of science panel, Atlanta Journal-Constitution (January 23, 2013).
  4. ↑ Georgia Election Results: Official Results of the November 2, 2004 General Election, Office of the Georgia Secretary of State.
  5. ↑ Georgia Election Results: Official Results of the Tuesday, November 07, 2006 General Election, Office of the Georgia Secretary of State.
  6. ↑ Official Results of the Tuesday, November 04, 2008 General Election, Office of the Georgia Secretary of State.
  7. ↑ Official Results of the Tuesday, November 02, 2010 General Election, Office of the Georgia Secretary of State.
  8. ↑ General Election: November 6, 2012, Office of the Georgia Secretary of State.
  9. ↑ General Election: November 8, 2016, Office of the Georgia Secretary of State.
  10. ↑ Official Results: November 6, 2018 General Election, Office of the Georgia Secretary of State.
  11. ↑ State House District 35, November 3, 2020 General Election.
  12. 1 2 State Senate - District 37, November 8, 2022, General/Special Election.
  13. ↑ Chelsea Beimfohr, A Fulton County Judge blocks Georgia’s abortion ban. What happens next?, WANF (November 16, 2022).
  14. ↑ Maya T. Prabhu, Georgia 'heartbeat bill' spurs strong debate about abortion, Atlanta Journal Constitution (March 15, 2019).
  15. 1 2 Jill Nolin, Kemp signs strict anti-abortion bill, Union-Recorder (May 7, 2019).
  16. 1 2 Emily Wax-Thibodeaux & Reis Thebault, Georgia legislators pass 'heartbeat bill' that would ban most abortions, Washington Post (March 29, 2019).
  17. ↑ Maya T. Prabhu, Anti-abortion group says ‘heartbeat’ bill not restrictive enough, Atlanta Journal-Constitution (March 26, 2019).
  18. 1 2 Gray Chapman, Who stands to lose the most under Georgia's anti-abortion bill? These five groups of people will be disproportionately affected, Atlanta (March 20, 2019).
  19. 1 2 Maya T. Prabhu, Despite temporary block on new law, abortion to remain focus in 2020, Atlanta Journal-Constitution (October 2, 2019).
  20. ↑ Larry Felton Johnson, Georgia Anti-Abortion Law Declared Unconstitutional: Local Reactions, Cobb County Courier (July 14, 2020).
  21. ↑ Georgia Doctors and Advocates File New Challenge to Six-Week Abortion Ban in State Court, ACLU (July 26, 2022).
  22. ↑ Kristina Torres, Assisted suicide ban passes Senate, Atlanta Journal-Constitution (March 27, 2012).
  23. ↑ Aaron Gould Sheinin, First counter-proposal to gas tax plan revealed, Atlanta Journal-Constitution (January 14, 2015).
  24. ↑ Lisa Hagen, PTSD Back On Proposed Ga. Medical Marijuana Treatment List, WABE (February 25, 2016).
  25. ↑ Tagami, Ty (January 25, 2024). "Georgia GOP senators target American Library Association with new bill". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  26. ↑ "SB 390". Georgia General Assembly. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
Ed Setzler
Member of the GeorgiaHouseofRepresentatives
from the 35th district
In office
January 10, 2005 –January 9, 2023
Members of the Georgia State Senate
158th General Assembly (2025–present)
President of the Senate
Burt Jones (R)
President pro tempore
John F. Kennedy (R)
Majority leader
Steve Gooch (R)
Minority leader
Harold V. Jones II (D)
  1. ▌ Ben Watson (R)
  2. ▌ Derek Mallow (D)
  3. ▌ Mike Hodges (R)
  4. ▌ Billy Hickman (R)
  5. ▌ Sheikh Rahman (D)
  6. ▌ Matt Brass (R)
  7. ▌ Nabilah Islam (D)
  8. ▌ Russ Goodman (R)
  9. ▌ Nikki Merritt (D)
  10. ▌ Emanuel Jones (D)
  11. ▌ Sam Watson (R)
  12. ▌ Freddie Sims (D)
  13. ▌ Carden Summers (R)
  14. ▌ Josh McLaurin (D)
  15. ▌ Ed Harbison (D)
  16. ▌ Marty Harbin (R)
  17. ▌ Gail Davenport (D)
  18. ▌ John F. Kennedy (R)
  19. ▌ Blake Tillery (R)
  20. ▌ Larry Walker III (R)
  21. ▌ Brandon Beach (R)
  22. ▌ Harold V. Jones II (D)
  23. ▌ Max Burns (R)
  24. ▌ Lee Anderson (R)
  25. ▌ Rick Williams (R)
  26. ▌ David Lucas (D)
  27. ▌ Greg Dolezal (R)
  28. ▌ Donzella James (D)
  29. ▌ Randy Robertson (R)
  30. ▌ Tim Bearden (R)
  31. ▌ Jason Anavitarte (R)
  32. ▌ Kay Kirkpatrick (R)
  33. ▌ Michael "Doc" Rhett (D)
  34. ▌ Kenya Wicks (D)
  35. ▌ Jason Esteves (D)
  36. ▌ Nan Orrock (D)
  37. ▌ Ed Setzler (R)
  38. ▌ RaShaun Kemp (D)
  39. ▌ Sonya Halpern (D)
  40. ▌ Sally Harrell (D)
  41. ▌ Kim Jackson (D)
  42. ▌ Brian Strickland (R)
  43. ▌ Tonya Anderson (D)
  44. ▌ Elena Parent (D)
  45. ▌ Clint Dixon (R)
  46. ▌ Bill Cowsert (R)
  47. ▌ Frank Ginn (R)
  48. ▌ Shawn Still (R)
  49. ▌ Drew Echols (R)
  50. ▌ Bo Hatchett (R)
  51. ▌ Steve Gooch (R)
  52. ▌ Chuck Hufstetler (R)
  53. ▌ Colton Moore (R)
  54. ▌ Chuck Payne (R)
  55. ▌ Randal Mangham (D)
  56. ▌ John Albers (R)
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