The GA Files

State Level Legislator Fact Sheet · Georgia House of Representatives · District 130

Lynn Heffner

Party Democrat
In Office 2023 – Jan 2026 (resigned)
House Role Former member · Augusta/Richmond
Scope of This Review 2023 – 2025

Lynn Heffner, an Augusta Democrat, represented House District 130 in Richmond County from 2023 until she resigned on January 5, 2026 — citing the state constitution's residency requirement after her primary home was severely damaged by Hurricane Helene. A relatively moderate member, she split her votes on the bills below. Sheila Clark Nelson (D) won the April 2026 special election and now holds the seat. (The 2019 Heartbeat Bill predates her tenure, and the 2026-session votes fall after her resignation; neither is shown.)

4 / 6Heffner compiled a mixed record below — voting with Republicans on several measures (the school-sports bill, religious-liberty act, and tax cut) while opposing the tort and gender-care bills. (She resigned before the 2026-session votes.)

Methodology. Each vote is Rep. Heffner's actual position from the official Georgia roll call (legis.ga.gov), transcribed into a verified vote database and cross-checked against the published Yea/Nay totals. The chamber tally and final status (became law / died in House) are noted per bill.

01

Riley Gaines Act

SB 1 · 2025 Session
YEA
Floor Vote
House vote (Passage), 2025 session — 100–64
Status
Became law (2025 session)
Rep. Heffner's Vote
Voted YEA — with the chamber majority, on a party-line vote.

Impact on Everyday Georgians

Bars transgender women and girls from competing on female school and college sports teams and requires K–12 and college sports, locker rooms, and restrooms to be designated by sex assigned at birth. Supporters framed it as protecting fairness and safety in women's sports; opponents — including LGBTQ advocates and some parents — said it stigmatizes transgender students and invites invasive enforcement.

Sources

02

Tort Reform

SB 68 · 2025 Session
NAY
Floor Vote
House vote (Immediately Transmit), 2025 session — 94–77
Status
Became law — Gov. Kemp's signature 2025 priority
Rep. Heffner's Vote
Voted NAY — against the chamber majority, on a party-line vote.

Impact on Everyday Georgians

Overhauled Georgia's civil-litigation rules — limiting when businesses and property owners can be sued (notably for negligent-security claims), changing how juries are told about medical damages, and allowing trials to be split into liability and damages phases. Backers said it would lower insurance costs and curb runaway verdicts; trial lawyers and consumer advocates warned it makes it harder for injured Georgians to recover full damages.

Sources

03

Religious Freedom Restoration Act

SB 36 · 2025 Session
YEA
Floor Vote
House vote (Passage), 2025 session — 96–70
Status
Became law (2025 session)
Rep. Heffner's Vote
Voted YEA — with the chamber majority, on a party-line vote.

Impact on Everyday Georgians

Georgia's Religious Freedom Restoration Act bars state and local government from “substantially burdening” a person's exercise of religion without a compelling interest. Supporters called it a long-sought protection mirroring the 1993 federal law; opponents — including civil-rights groups and some businesses — warned it could be used to justify discrimination, particularly against LGBTQ Georgians, since the state has no statewide anti-discrimination law.

Sources

04

Gender-Affirming Care Ban (Minors)

SB 140 · 2023 Session
NAY
Floor Vote
House vote (Immediately Transmit), 2023 session — 97–74
Status
Became law (2023 session)
Rep. Heffner's Vote
Voted NAY — against the chamber majority, on a party-line vote.

Impact on Everyday Georgians

Prohibits hormone therapy and surgical gender-affirming care for transgender minors in Georgia, with limited exceptions. Supporters said it shields children from irreversible decisions; major medical associations and families of transgender youth opposed it, arguing it overrides parents and doctors and strips away evidence-based care.

Sources

05

Right to IVF

HB 428 · 2025 Session
YEA
Floor Vote
House vote (Passage), 2025 session — 172–0
Status
Became law (2025 session)
Rep. Heffner's Vote
Voted YEA — with the chamber majority, on a bipartisan vote.

Impact on Everyday Georgians

Establishes a state right to access in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and protects providers — one of the rare bipartisan votes in this set. It followed national alarm after an Alabama court ruling threatened IVF, and aimed to reassure Georgia families pursuing fertility treatment that the procedure would remain legal and available.

Sources

06

State Income Tax Cut

HB 111 · 2025 Session
YEA
Floor Vote
House vote (Passage), 2025 session — 110–60
Status
Became law (2025 session)
Rep. Heffner's Vote
Voted YEA — with the chamber majority, on a party-line vote.

Impact on Everyday Georgians

Accelerated Georgia's move to a lower flat income tax, cutting the rate ahead of schedule (to 5.19%). Supporters said it returns surplus money to taxpayers; critics cautioned that flat-rate cuts deliver the largest dollar benefits to higher earners and reduce the revenue available for schools, health care, and public services.

Sources

Constituent Access

Town Halls

Public meetings with constituents · 2023 – 2026

During her tenure Heffner engaged constituents through the Augusta/Richmond legislative delegation.

Documented Record

  • During her tenure Heffner was part of the Augusta-Richmond County legislative delegation, which holds constituent meetings and chamber legislative briefings.
  • Her January 2026 resignation — forced by post-Hurricane-Helene residency issues, not misconduct — triggered a special election won by Sheila Clark Nelson (sworn in April 16, 2026).

Heffner resigned in January 2026; this record covers her active tenure. State legislators' constituent-event records are thin and locally reported. Corrections are welcome via the contact link below.

Sources

Campaign Finance

Campaign Finance

Who funded Rep. Heffner · while in office

Pinned — Committee Now Closed

Resigned January 2026

Heffner resigned in January 2026 over post-Helene residency; her committee is inactive and no itemized top-donor table surfaced in Transparency USA. The official filings are with the Georgia Ethics Commission, linked below.

A Closed-Out Record

Heffner resigned from the House effective January 5, 2026; her campaign committee is inactive and no itemized top-donor data surfaced in Transparency USA's Georgia dataset. The official itemized campaign-finance filings remain with the Georgia Ethics Commission, linked below. Georgia does not produce OpenSecrets-style sector/industry rollups.

Sources

Verification Resources

Vote positions are Rep. Heffner's actual recorded votes from the official Georgia roll calls (legis.ga.gov), transcribed into a verified vote database and cross-checked against the published Yea/Nay totals. Campaign-finance figures are top reported contributors via Transparency USA; Georgia does not produce OpenSecrets-style sector/industry rollups, and the Georgia Ethics Commission holds the official itemized filings.

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