With nearly three-quarters of Georgia voters approving a constitutional amendment lifting the blanket of sovereign immunity a series of Supreme Court rulings put in place over the past six years, lawyers from across the political and professional spectrum welcomed what many termed the reopening of the courthouse doors to citizens seeking to challenge unconstitutional laws.

Particularly gratified was outgoing State Rep. Andrew Welch, R-McDonough, who led a bipartisan measure that would have waived sovereign immunity for injunctive or mandamus actions to success, only to see Gov. Brian Kemp veto it last year.