The Georgia General Assembly, Georgia's legislative branch of government, makes the laws and sets the policies for the state. Consisting of a House of Representatives and a Senate, the General Assembly represents the needs and wants of Georgia's some 9 million residents. More than 50 Senators and some 190 Representative meet yearly to conduct business. Georgia's law-making process requires appropriation bills to originate in the House and both bodies' approval in order to become law. Members of both houses are elected for two-year terms in office. The state has an annual budget of about $18 billion.