Georgia state leaders are mourning the death of Rep. Mandi Ballinger, a longtime lawmaker and chair of the House Judiciary Juvenile Committee, who passed away Sunday after a long battle with cancer. She was 50 years old. 

Governor Brian Kemp said Ballinger was "a passionate leader who was respected across the political aisle as an advocate for justice in our state."

"Her service made a considerable impact on the lives of countless Georgians," Kemp said in a statement. "Marty, the girls, and I join Speaker Burns and the members of the Georgia General Assembly in mourning her loss. We send our deepest condolences to her family during this difficult time."

House Speaker Jon Burns called Ballinger's passing "a devastating loss" for the state and praised her decade-long commitment to helping children and survivors of domestic violence.

"For over a decade, Chairlady Ballinger served our state and her community with unwavering resilience and the utmost dedication," Burns said. "Her leadership and impact extended far beyond the walls of the Capitol. She will be greatly missed by each of us who had the honor of serving alongside her."

Burns asked Georgians to keep Ballinger's husband, State Court Judge Allen Morris, their son Henry, and her family in their prayers.

Ballinger, who represented Cherokee County, was serving her fourth term in the Georgia House of Representatives. She chaired the Judiciary Juvenile Committee and served on several other key panels, including Appropriations, Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight, and Transportation.

Throughout her career, Ballinger was a leading voice on juvenile justice and domestic violence issues. She served on numerous state boards and commissions, including the Georgia Commission on Domestic Violence, the Georgia Child Fatality Review Board, and the Georgia Council for Interstate Juvenile Supervision.

She was also appointed to the Georgia Supreme Court's Justice for Children Committee and received numerous honors for her work, including the Martha K. Glazebrook Award from the Georgia Council of Juvenile Court Judges.

Before her time in elected office, Ballinger worked in the nonprofit sector, first in a domestic violence shelter and later as a victim advocate for a district attorney's office. She later became the founding director of a Child Advocacy Center and worked as a business consultant.