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SB 0243 - Ethics in Government Act; change provisions

Tracking Level: Monitor
Sponsor: Unterman,Renee 45th
Last Action: 3/29/2007 - House Second Readers
Senate Committee: ETHICS
House Committee: Eth
Assigned To:
02. Supreme CourtNext Bill
03. Court of AppealsNext Bill
05. Superior CourtsNext Bill
06. State CourtsNext Bill
08. Probate CourtsNext Bill
09. Magistrate CourtsNext Bill
ElectionsNext Bill

Staff Analysis of the Legislation

Amend Title 21.  Relating to elections and ethics; the �Ethics in Government Act�.  This bill defines several terms.  The commission created by this act is vested with the power to designate certain employees for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this chapter who shall meet all training requirements as peace officers.  Such designated peace officers employed by the commission shall have the powers normally granted to a peace officer.  The commission shall have the duty to periodically provide continuing education programs on this chapter and related laws, rules, and regulations for all elected officials, public officers, and filing officers. The program shall be provided at least twice annually and shall consist of continuing education units.  At the commission�s discretion such training may be offered through an interactive web-based format.  The commission shall provide participants with certificates with the date and number of education units completed.  All elected officials, public officers, and filing officers shall complete at least eight units per year.  The venue for the prosecution of civil violations of this chapter or for any other action by or on behalf of the commission shall be in Fulton County, Georgia.  The name of each political action committee, noncandidate campaign committee, or independent committee shall include the name of its connected organization.  Any person assessed a late fee or a late fine pursuant to this chapter may contest by petition such assessment to the executive director in writing under oath and shall document with sufficient proof the reason for failure to comply.  Contributions of money received pursuant to this Code section shall be deposited in a single campaign account opened and maintained in the State of Georgia.  Campaign expenditures shall not be made by a candidate or campaign committee except by or through such separate depository account. No agency and no person acting on behalf of an agency shall make, directly or indirectly, any gift, subscription, membership, loan, forgiveness of debt, advance or deposit of money, or anything of value conveyed or transferred by or on behalf of an agency to any campaign committee, political action committee, or political organization or to any candidate.   Records of accounts shall be kept for three years.  A detailed listing of all investments held outside of the committee�s official depository account at any time during a reporting period shall be disclosed by description, amount, any identifying numbers, and the name and address of any institution or person in which it is held.  Upon termination of any campaign committee or candidate�s campaign, a termination statement indicating dissolution shall be filed not later than 10 days after the date of dissolution with the commission.  In addition to other penalties provided under this chapter a filing fee of $50 shall be imposed for each report that is filed late.  In addition, a filing fee of $100 shall be imposed on the fifteenth day after the due date if the report has still not been filed, and a fine of $500 shall be imposed on the forty-fifth day after the due date if the report has still not been filed.  Candidates, candidate committees, and public officers who are required to file campaign contribution disclosure reports shall use electronic means prescribed by the commission to file their reports with the commission.  Any entities required to file campaign contribution disclosure reports shall use electronic means to file such reports upon having raised or spent $25,000 in a calendar year.  No campaign committee shall make any contributions to any candidate which when aggregated with contributions to the same candidate for the same election from any affiliated committee exceed the per election max allowable for such candidate.  The commission shall collect the following fees: annual lobbyist registration or renewal $50 and each copy of a lobbyist ID card issued $20.


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