# Georgia SB 199: State Ethics Commission; shall not accept or reject complaints made against candidates 60 days prior to an election; provide

Georgia SB 199, State Ethics Commission; shall not accept or reject complaints made against candidates 60 days prior to an election; provide, is a 2025-2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Lee Anderson (Republican), Matt Brass (Republican) and 8 others; status signed, last action 2026-01-01 (Effective Date) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB199-2025-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Georgia SB 199
- State: Georgia
- Session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
- Title: State Ethics Commission; shall not accept or reject complaints made against candidates 60 days prior to an election; provide
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2025-02-19
- Last action: 2026-01-01, Effective Date
- Sponsors: Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Lee Anderson (Republican), Matt Brass (Republican), Max Burns (Republican), Steve Gooch (Republican), Russ Goodman (Republican), John F. Kennedy (Republican), Randy Robertson (Republican), Shawn Still (Republican), Sam Watson (Republican), Rick Williams (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Subjects: Governmental Affairs, Ethics, General Bill
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 3 (251 yes, 18 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 10

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Ethics records keep home addresses private: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, the State Ethics Commission must remove identifiable home addresses from records it releases or posts publicly. This includes public financial disclosure statements. The privacy protection does not change anyone’s duty to file required statements.
- Small local campaigns get reporting relief: benefit, low. Through December 31, 2026, covered local candidates and committees can qualify to skip campaign disclosure reports. They must file written notice that election-cycle contributions and spending will each stay at or below $2,500. If either total exceeds $2,500 but neither exceeds $5,000, only July 31…
- Ballot question committees face reporting rules: cost, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, committees supporting or opposing Georgia ballot questions must register when contributions or spending exceed $500. Registration is with the State Ethics Commission. These committees must file an electronic report 15 days before the election. A final report is due before…
- Candidates report campaign money four times yearly: cost, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, candidates and campaign committees subject to regular reporting file January 31, April 30, July 31, and October 20. These deadlines apply in election and nonelection years. Former officeholders and unsuccessful candidates with leftover contributions use the same schedule…
- Political committees need registration and bank accounts: cost, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, political action committees handling money for candidates must open a committee bank account before registering. They must register with the State Ethics Commission before accepting or making contributions or expenditures. They must keep the account until termination. Rep…
- Statewide candidates disclose five years of finances: cost, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, statewide candidates, including incumbents seeking reelection, file financial statements with the State Ethics Commission by April 1. Candidates qualifying after that election-year deadline must file within seven days after qualifying, including for special elections. Sta…
- Candidate complaints paused before their elections: mixed, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, Georgia’s State Ethics Commission cannot accept, reject, or start complaints against candidates during a pre-election pause. The pause covers the 60 days immediately before an election in which the candidate seeks nomination or election. This protects candidates from new…
- Lobbyists file monthly instead of local copies: mixed, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, registered lobbyists file monthly reports by the fifth day, covering activity through the preceding month. This replaces twice-monthly legislative reports and the May, September, and January schedule for covered local lobbying. The monthly rules also cover state vendor se…
- Local candidates shift to state filing: mixed, low. Through December 31, 2026, covered county candidates file campaign reports with county election superintendents; municipal candidates use clerks or chief executives. An agreement can allow municipal campaign reports to go to the county superintendent. Covered local officers and candidates also file…
- Officials face updated financial disclosure deadlines: mixed, low. Beginning January 1, 2026, covered public officers file prior-year financial statements by April 1 annually, including election years. Candidates for those covered offices also file; their special-election statements are due within 15 days after qualifying. Transportation Board members’ annual stat…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Jason Anavitarte (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Lee Anderson (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Matt Brass (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Max Burns (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Steve Gooch (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Russ Goodman (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: John F. Kennedy (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Randy Robertson (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Shawn Still (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Sam Watson (Republican), Senate
- Sponsor: Rick Williams (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Chas Cannon (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2025-03-31 | House | PASSAGE | pass | 167 | 1 | 3 |
| 2025-03-04 | Senate | MOTION TO ENGROSS: SB 177, SB 199 | pass | 29 | 17 | 4 |
| 2025-03-04 | Senate | PASSAGE BY SUBSTITUTE | pass | 55 | 0 |   |

## Actions (16)

- 2026-01-01: Effective Date
- 2025-05-14: Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
- 2025-05-14: Act 293
- 2025-04-07: Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
- 2025-03-31: House Third Readers (House)
- 2025-03-31: House Passed/Adopted (House)
- 2025-03-20: House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
- 2025-03-10: House Second Readers (House)
- 2025-03-06: House First Readers (House)
- 2025-03-04: Senate Engrossed (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Senate Third Read (Senate)
- 2025-03-04: Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
- 2025-02-27: Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- 2025-02-26: Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
- 2025-02-20: Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- 2025-02-19: Senate Hopper (Senate)

## Bill text

- SB 199/AP* (v7): [PDF](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/238563)

## Related bills

- SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckless stunt driving; replace the forfeiture penalty (signed)
- SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation for certain motor vehicles; provide (signed)
- SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Service Foundation; establish (signed)
- SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact (signed)
- HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish (signed)
- HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact (signed)

## Sources
- [SB 199/AP* (v7) (PDF)](https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20252026/238563)

## Related
- [SB 160: Reckless Stunt Driving; a motor vehicle involved in a second offense of reckles…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB160-2025-2026)
- [SB 384: Motor Vehicle; optional five-year motor vehicle registration and revalidation f…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB384-2025-2026)
- [SB 76: License Plates; specialty license plate benefitting the Georgia Veterans Servic…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB76-2025-2026)
- [SB 406: "Georgia Property Owners' Bill of Rights Act"; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB406-2025-2026)
- [HB 1391: Specialty license plates; honor public safety officers; establish](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1391-2025-2026)
- [HB 1344: Georgia Insurance Affordability and Claims Integrity Act; enact](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-HB1344-2025-2026)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/GA-SB199-2025-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).