Title 21

(a) Any action alleging a violation of this chapter shall be commenced within three years after the date on which the violation, wrongful action, or omission occurred, unless otherwise provided by subsections (b) or (c) of this Code section. (b) Any action alleging a violation in…

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, each individual required by this chapter to file a report or disclosure statement with the commission shall provide the commission, in writing, with a current email address and shall advise the commission, in writing, …

It is declared to be the policy of this state, in furtherance of its responsibility to protect the integrity of the democratic process and to ensure fair elections for constitutional offices; state offices; district attorneys; members of the Georgia House of Representatives and G…

As used in this chapter, the term: (1) “Business entity” means any corporation, sole proprietorship, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, limited liability partnership, professional corporation, enterprise, franchise, association, trust, joint venture, or …

(a) The State Ethics Commission shall be a successor to the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, with such duties and powers as are set forth in this chapter. As the successor commission, it shall have all the powers and duties granted to the Georgia G…

(21) “Public employee” means every person employed by the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of state government, or any department, board, bureau, agency, commission, or authority thereof. (22) “Public officer” means: (A) The Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of S…

The funds necessary to carry out this chapter shall come from the funds appropriated to and available to the commission and from any other available funds. The commission shall be a budget unit as defined in Part 1 of Article 4 of Chapter 12 of Title 45, the “Budget Act”; provided…

(a) The commission is vested with the following powers: (1) To meet at such times and places as it may deem necessary; (2) To contract with other agencies, public or private, or persons as it deems necessary for the rendering and affording of such services, facilities, studies, a…

The commission shall not initiate any investigation or inquiry into any matter under its jurisdiction based upon the complaint of any person, including a staff attorney employed by the commission, unless that person or staff attorney shall produce the same in writing and verify t…

The commission shall adopt rules which shall provide that: (1) Upon the commission’s receipt of a complaint, a determination shall be made as to whether the complaint relates to a technical defect in a filing. For this purpose, a technical defect shall include, but not be limited …

Venue for prosecution of civil violations of this chapter or for any other action by or on behalf of the commission shall be in the county of the residence of the candidate or public officer at the time of the alleged violation or action. History. Code 1981, § 21-5-8, enacted by …

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, any person who knowingly fails to comply with or who knowingly violates this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. The provisions of this Code section shall not preclude prosecution and punishment for the commission of any felony …

No person who has served or is serving as a member of the General Assembly shall be eligible to qualify to seek election or reelection to the General Assembly until and unless all fines and fees owing to the commission have been paid, all disclosure reports due have been filed, and…

(a) Except as provided in subsection (e) of Code Section 21-5-34, no contributions to bring about the nomination or election of a candidate for any office shall be made or accepted except directly to or by a candidate or such candidate’s campaign committee which is organized for …

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the definitions set forth in Code Section 21-5-3 shall be applicable to the provisions of this Code section. As used in this Code section, the term: (1) “Campaign committee” means the candidate, person, or committee which accept…

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the definitions set forth in Code Section 21-5-3 shall be applicable to the provisions of this Code section. As used in this Code section, the term: (1) “Agency” means: (A) Every state department, agency, board, bureau, commissi…

(a) The candidate or treasurer of each campaign committee shall keep detailed accounts, current within not more than five business days after the date of receiving a contribution or making an expenditure, of all contributions received and all expenditures made by or on behalf of t…

(a) Contributions to a candidate, a campaign committee, or a public officer holding elective office and any proceeds from investing such contributions shall be utilized only to defray ordinary and necessary expenses, which may include any loan of money from a candidate or public …

(a)(1)(A) The candidate or the chairperson or treasurer of each campaign committee organized to bring about the nomination or election of a candidate for any office and the chairperson or treasurer of every campaign committee designed to bring about the recall of a public officer…

(a) Candidates, candidate committees, and public officers who are required to file campaign contribution disclosure reports with the commission shall use electronic means to file such reports with the commission using means prescribed by the commission to file such reports. (b) The …

(a) As used in this Code section, the term “leadership committee” means a committee, corporation, or organization chaired by the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the nominee of a political party for Governor selected in a primary election in the year in which he or she is nomin…

(a) No member of the General Assembly or that member’s campaign committee or public officer elected state wide or campaign committee of such public officer shall seek or accept a contribution or a pledge of a contribution to the member, the member’s campaign committee, or public …

(a)(1) It shall be the duty of the commission to make the campaign contribution disclosure reports available for public inspection and copying during regular office hours commencing as soon as practicable after such reports are filed. The commission shall have the authority to cha…

(a) No person, corporation, political committee, or political party shall make, and no candidate or campaign committee shall receive from any such entity, contributions to any candidate for state-wide elected office which in the aggregate for an election cycle exceed: (1) Five th…

For purposes of this article, a contribution to a campaign committee of a candidate for any public office shall be deemed to be a contribution to such candidate. If during any calendar year there occur both a special election including a special primary, special primary runoff, a…

(a)(1) A candidate or campaign committee may separately account for contributions for each election in an election cycle for which contributions are accepted. If no contributions are accepted for an election, no corresponding accounting shall be required. Subject to the contribut…

(a)(1) Except as modified in subsection (c) of this Code section with respect to candidates for state-wide elected public office, each public officer, as defined in subparagraphs (A) through (D) of paragraph (22) of Code Section 21-5-3, shall file with the commission not before the …

Financial disclosure statements filed pursuant to this article shall be public records and shall be subject to inspection and copying by any member of the public as provided by law for other public records. History. Code 1981, § 21-5-51, enacted by Ga. L. 1986, p. 957, § 1; Ga. L.…

As used in this article, the term: (1) “Expenditure”: (A) Means a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, or conveyance of money or anything of value made for the purpose of influencing the actions of any public officer, specifically including any such transaction …

(a)(1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection and except as otherwise provided by subsection (i) of this Code section, no person shall engage in lobbying as defined by this article unless such person is registered with the commission as a lobbyist. The commission shall not al…

(a) In addition to other penalties provided in this article, the commission may by order deny, suspend, or revoke for a period not to exceed one year the registration of a lobbyist if it finds that the lobbyist: (1) Has filed an application for registration with the commission whic…

(a) No person who is required by the law of this state to register as a lobbyist shall meet at the state capitol, Coverdell Legislative Office Building, or other state government facility with any member of the General Assembly to discuss the promotion or opposition of the passag…

(a) Each lobbyist registered under this article shall file disclosure reports as provided for in this Code section in the electronic format specified by the commission. (b) A person who is required to register under this article and lobbies to promote or oppose the passage of any l…

A lobbyist shall not be eligible for executive appointment to any board, authority, commission, or bureau created and established by the laws of this state which regulates the activities of a business, firm, corporation, or agency that the lobbyist represented until one year after…

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, on and after January 8, 2007, persons identified in subparagraphs (A) through (D) of paragraph (22) of Code Section 21-5-3 and the executive director of each state board, commission, or authority shall be prohibited fr…

(a) No person, firm, corporation, or association shall retain or employ a lobbyist for compensation contingent, in whole or in part, upon the passage or defeat of any legislative measure, upon the adoption or decision not to adopt any state agency rule or regulation, or upon the g…

Declaration of policy. Definitions. State Ethics Commission; membership; officers; quorum; meetings. Operating expenses. Powers and duties of the commission. Initiation of complaints. Technical defects in filings; procedures for determination or correction of defects; failure to co…

Inspection and copying of financial disclosure statements. [Repealed] Filing by mail. [Repealed] Public record. Article 4 21-5-73. 21-5-74. 21-5-75.