GA HB1473

Renames the State Ethics Commission to the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, which serves as the successor entity with all existing powers and duties, and requires all campaign contribution disclosure reports—including county and municipal races—to be filed directly with the commission rather than local filing officers.

Mandates electronic filing of campaign contribution disclosure reports for all candidates and public officers, with county/municipal candidates required to file electronically upon raising or spending $20,000 in an election cycle, and requires disclosure of campaign fund investments and total debt owed.

Significantly increases late filing penalties: initial late fee raised from $25 to $100, 15-day late fee from $50 to $250, and adds a new $1,000 fee at 45 days; lobbyist late fees increase to $250, $1,000, and $10,000 at escalating intervals; campaign funds cannot be used to pay these penalties.

Strengthens lobbyist regulations by increasing annual registration fees from $200 to $300, requiring bimonthly (rather than monthly) disclosure reports during legislative sessions and monthly reports when not in session, prohibiting lobbyists convicted of felonies involving moral turpitude from registering for ten years, and barring lobbyists from initiating electronic contact with legislators during sessions or committee meetings.

Elevates offenses for public officers or employees who accept anything of value to influence legislation or official action from unspecified punishment to felony status, punishable by fines up to $100,000 and/or one to five years imprisonment, and abolishes the Joint Legislative Ethics Committee in favor of separate House and Senate ethics committees to handle complaints of conflicts of interest, abuse of power, and improper use of state employees.