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HB 720 - State government; lobbying services; prohibit public funds

Murphy, Thomas B (18th)	Walker, Larry (141st)	Skipper, Jimmy (137th)
Smyre, Calvin (136th)	Stanley, Lanett (50th)

Status Summary	HC:	Rules	SC:	Judy	FR:	02/22/99	LA:	01/10/00	S - Read 3rd Time

First Reader Summary

A BILL to amend Chapter 7 of Title 28 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to prohibited lobbying practices, so as to provide that it shall be unlawful for any unit of state government to contract for or use public funds to pay for the services of a lobbyist; to provide for nonapplicability to activities of public employees; to provide for broad applicability to all units of state government and the personnel thereof; and for other purposes.

Code Sections - 28-7-1/ 28-7-5

HB 720                                             LC 14 7282 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                        A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 
                               AN ACT 
 
 
  1- 1  To amend Chapter 7 of Title 28 of the Official Code of 
  1- 2  Georgia Annotated, relating to prohibited lobbying 
  1- 3  practices, so as to provide that it shall be unlawful for 
  1- 4  any unit of state government to contract for or use public 
  1- 5  funds to pay for the services of a lobbyist; to provide for 
  1- 6  nonapplicability to activities of public employees; to 
  1- 7  provide for broad applicability to all units of state 
  1- 8  government and the personnel thereof; to provide for 
  1- 9  punishment for violations; to provide for related matters; 
  1-10  to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. 
 
  1-11       BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: 
 
  1-12                           SECTION 1. 
 
  1-13  Chapter 7 of Title 28 of the Official Code of Georgia 
  1-14  Annotated, relating to prohibited lobbying practices, is 
  1-15  amended by inserting a new Code Section 28-7-1 in the place 
  1-16  formerly reserved for such Code section number, said new 
  1-17  Code Section 28-7-1 to read as follows: 
 
  1-18    "28-7-1. 
 
  1-19    (a) It shall be unlawful for any unit of state government 
  1-20    to contract for or use public funds to pay for the 
  1-21    services of any person to promote or oppose the passage of 
  1-22    any legislation by the General Assembly, or any committee 
  1-23    thereof, or the approval or veto of legislation by the 
  1-24    Governor. 
 
  1-25    (b) Subsection (a) of  this Code section shall not 
  1-26    prohibit the employment or payment of the regular 
  1-27    compensation of state government employees who as a part 
  1-28    of their duties of public employment engage in the 
  1-29    activities described in subsection (a) of this Code 
  1-30    section; but such employees shall remain subject to the 
  1-31    registration and other requirements of Article 3 of 
  1-32    Chapter 5 of Title 21, relating to registration and 
  1-33    regulation of lobbyists. 
 
 
 
                                 -1- 
 
 
 
  2- 1    (c) This Code section shall apply to and cover all 
  2- 2    departments, agencies, boards, bureaus, commissions, 
  2- 3    public corporations, authorities, and other entities 
  2- 4    within all branches of state government of the State of 
  2- 5    Georgia, as well as all employees, officials, and officers 
  2- 6    of all of the foregoing." 
 
  2- 7                           SECTION 2. 
 
  2- 8  Said chapter is further amended by striking Code Section 
  2- 9  28-7-5, relating to penalties, and inserting in its place a 
  2-10  new Code section to read as follows: 
 
  2-11    "28-7-5. 
 
  2-12    Any person failing to comply with or violating any of the 
  2-13    provisions of Code Section 28-7-3 or 28-7-4 this chapter 
  2-14    shall be guilty of a misdemeanor." 
 
  2-15                           SECTION 3. 
 
  2-16  All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are 
  2-17  repealed. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                 -2-