45-10-93

Code Resources

Georgia Resources
Georgia Website
Georgia Governor
Georgia Legislature
Georgia Courts

Search this Code
in Google Scholar

on the Web
Google Web Search
MSN Web Search
Yahoo! Web Search

in the News
Google News Search
Google News Archive Search
Yahoo! News Search

in the Blogs
BlawgSearch.com Search
Google Blog Search
Technorati Blog Search

in other Databases
Google Book Search

45-10-93.
(a) The committee is vested with the following powers:
(1) To meet at such times and places as it may deem necessary;
(2) To cooperate with and secure the cooperation of every department, agency, or instrumentality in the state government or its political subdivisions in the furtherance of the purposes of this part;
(3) To employ an executive director and such additional staff as the committee deems necessary to carry out the powers delegated to the committee by this part;
(4) To summons any person to appear, give sworn testimony, or produce documentary or other evidence;
(5) To adopt such rules and regulations as are necessary to carry out the purposes of this part; and
(6) To do any and all things necessary or convenient to enable it to perform wholly and adequately its duties and to exercise the powers granted to it.
(b) The committee shall have the following duties:
(1) To advise and assist the General Assembly in establishing rules and regulations relating to conflicts between the private interests of a member of the legislative branch of state government and the duties as such;
(2) To receive and investigate all complaints alleging a violation of the rules and regulations established by the committee;
(3) To prescribe forms to be used in complying with this part;
(4) To adopt a retention standard for records of the committee;
(5) To prepare and publish an annual report for the General Assembly summarizing the activities of the committee and recommending legislation that in its judgment will promote the purposes of this part;
(6)(A) To conduct an investigation of the merits of a written complaint by any person who believes that a violation of this part has occurred. If there are found no reasonable grounds to believe that a violation has occurred, the complaint shall be dismissed, subject to being reopened upon discovery of additional evidence or relevant material. If the committee determines that there are such reasonable grounds to believe that a violation has occurred, it shall give notice by summoning the persons believed to have committed the violation to a hearing. The committee may file a complaint charging violations of this part. Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to limit or encumber the right of the committee to initiate on probable cause an investigation on its own cognizance as it deems necessary to fulfill its obligations under this part;
(B) In any such investigation referenced in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, until such time as the committee determines that there are reasonable grounds to believe that a violation has occurred, it shall not be necessary to give the notice by summons nor to conduct a hearing;
(7) To report suspected violations of law to the appropriate law enforcement authority;
(8) With respect to matters involving the legislative branch of state government, to investigate upon a written complaint any illegal use of state employees in a political campaign by any candidate;
(9) To issue, upon written request, written advisory opinions, based on a real or hypothetical set of circumstances. The committee shall make all advisory opinions publicly available for review. No liability shall be imposed for any act made in conformity with a written advisory opinion issued by the committee that is valid at the time of the act; and
(10) With respect to punishment for violations by employees of the legislative branch of state government other than members of the General Assembly, the committee may order the violator to cease and desist from committing further violations and may issue employment related sanctions against such employee, including but not limited to reprimand, suspension, demotion, and termination; with respect to members of the General Assembly, the committee may make recommendations to the respective house of the type of punishment to be imposed.
(c) The committee shall designate the place where members of the public may file papers or correspond with the committee and receive any form or instruction from the committee. The committee shall preserve all complaints, statements, and other documentation received or generated by the committee.