Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Legislator Security topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee hears bill to create separate security fund for legislators
Summary
Representative Wilkinson presented HB1003 to create a security-only expense account modeled on the legislative reimbursement account, proposing separate funding for monitoring, guards and town‑hall security and describing a GBI-triggered protection process; members asked about depreciation, account size and scope.
Representative Wilkinson told the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight committee that House Bill 1003 (LC# 473779) would create a separate, security-only fund modeled on the existing legislative reimbursement account so members could pay for monitoring, security personnel or town‑hall protection.
"So it's basically saying, use your $7,000 which will be elevated to 10 and then use this other 10 for security," Wilkinson said, summarizing the bill’s funding approach and how the accounts would remain distinct. He said the proposed security account would be used for things such as monthly monitoring or paying off‑duty officers who staff public events.
Representative Panag described a personal experience the sponsors said underscores the bill's purpose. She said that after work on a contentious bill in 2024 she and an allied rabbi received postcards that contained death threats; law enforcement and the FBI investigated, a district prosecution followed and the defendant was sentenced to the statutory maximum of five years. "This is the new reality for people in public office," she said, and indicated she would support the bill.
Committee members asked for drafting clarifications. One member flagged language about depreciation and whether equipment must be returned to the state; Wilkinson said the provision mirrors the current reimbursement account: durable items above a threshold must either be returned to the state or the member must remit the difference. Members also asked when the reimbursement was last increased (Wilkinson said he had not seen it raised in 16 years) and whether the accounts could be tied to inflation.
The bill’s sponsors and members discussed scope questions: whether the security account should cover hardware that outlasts a legislator’s term versus recurring services like monitoring or guards, and whether coverage applies only in strictly “official” settings. Wilkinson said the bill’s drafters intend to prioritize services and to address hardware depreciation so state funds do not inappropriately become a continuing personal benefit.
No formal action was taken. Committee members thanked Wilkinson, acknowledged bipartisan concern about threats to public officials and requested follow‑up information and drafting clarifications before further consideration.
