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Georgia Senate approves bill to let ethics commission subpoena out-of-state campaign contributors
Summary
After extended debate, the Senate passed a bill expanding the State Ethics Commission's ability to subpoena nonresidents for campaign-disclosure and investigatory purposes, a measure supporters said closes a jurisdictional loophole and opponents warned could be misused without additional safeguards.
ATLANTA ' The Georgia Senate on Thursday voted to give the State Ethics Commission authority to subpoena out-of-state persons, documents and information in certain campaign finance investigations, passing a House bill by substitute 50-1 after more than an hour of debate.
Supporters said the measure simply equips the ethics agency with tools it already uses against in-state actors, allowing the commission to pursue so-called "bad actors" who funnel money or influence into Georgia elections from other states. "This gives our ethics commission the tools to hold out-of-state entities to the same standard that we are held to," the bill sponsor said on the floor.
Opponents and some questioners pressed repeatedly for limits and clarification, asking how the commission will determine probable cause, who qualifies as a "bad actor," and whether the provision could be weaponized for political reasons. "If there's a complaint filed, there still has to be an investigation and due process," a sponsor responded, saying the bill does not change the substantive ethics laws but enables enforcement where jurisdictional gaps exist.
The bill's supporters described examples they said illustrate the need for jurisdiction outside Georgia, telling colleagues that out-of-state entities can use consultant firms or committees to influence local contests while avoiding Georgia's disclosure and investigative reach. Several senators said the measure passed through committee with bipartisan input and does not alter the disclosure rules themselves.
The Senate adopted a committee substitute and then approved the bill by recorded vote. The measure now moves to the next steps required for enactment.
What the bill does: it revises state campaign-finance enforcement by providing the State Ethics Commission authority to subpoena nonresidents and to pursue evidence located outside Georgia for investigations tied to Georgia elections. Backers framed it as a jurisdictional, not substantive, fix. Critics urged additional guardrails on investigations and publicization of inquiries.
The chamber's action followed prior committee reporting and extended floor colloquy among multiple senators who raised constitutional and procedural concerns and sought reassurance that due process protections would remain intact. The Senate aide reading the bill caption noted that the legislation revises the statutory definition of "person" and grants supplementary investigatory powers to the State Ethics Commission.
Next steps: The bill passed by substitute on the Senate floor and will proceed per the legislative calendar for final action and enrollment.
