HR257: HR257 House Special Committee on Oversight of Federal Funds; create

This resolution sets up a special House committee to look closely at federal funds flowing into Georgia state government, including how they are tracked, reported, audited, and whether any have been misused. The committee would have nine members: a chairperson picked by the Speaker of the House, four members picked by the House Majority Leader, and four picked by the House Minority Leader. The committee would have the power to put witnesses under oath, subpoena testimony and documents, and take depositions, and it could meet even after the legislative session ends for the year. Members would receive standard legislative allowances (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8) for up to five days unless more are approved, paid from House funds. Any findings or recommendations would go through a formal report process to the Clerk of the House. The committee would be automatically abolished on December 15, 2026.

• Creates the House Special Committee on Oversight of Federal Funds, made up of nine House members, to investigate the state's use of federal funds.
• Gives the committee subpoena power to compel witnesses to testify under oath and to produce books, records, and papers.
• Allows the committee to meet at any time, including during the interim after the legislature adjourns for the year, to carry out its investigation.
• Sets committee member pay using existing legislative allowance rules (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8), capped at five days unless extra days are approved.
• Requires any committee findings or recommendations to be approved by majority vote and filed as a report with the Clerk of the House.
• Automatically ends the committee's existence on December 15, 2026.

The resolution most directly affects members of the Georgia House of Representatives who would serve on or be appointed to the committee, as well as state agencies, officials, and any individuals who could be subpoenaed to testify or produce records about the state's handling of federal funds.

If adopted, state agencies and officials could be compelled through subpoenas to hand over financial records and testify about how federal grant money is tracked and spent in Georgia, giving lawmakers a formal tool to scrutinize federal fund management before the committee's authority expires at the end of 2026.

• Paragraph 1 creates and authorizes the House Special Committee on Oversight of Federal Funds, delegating House investigative powers to it.
• Paragraph 2 sets the committee at nine members: one chairperson named by the Speaker, four by the Majority Leader, and four by the Minority Leader.
• Paragraph 3 grants the committee power to administer oaths, subpoena witnesses and documents, take depositions, and enforce subpoenas against refusals, with subpoenas requiring committee majority vote or the chairperson's written consent.
• Paragraph 4 lets the chairperson call meetings at any time or place, including during the interim after the legislature adjourns sine die (for the year).
• Paragraph 5 sets member pay under O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at five days unless more are authorized, funded from House appropriations.
• Paragraph 6 requires any adopted findings or recommendations to be approved by majority vote of a quorum and filed as a signed report with the Clerk of the House.
• Paragraph 7 abolishes the committee on December 15, 2026.

1. 2025-02-19House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-02-18House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-02-13House Hopper (House)

• Carolyn Hugley (D, HD-141)Primary sponsor
• Samuel Park (D, HD-107)
• Tanya Miller (D, HD-062)
• Spencer Frye (D, HD-122)
• Kimberly Alexander (D, HD-066)
• Al Williams (D, HD-168)

• federal funding oversight
• legislative investigations
• government accountability
• House committees
• subpoena power