HB 1008: General Assembly; approved allowances paid to members residing within 50 miles of the state capitol shall be paid through the legislative payroll system; provide

Members of the Georgia General Assembly receive salary and allowances under an existing state law (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8). This bill adds a new rule for how one part of that payment, approved allowances, gets delivered to certain lawmakers. Under the bill, if a member of the General Assembly lives within 50 miles of the state capitol in Atlanta, any allowances they are approved to receive under that section of law must be paid to them through the legislative payroll system. The bill does not change how much any lawmaker is paid or who qualifies for allowances; it only changes the payment method for lawmakers who live close to the capitol. The bill repeals any conflicting laws and does not state a separate effective date beyond the standard process for new Georgia laws.

• Adds a new paragraph to Georgia's law on legislative salary and allowances (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8) covering payment method.
• Requires that approved allowances for General Assembly members living within 50 miles of the state capitol be paid through the legislative payroll system.
• Does not change allowance amounts, eligibility, or allowances for members living farther than 50 miles away.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with this new payment rule.

This bill directly affects members of the Georgia General Assembly, particularly those who live within 50 miles of the state capitol in Atlanta, and the state office responsible for administering the legislative payroll system.

For lawmakers living near the capitol, this would standardize how their approved allowances arrive, routing that money through the same payroll system used for salary rather than a separate payment process, which could affect timing, recordkeeping, or tax withholding for those payments.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8(b) by adding a new paragraph (5) specifically addressing allowance payments to members living within 50 miles of the capitol.
• The new paragraph requires such allowances to be paid through the legislative payroll system rather than any other payment channel.
• Section 2 repeals any laws in conflict with the new requirement, a standard clause with no separate substantive effect.

1. 2026-01-28House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-01-27House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-01-16House Hopper (House)

• Bruce Williamson (R, HD-112)Primary sponsor
• David Wilkerson (D, HD-038)
• Jan Jones (R, HD-047)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)

• General Assembly pay
• legislative allowances
• state payroll
• government administration