Georgia CommonsSenate · Engrossed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
SB 177: Government Transparency and Campaign Finance; transparency in foreign funded political activities within the state; provide
Last action March 16, 2026 · House Passed/Adopted By Substitute
A Georgia Senate bill would require people and organizations tied to certain foreign governments the U.S. labels adversaries to register with the State Ethics Commission and disclose their political spending in Georgia, with civil penalties for noncompliance.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Comm Sub version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
Georgia currently has no specific requirement for people or groups funded by hostile foreign governments to disclose their political activity to the state. This bill would add a new article to Georgia's campaign finance law creating that requirement. It defines an 'agent of a hostile foreign principal' as someone who acts on behalf of, and is financed by, a government the U.S. Secretary of Commerce has labeled a foreign adversary, and who engages in political activity in Georgia. Such agents would have to register with the State Ethics Commission within ten days and file detailed statements about their funding, spending, and activities, updated quarterly. 'Foreign supported political organizations,' meaning groups that received money from a hostile foreign principal in the past five years and engage in political activity, must also register annually and report their spending. The Ethics Commission can investigate complaints and fine violators up to $10,000 per violation, or up to $200,000 for willful or repeat violations. The Attorney General can sue for injunctions or civil penalties, or open a criminal investigation. Trade associations and membership groups founded before 1950 are exempted, as are entities covered by a federal 'qualified divestiture' law targeting apps like TikTok.
What the bill does
- Creates a new legal category, 'agent of a hostile foreign principal,' covering anyone financed by a foreign-adversary government who engages in Georgia political activity, and requires them to register with the State Ethics Commission within ten days.
- Requires 'foreign supported political organizations,' groups that received money from a hostile foreign principal in the past five years and engage in political activity, to register annually and report spending.
- Requires both types of registrants to file detailed, sworn statements on funding sources, spending, ownership, and activities, updated quarterly on set dates (January 31, April 30, July 31, October 20).
- Lets the State Ethics Commission investigate complaints and impose civil penalties of $10,000 per violation, rising to $10,000-$200,000 for willful or repeat violations.
- Authorizes the Attorney General to sue in superior court for injunctions or penalties, or to open a criminal investigation, when a violation is suspected.
- Exempts pre-1950 membership organizations, trade and professional associations, and entities covered by a federal law requiring divestiture from certain foreign-controlled apps.
Who it affects
People or organizations in Georgia that receive money from, or act on behalf of, governments the U.S. has designated foreign adversaries and that engage in political activity here; this could include lobbyists, advocacy groups, and foreign-linked businesses. The State Ethics Commission and the Attorney General's office would also gain new registration, reporting, and enforcement duties.
Why it matters
If enacted, Georgians would gain public disclosure of who is funding certain foreign-linked political activity in the state, from lobbying agencies to advocacy campaigns. Covered individuals and organizations would face new registration paperwork, quarterly reporting deadlines, and financial penalties, including possible criminal investigation, for failing to comply.
Key provisions
- Section 21-5-91 defines 'hostile foreign country' as one designated a foreign adversary by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and defines 'agent of a hostile foreign principal' and 'foreign supported political organization.'
- Section 21-5-92 requires agents of hostile foreign principals to file a sworn registration statement with the State Ethics Commission within ten days of becoming such an agent, listing addresses, nationality, funding, and activities.
- Section 21-5-92(b)-(c) requires quarterly supplemental updates on January 31, April 30, July 31, and October 20 each year.
- Section 21-5-93 requires foreign supported political organizations to register by December 31 each year and disclose officers, spending, and foreign funding received.
- Section 21-5-94 gives the State Ethics Commission authority to investigate complaints and impose civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation, or $10,000 to $200,000 for willful or repeat violations, and lets the Attorney General sue or open criminal investigations.
- Section 21-5-95 exempts entities covered by the federal Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, including entities referenced in a related presidential executive order.
From the bill
“No person shall act as an agent of a hostile foreign principal unless he or she has filed with the commission a true and complete registration statement and supplements thereto as required by this Code section”
“The commission may assess civil penalties of up to $10,000.00 for each violation of this article”
“'Hostile foreign country' means a country whose government is designated as a foreign adversary by the United States Secretary of Commerce pursuant to 15 C.F.R. Section 7.4.”
Discussed in meetings (6)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House Technology and Infrastructure Innovation Committee, February 23, 2026
From 0:20:50 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The presenter outlined changes to the substitute for SB 177 since the previous session. The presenter said the definition of control would cover additional forms of shares, stock and equity that give a holder authority to direct a company's affairs. The presenter also described revisions to the definition of a foreign-supported political organization intended to clarify which potential bad actors the bill would cover. According to the presenter, reporting deadlines would align with quarterly campaign reports to resolve inconsistencies in the earlier version. The presenter said another provision would exempt certain organizations connected to a qualified divestiture under federal foreign-adversary legislation and a recent executive order. No members asked questions or explained support or opposition. After a voice vote drew opposition, the chair called for a show of hands. The vote was 4–4, and the chair broke the tie in favor, advancing the substitute to the Rules Committee.
House Rules Committee, March 11, 2026
From 0:27:15 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2584
Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee considered placing SB 177 on the next day's House calendar. A member objected, and the chair called a voice vote. Both support and opposition were voiced, and the chair declared that the motion carried. No vote count, explanation of the bill or reason for the objection was given.
House floor session, March 12, 2026 (legislative day 31)
From 1:22:10 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (House Withdrawn, Recommitted)
Summary by Georgia Commons: A committee chair moved to withdraw SB 177 from the floor calendar and return it to the Rules Committee. The clerk read its caption concerning government transparency and campaign finance. The House approved the motion without objection, with no discussion of the bill’s substance.
House Rules Committee, March 16, 2026
From 0:39:41 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The presenter offered a Rules Committee substitute for SB 177 with two changes. The presenter said one added references to contributions or donations to clarify the treatment of campaign funding from foreign adversaries. The other replaced a named list of hostile foreign countries with a reference to federal regulations tied to the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, allowing the covered countries to change with federal policy. A member asked about constitutional concerns, particularly First Amendment rights. The presenter expressed confidence in the bill's constitutionality and said the goal was to keep hostile foreign governments from interfering in elections. The committee approved the substitute without objection, then placed the substituted bill on the floor calendar by voice vote over opposition. No vote count was stated.
House floor session, March 16, 2026 (legislative day 32)
From 1:41:47 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 2663
Summary by Georgia Commons: The presenter said SB 177 would require registration within 10 days for political activity on behalf of hostile foreign principals and disclosure of relevant contributions received during the previous five years. The presenter said it targeted advocacy, not investment or business operations, and exempted trade and professional groups. One member questioned the pre-1950 exemption and its possible application to the NRA. The presenter confirmed that organizations formed before that date would be exempt. Another member relayed business and constitutional concerns. One opponent argued that overlapping federal requirements invited litigation. A second warned of costs to businesses, universities and investment. A third raised speech, association, vague-definition and unequal-treatment concerns. A fourth questioned whether ordinary purchases could trigger reporting. A fifth criticized exemptions and other political funding practices. The minority whip warned of selective enforcement by the attorney general. Supporters argued that disclosure protected voters, complemented federal law and resembled requirements upheld elsewhere. During voting, another member asked about employees and churches, without receiving a substantive clarification. The House withdrew the committee substitute, adopted the Rules substitute and passed the bill 98-65.
Status timeline
- House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
- House Third Readers (House)
- House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- House Withdrawn, Recommitted (House)
- House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
- House Second Readers (House)
- House First Readers (House)
Show full history (15 actions)
- Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Third Read (Senate)
- Senate Engrossed (Senate)
- Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
- Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
- Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-31)
- John Albers (R, SD-56)
- Max Burns (R, SD-23)
- Randy Robertson (R, SD-29)
- Rick Williams (R, SD-25)
- Sam Watson (R, SD-11)
- Lee Anderson (R, SD-24)
- Shawn Still (R, SD-48)
- Ed Setzler (R, SD-37)
- Billy Hickman (R, SD-4)
- Mike Hodges (R, SD-3)
- Ben Watson (R, SD-1)
- Bill Cowsert (R, SD-46)
- Clint Dixon (R, SD-45)
- Carden Summers (R, SD-13)
- Timothy Bearden (R, SD-30)
- Marty Harbin (R, SD-16)
- Steve Gooch (R, SD-51)
- Joseph Gullett (R, HD-19)
Votes
- Senate voteMarch 4, 2025
29 yea, 17 nay (4 not voting, 6 excused)
- Senate voteMarch 4, 2025
36 yea, 18 nay (0 not voting, 2 excused)
- House voteMarch 16, 2026
98 yea, 65 nay (3 not voting, 10 excused)
Topics
- campaign finance
- foreign influence
- government transparency
- state ethics commission
- political disclosure