SB 18: State Officials; daily expense accounts; revise provisions

Under current Georgia law, members of the General Assembly can be reimbursed up to $7,000 per year for expenses tied to their legislative duties, such as lodging, meals, postage, supplies, and equipment. This bill rewrites part of that law (O.C.G.A. § 45-7-4) to raise those limits substantially and to set separate caps depending on the chamber. Instead of one $7,000 cap for all members, the bill would allow each senator to be reimbursed up to $33,000 per year and each representative up to $11,000 per year. The rest of the reimbursement rules stay the same: covered expenses still include lodging, meals, per diem differential, postage, supplies, telecommunications, and equipment, vouchers must still be submitted to the legislative fiscal office with supporting documentation, and false certifications remain subject to Georgia's false statement law (O.C.G.A. § 16-10-20). The bill repeals any conflicting laws.

• Raises the annual reimbursement cap for General Assembly members' expenses from $7,000 to a chamber-specific amount.
• Sets the new cap at $33,000 per year for each senator, an increase from the previous flat $7,000 limit.
• Sets the new cap at $11,000 per year for each representative, also an increase from the previous flat limit.
• Leaves unchanged the list of reimbursable expenses, including lodging, meals, postage, supplies, telecommunications, and equipment purchases.
• Keeps the existing voucher, documentation, and certification requirements administered by the legislative fiscal office and Legislative Services Committee.

Members of the Georgia Senate and House of Representatives, who would see their annual expense reimbursement limits change, and the legislative fiscal office and Legislative Services Committee, which process and set rules for the expense vouchers.

The change would let senators claim up to roughly four times the current reimbursement limit and representatives about 57 percent more, meaning lawmakers could recover more of their own spending on lodging, meals, supplies, and equipment tied to legislative work, funded through the state budget.

• Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 45-7-4(a)(22)(C), striking the existing $7,000 annual cap for all members.
• The new language sets the cap at $33,000 per year for each senator and $11,000 per year for each representative.
• The bill keeps the existing rule that reimbursable expenses include lodging, meals, per diem differential, postage, personal services, printing, rents, supplies, telecommunications, transportation, utilities, and equipment.
• Existing safeguards remain: equipment worth $100 or less in depreciated value need not be returned, and no reimbursement is allowed for postage used on political newsletters.
• Vouchers must still be submitted to the legislative fiscal office with supporting documentation and a certification of accuracy, subject to Georgia's false statement law (O.C.G.A. § 16-10-20).
• Section 2 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-01-17Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2025-01-16Senate Hopper (Senate)

• John Albers (R, SD-056)Primary sponsor
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• Mike Hodges (R, SD-003)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• Marty Harbin (R, SD-016)
• Josh McLaurin (D, SD-014)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Jason Esteves (D, SD-035)
• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)

• state legislator pay
• legislative expenses
• government spending
• General Assembly rules