---
title: SB 18. State Officials; daily expense accounts; revise provisions
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb18
cite_as: SB 18, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb18
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb18.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb18/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69403
date: 2025-01-17
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 95
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb18.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 18
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-01-16
last_action: Senate Read and Referred
sponsors:
- John Albers
- Carden Summers
- Mike Hodges
- Chuck Hufstetler
- Kay Kirkpatrick
- Max Burns
- Shawn Still
- Marty Harbin
- Josh McLaurin
- Elena Parent
- Jason Esteves
- Nan Orrock
- Billy Hickman
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB18/2025
upstream_id: 1926039
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- state legislator pay
- legislative expenses
- government spending
- General Assembly rules
---
# SB 18. State Officials; daily expense accounts; revise provisions
## Text
Senate Bill 18
By: Senators Albers of the 56th, Summers of the 13th, Hodges of the 3rd, Hufstetler of the
52nd, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Code Section 45-7-4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to annual
salaries of certain state officials and cost-of-living adjustments, so as to revise provisions
related to daily expense accounts of members of the General Assembly; to provide for related
matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Code Section 45-7-4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to annual salaries
of certain state officials and cost-of-living adjustments, is amended by revising
subparagraph (a)(22)(C) as follows:
"(C) In addition to any other compensation and allowances authorized for members of
the General Assembly, each member may be reimbursed for per diem differential and
for actual expenses incurred in the performance of duties as a member of the General
Assembly in an amount not to exceed $7,000.00 $33,000.00 per year for each senator
and not to exceed $11,000.00 per year for each representative. Expenses reimbursable
up to such amount shall be limited to one or more of the following purposes: lodging,
meals, per diem differential, postage, personal services, printing and publications, rents,
supplies (including software), telecommunications, transportation, utilities, purchasing
or leasing of equipment, and other reasonable expenditures directly related to the
performance of a member's duties. If equipment purchased by a member has a
depreciated value of $100.00 or less when such member leaves office, the equipment
does not need to be returned to the state. No reimbursement shall be made for any
postage which is used for a political newsletter. No reimbursement shall be paid for
lodging or meals for any day for which a member receives the daily expense allowance
as provided in this paragraph. Eligible expenses shall be reimbursed following the
submission of vouchers to the legislative fiscal office in compliance with the
requirements of this subparagraph and subject to the provisions of subparagraph (E) of
this paragraph. Such vouchers shall be submitted in such form and manner as
prescribed by the Legislative Services Committee pursuant to subparagraph (E) of this
paragraph, provided that each such voucher shall be accompanied by a supporting
document or documents, or legible copies thereof, showing payment for each expense
claimed or an explanation of the absence of such documentation; in addition, each such
voucher shall include a certification by the member that the information contained in
such voucher and supporting document or documents, or legible copies thereof, is true
and correct and that such expenses were incurred by the member. The provisions of
Code Section 16-10-20 shall be applicable to any person submitting such certified
vouchers and supporting documents or copies the same as if the General Assembly
were a department or agency of state government. No such voucher or supporting
document shall be required for per diem differential."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
A Georgia Senate bill would raise the yearly cap on reimbursable expenses for General Assembly members, setting a new limit of $33,000 per year for senators and $11,000 per year for representatives.
### Plain-language summary
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.
### What it does
- 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.
### Who it affects
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.
### Why it matters
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.
### Key provisions
- 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.
## Status
- Status: Introduced (2025-01-16)
- Last action: Senate Read and Referred (2025-01-17)
- Sponsors: John Albers, Carden Summers, Mike Hodges, Chuck Hufstetler, Kay Kirkpatrick, Max Burns, Shawn Still, Marty Harbin, Josh McLaurin, Elena Parent, Jason Esteves, Nan Orrock, Billy Hickman
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69403
> The history, votes, and amendments (95 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb18.md?full=1