HB1178: HB1178 Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee of the House of Representatives; establish

Georgia law currently has a reserved, unused code section (O.C.G.A. § 28-5-5) in the part of state law dealing with financial affairs. This bill fills that section by creating a new House committee, the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee, made up of 19 House members chosen under House rules, including the chair of the House Appropriations Committee. The committee would meet with the Governor and the Office of Planning and Budget on the state's strategic planning process, review departmental strategic plans, track spending not covered by the annual budget act, and look at state and agency liabilities. It would issue an annual report and written summaries before the General Appropriations Act is adopted each year, and it could request performance audits of state or local entities that receive state funds, subject to the Speaker's approval. The bill also lets the committee call officials and agency heads to answer questions about its findings, at the Speaker's discretion.

• Creates the Budget and Fiscal Affairs Oversight Committee within the Georgia House of Representatives, made up of 19 members including the Appropriations Committee chair.
• Directs the committee to consult with the Governor and the Office of Planning and Budget on the state's strategic planning process and program evaluation measures.
• Requires the committee to review state and department strategic plans, unbudgeted spending, and state or agency liabilities.
• Requires an annual report and written executive summaries before the state budget (the General Appropriations Act) is adopted each year.
• Allows the committee to request performance audits, including by third-party auditors, of state or local entities receiving state funds, paid for with House funds.
• Lets the committee, at the Speaker's discretion, call elected officials, agency heads, county officials, or school superintendents to address its findings.

Members of the Georgia House of Representatives who serve on or interact with the new committee, the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget, heads of state budget units and agencies, and local governments, county commissioners, county managers, and school superintendents who could be called before the committee.

The bill sets up an ongoing House mechanism to track how state agencies spend money between legislative sessions, including spending outside the normal budget process, and gives the committee power to trigger audits and question officials, which could shape budget decisions before each session.

• Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 28-5-5 to create the 19-member committee, appointed under House rules within ten days of the General Assembly convening in odd-numbered years.
• The Speaker of the House appoints the committee chairperson, and the committee may meet up to nine times a year between sessions.
• The committee reviews strategic plans, unbudgeted receipts or expenditures, other requested information, and state or agency liabilities.
• The Office of Planning and Budget and budget unit heads must cooperate with and provide information to the committee.
• The committee must deliver an annual report and executive summaries to the General Assembly and Governor before the budget act is adopted, funded by House appropriations.
• The committee can request performance audits of state or local entities receiving state funds, subject to Speaker approval and paid from House funds.
• The committee can call elected officials, agency staff, county officials, or school superintendents to address its findings, at the Speaker's discretion.
• Section 2 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-03-06Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
2. 2026-03-04House Passed/Adopted By Substitute (House)
3. 2026-03-04House Third Readers (House)
4. 2026-02-25House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (House)
5. 2026-02-05House Second Readers (House)
6. 2026-02-04House First Readers (House)
7. 2026-02-03House Hopper (House)

• Mitchell Horner (R, HD-003)Primary sponsor
• Steve Tarvin (R, HD-002)
• Holt Persinger (R, HD-119)
• Mitchell Scoggins (R, HD-014)
• Jason Ridley (R, HD-006)
• Charlice Byrd (R, HD-020)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 4, 2026

   158 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 18 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #647

• state budget oversight
• House of Representatives committees
• government spending
• performance audits
• legislative oversight