HB1235: HB1235 Elections; candidates and certain committees that receive more than 50 percent of their funding from non-Georgia persons shall provide certain notices on their campaign advertisements; provide

Georgia campaign finance law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 5 of Title 21) currently does not require candidates or committees to disclose how much of their money comes from outside Georgia. This bill would change that. If a candidate, campaign committee, independent committee, or leadership committee gets more than 50 percent of its contributions in an election cycle from 'non-Georgia persons,' it would have to add a notice to its campaign ads once that threshold is crossed, stating that the ad was paid for by out-of-state interests. The bill also defines who counts as a 'non-Georgia person' based on voter registration, state tax payments, and business registration, and adds a definition for 'electioneering communication.' All covered candidates and committees, regardless of the 50 percent threshold, would have to post a pie chart on their website showing the split between in-state and out-of-state contributions, updated monthly. Violations would be treated as unlawful and subject to civil or criminal penalties already in state law. The Act would take effect immediately upon the Governor's signature or becoming law without it.

• Requires candidates and campaign, independent, and leadership committees that get over 50 percent of their funding from non-Georgia persons to label affected ads as paid for by out-of-state interests.
• Sets format rules for the notice: same or larger font than the rest of a print ad, or read aloud at the end of radio and TV ads.
• Requires all covered candidates and committees to post a monthly-updated pie chart on their website showing the in-state versus out-of-state share of their contributions.
• Defines 'non-Georgia person' using tests like voter registration, state income tax payments, and business registration with the Secretary of State.
• Adds a definition of 'electioneering communication' covering paid ads referencing a candidate or ballot measure within 120 days of an election that exceed $1,000.
• Makes failing to post the notice or the website disclosure a violation subject to existing civil penalties (O.C.G.A. § 21-5-6) or criminal penalties (O.C.G.A. § 21-5-9).

Candidates for Georgia office, their campaign committees, independent committees, and leadership committees; donors whose in-state or out-of-state status determines whether the disclosure rules apply; and broadcasters, print outlets, and websites running the affected political ads.

Voters would see a direct label on some political ads showing they were funded mostly by out-of-state money, and could check a campaign's website for a running breakdown of in-state versus out-of-state donations, changing what information reaches the public before elections.

• Section 1 amends definitions in O.C.G.A. § 21-5-3, adding 'electioneering communication' and detailed criteria for what makes a person or entity a 'non-Georgia person.'
• Section 2 rewrites O.C.G.A. § 21-5-31 to require the out-of-state funding notice on ads once the 50 percent threshold is crossed in an election cycle.
• Section 2 also requires a monthly-updated pie chart on candidate and committee websites showing the in-state/out-of-state funding split.
• Section 2 makes noncompliance a violation, with each instance treated as a separate offense subject to civil or criminal penalties under existing code sections.
• Section 3 sets the effective date as upon the Governor's approval or upon becoming law without approval.
• Section 4 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-02-10House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-02-09House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-02-06House Hopper (House)

• Scott Hilton (R, HD-048)Primary sponsor
• Martin Momtahan (R, HD-017)
• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)
• Joseph Gullett (R, HD-019)
• Tangie Herring (D, HD-145)
• Sandy Donatucci (R, HD-105)

• campaign finance
• election rules
• political advertising
• out-of-state donors
• transparency