---
title: O.C.G.A. § 21-5-40. Definitions.
collection: code
id: 21-5-40
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 21-5-40 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-5-40
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-5-40.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-5-40/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t21-(v18)-2023-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=868a5c43_0#page=731
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-5.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-5-36.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/21-5-41.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: ELECTIONS / GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE / CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICE
---

# O.C.G.A. § 21-5-40. Definitions.

As used in this article, the term:

(1) “Affiliated committees” means any two or more political committees (including a separate segregated fund) established, financed, maintained, or controlled by the same business entity, labor organization, person, or group of persons, including any parent, subsidiary, branch, division, department, or local unit thereof.

(2) “Affiliated corporation” means with respect to any business entity any other business entity related thereto: as a parent business entity; as a subsidiary business entity; as a sister business entity; by common ownership or control; or by control of one business entity by the other.

(3) “Business entity” shall have the same meaning as provided in Code Section 21-5-3.

(4) Reserved.

(5) “Person” means an individual.

(6) “Political committee” means: (A) any partnership, committee, club, association, organization, party caucus of the House of Representatives or the Senate, or similar entity (other than a business entity) or any other group of persons or entities which makes a contribution; or (B) any separate segregated fund.

(6.1) “Political party” means any political party as that term is defined in paragraph (25) of Code Section 21-2-2, as amended; provided, however, that for purposes of this article, local, state, and national committees shall be separate political parties.

(6.2) “Public office” means the office of each elected public officer as specified in paragraph (22) of Code Section 21-5-3.

(7) “Separate segregated fund” means a fund which is established, administered, and used for political purposes by a business entity, labor organization, membership organization, or cooperative and to which the business entity, labor organization, membership organization, or cooperative solicits contributions.

## History

Code 1981, § 21-5-40, enacted by Ga. L. 1990, p. 922, § 6; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1075, § 7; Ga. L. 1994, p. 258, § 11; Ga. L. 1998, p. 295, § 3; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1491, § 4; Ga. L. 2001, p. 20, § 1; Ga. L. 2005, p. 859, § 15/HB 48; Ga. L. 2010, p. 1173, § 14/SB 17.

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2000, p. 1491, § 5, not codified by the General Assembly, provides for severability.

Ga. L. 2000, p. 1491, § 6, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that for purposes of issuing rules and regulations, that Act became effective May 1, 2000.

Ga. L. 2005, p. 859, § 28/HB 48, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that the Act shall not apply to any violation occurring prior to January 9, 2006.

Ga. L. 2010, p. 1173, § 1/SB 17, not codified by the General Assembly, provides: “This Act shall be known and may be cited as the ‘Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Act of 2010.’”

Ga. L. 2010, p. 1173, § 30/SB 17, not codified by the General Assembly, provides, in part, that the amendment to this Code section applies to all reports filed on and after January 10, 2011.

## Law Reviews

For article, “Georgia Campaign Finance and Disclosure Law,” see 27 Ga. St. B. J. 175 (1991).

For note on the 1992 amendment of this Code section, see 9 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 247 (1992).

For article on the 2005 amendment of this Code section, see 22 Ga. St. U. L. Rev. 119 (2005).