---
title: O.C.G.A. § 45-10-20. Definitions.
collection: code
id: 45-10-20
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 45-10-20 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-10-20
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date: 2025
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heading_path: PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES / CODES OF ETHICS AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST / CONFLICTS OF INTEREST / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 45-10-20. Definitions.

As used in this part, the term:

(1) ‘‘Agency’’ means any agency, authority, department, board, bureau, commission, committee, office, or instrumentality of the State of Georgia but shall not mean a political subdivision of the State of Georgia.

(2) ‘‘Business’’ means any corporation, partnership, proprietorship, firm, enterprise, franchise, association, organization, self-employed individual, trust, or other legal entity.

(3) ‘‘Employee’’ means any person who, pursuant to a written or oral contract, is employed by an agency.

(4) ‘‘Family’’ means spouse and dependents.

(5) ‘‘Full-time’’ means 30 hours of work for the state per week for more than 26 weeks per calendar year.

(6) ‘‘Limited powers’’ means those powers other than state-wide powers.

(7) ‘‘Part-time’’ means any amount of work other than full-time work.

(8) ‘‘Person’’ means any person, corporation, partnership, proprietorship, firm, enterprise, franchise, association, organization, or other legal entity.

(9) ‘‘Public official’’ means any person elected to a state office and means any person appointed to a state office where in the conduct of such office the person so appointed has administrative and discretionary authority to receive and expend public funds and to perform certain functions concerning the public which are assigned to him or her by law.

(10) ‘‘State-wide powers’’ means those powers exercised by public officials which affect and influence all of state government. Public officials who exercise such powers include but are not limited to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, members of the General Assembly, Justices of the Supreme Court, Judges of the Court of Appeals, the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the state auditor, the state accounting officer, the commissioner of administrative services, members of the State Personnel Board, the director of the Office of Planning and Budget, judges of the superior courts, and district attorneys.

(11) ‘‘Substantial interest’’ means the direct or indirect ownership of more than 25 percent of the assets or stock of any business.

(12) ‘‘Transact business’’ or ‘‘transact any business’’ means to sell or lease any personal property, real property, or services on behalf of oneself or on behalf of any third party as an agent, broker, dealer, or representative and means to purchase surplus real or personal property on behalf of oneself or on behalf of any third party as an agent, broker, dealer, or representative.

## History

Code 1981, § 45-10-20, enacted by Ga. L. 1983, p. 1326, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 22, § 45; Ga. L. 1984, p. 1337, § 1; Ga. L. 2005, p. 694, § 36/HB 293; Ga. L. 2009, p. 745, § 2/SB 97; Ga. L. 2012, p. 446, § 2-71/HB 642.

## Code Commission Notes

Pursuant to Code Section 28-9-5, in 1985, ‘‘administrative services’’ was substituted for ‘‘the Department of Administrative Services’’ in paragraph (10).

## Editor's Notes

Ga. L. 2012, p. 446, § 3-1/HB 642, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: ‘‘Personnel, equipment, and facilities that were assigned to the State Personnel Administration as of June 30, 2012, shall be transferred to the Department of Administrative Services on the effective date of this Act.’’ This Act became effective July 1, 2012.

Ga. L. 2012, p. 446, § 3-2/HB 642, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: ‘‘Appropriations for functions which are transferred by this Act may be transferred as provided in Code Section 45-12-90.’’

## Law Reviews

For article, ‘‘Conflicts of Interests of Public Officers and Employees,’’ see 13 Ga. St. B.J. 64 (1976).