Members of the Georgia State Senate Government Oversight Committee this week passed two pieces of legislation that they said will restrict public officials from certain privileges if and when any court officials indict them on felony charges.
State Sen. Larry Walker (R-Perry) sponsored both bills, according to the Georgia General Assembly’s website.
Members of the State Senate Rules Committee will soon consider both pieces of legislation, Senate Bill 218 and Senate Resolution 134.
“Under the provisions of the two pieces of legislation, compensation for a public official indicted for a felony and suspended from office would cease to be paid pending the final outcome of their case,” according to a press release that members of the Georgia General Assembly posted on their website.
“SR 134 would propose an amendment to the Georgia Constitution and if passed, the option to suspend compensation would be offered on ballots to Georgia voters.”
Walker said in the press release that SB 218 and SR 134 “are two bipartisan measures that work in tandem to guarantee that funds are being utilized in the best manner and are not being provided to individuals who are no longer performing their duties.”
According to Ballotpedia, members of the Georgia House of Representatives or the Georgia State Senate can propose amending the state constitution. Exactly two-thirds of the membership of each chamber must approve the proposed amendment before passing it along to Georgia voters. Voters may only vote on proposed amendments during general elections of even-numbered years.
Georgia legislators have submitted another piece of legislation that they said will clamp down on alleged acts of public corruption.
As The Georgia Star News reported last week, a new bill in the Georgia General Assembly would provide the State Election Board with greater powers to suspend, appoint, and replace superintendents who oversee elections at the city or county level. The Georgia General Assembly’s website identifies State Rep. Barry Fleming (R-Harlem) as the sole sponsor.
Under Fleming’s bill, members of the State Election Board may suspend a county or municipal superintendent if at least three members of the board agree on two things. First, that the superintendent violated at least three board rules and regulations in the past two election cycles and not remedied them. Second, that the superintendent has, for at least two elections within a two-year period, shown nonfeasance, malfeasance, or gross negligence administering elections.
– – –
Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “State Senator Larry Walker” by the Georgia General Assembly and “Georgia State Senate Chamber” is by DXR CC4.0
