1. Day 153rd 2. Walker 141st
HB 1225 LC 18 8960S
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1 To amend Title 28 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
2 relating to the General Assembly, so as to provide for
3 training of members of the General Assembly; to provide for
4 a short title; to provide for legislative intent; to provide
5 for definitions; to provide for a course of training; to
6 provide for expenses; to provide for creation, powers,
7 duties, and authority of the Georgia General Assembly
8 Training Institute; to provide for funding; to provide for
9 reports; to provide for related matters; to provide an
10 effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
11 purposes.
12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
13 SECTION 1.
14 Title 28 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
15 to the General Assembly, is amended by adding a new chapter
16 at the end thereof, to be designated Chapter 11, to read as
17 follows:
18 "CHAPTER 11
19 28-11-1.
20 This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the
21 'Ethics and Efficiency in Government Act.'
22 28-11-2.
23 The General Assembly finds and declares that it is in the
24 fundamental interests of the citizens of Georgia and of
25 the legislature as an equal branch of state government to
26 foster the knowledge, professionalism, and standards of
27 its membership.
28 28-11-3.
29 As used in this chapter, the term:
30 (1) 'Board' means the board of the Georgia General
31 Assembly Training Institute.
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1 (2) 'Institute' means the Georgia General Assembly
2 Training Institute.
3 (3) 'Member of the General Assembly' means either an
4 incumbent member or member-elect of the House of
5 Representatives or Senate.
6 (4) 'Vinson Institute' means the Carl Vinson Institute
7 of Government of the University of Georgia.
8 28-11-4.
9 (a) All members of the General Assembly shall be
10 authorized and encouraged to attend and complete a series
11 of instructional classes or courses relating to the
12 organization and operation of state government in general,
13 and the role and powers of the General Assembly in
14 particular. Such courses or classes shall include, but
15 not be limited to, such general topics as the Georgia
16 Constitution, the role of each branch of state government,
17 the organization of state government, the role of state
18 government in the U.S. federal system, the relationship of
19 state and local government, sources of state and local
20 revenue, and the state budgeting process. Additionally,
21 such courses or classes shall include, but not be limited
22 to, topics specifically related to the General Assembly,
23 such as constitutional and statutory law, bill drafting,
24 the legislative process, committee operations,
25 parliamentary rules of procedure, the appropriation
26 process, legislative customs and traditions, duties and
27 responsibilities of members, ethics and rules of conduct,
28 legislative oversight of the executive branch, local
29 legislation, constituent service, legislative use of
30 computers, the Internet, distance learning, public policy
31 issues on the legislative agenda, and such other matters
32 as deemed necessary and appropriate by the board.
33 (b) All expenses incurred by an incumbent member of the
34 General Assembly related to the course of training and
35 education authorized by subsection (a) of this Code
36 section, including the reasonable costs of housing,
37 travel, meals, instructors, and instructional materials,
38 may be paid from state funds appropriated to the
39 legislative branch for such purposes or from other such
40 funds as become available. In addition, all such expenses
41 shall constitute ordinary and necessary expenses for
42 purposes of subsection (a) of Code Section 21-5-33 and may
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1 be reimbursed to members-elect of the General Assembly
2 from campaign contributions.
3 28-11-5.
4 (a) There is created and established in the legislative
5 branch of government the Georgia General Assembly Training
6 Institute. All costs of operating and conducting the
7 institute shall be paid for from state funds appropriated
8 for such purposes or from other such funds as become
9 available.
10 (b) With professional staff assistance from the Vinson
11 Institute, the board shall have the power, duty, and
12 authority to design, implement, and administer the course
13 of training and education authorized by Code Section
14 28-11-4.
15 (c) The courses of training and education authorized by
16 Code Section 28-11-4 shall be conducted by the institute
17 under such rules, regulations, procedures, policies,
18 requirements, and standards as prescribed from time to
19 time by the board. The initial course each biennium shall
20 be the current Biennial Institute for Georgia Legislators
21 at the University of Georgia's Center for Continuing
22 Education in Athens. Participation in the Biennial
23 Institute shall be required to participate in other
24 courses conducted by the institute, except as provided in
25 subsection (d) of this Code section.
26 (d) The board shall establish guidelines and procedures to
27 permit any member of the General Assembly who is unable to
28 attend or complete one or more of the courses of training
29 and education offered by the institute due to medical
30 disability, providential cause, or any other reason deemed
31 sufficient by the board to participate in the remaining
32 courses of education and training provided for under Code
33 Section 28-11-4 for the biennium.
34 (e) The board shall perform such other duties and have
35 such other powers and authority as may be necessary and
36 proper or as prescribed by general law.
37 28-11-6.
38 (a) The institute shall be under the direction and
39 supervision of the board of the Georgia General Assembly
40 Training Institute. The board shall have the power and
41 duty to organize and advise the institute so that the
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LC 18 8960S
1 institute is operated in accordance with the provisions of
2 this chapter.
3 (b) The board shall consist of seven members and shall be
4 composed of six members appointed by the Legislative
5 Services Committee and the director of the Vinson
6 Institute who shall serve as an ex officio, nonvoting
7 member. In appointing members of the board, the
8 Legislative Services Committee shall select three members
9 from each house and shall attempt to broadly reflect the
10 composition of the General Assembly.
11 28-11-7.
12 The board is authorized to make such contracts, leases, or
13 agreements as may be necessary and convenient to carry out
14 the duties and purposes for which the board is created.
15 The board is authorized to enter into contracts, leases,
16 or agreements with any person, firm, corporation, agency,
17 or educational institution upon such terms and for such
18 purposes as may be deemed advisable by the board.
19 28-11-8.
20 On or before February 1 of each year, the board shall file
21 a report to the members of the Legislative Services
22 Committee. The report shall include a summary of the
23 accomplishments of the institute during the preceding
24 calendar year, including, but not limited to, the total
25 number of members of the General Assembly who attended the
26 course of training and education offered by the institute;
27 an outline of the institute's programs for the current
28 calendar year; an evaluation of the programs and services
29 offered by the institute; and recommendations, if any, for
30 legislation as may be necessary to improve the programs
31 and services offered by the institute."
32 SECTION 2.
33 This Act shall become effective upon its approval by the
34 Governor or upon its becoming law without such approval.
35 SECTION 3.
36 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are
37 repealed.
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