The legislature passed comprehensive ethics reform (Senate Bill 17) in the 2010 legislative session.  The law becomes effective on January 10, 2011.  The most significant changes in the law for county officials are:

 

·         Mandatory electronic filing of Personal Financial Disclosures (PFDs) and Campaign Contribution Disclosure Reports (CCDRs) with the State Ethics Commission (SEC).

·         Reports are electronically filed directly by the candidate/elected official with the SEC.  Elected officials must complete the forms individually and forms cannot be completed by county employees.

·         Elected officials must supply a current, non-governmental email address to the SEC.

 

Elected officials must fill out, have notarized and mail to the SEC the PIN application that applies to both CCDRs and PFDs.  Only one form needs to be completed and it is titled: CCDR & FD Electronic Filing Access Code CANDIDATES/OFFICE HOLDERS ONLY.  It is available on the SEC website by clicking here.   Please note:  the PIN application requests a current email address, and the email address may not be a government email address.

 

The SEC encourages elected officials to contact the Education Division with any questions about filling out forms and filing.  The following individuals are available to help: Director of Education and Information Belinda Godwin at BGODWIN@ETHIC.GA.GOV and Education Coordinator Maria Bazile at  mbazile@ethics.ga.gov.  They can also be reached by calling (404) 463-1980. 

 

More information is available at www.ethics.ga.gov.

 

In addition, the State Ethic Commission recently gave a presentation to the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA) on the steps local officials need to take to comple with the new ethics reform law.  To view the presentation, click here.