Georgia lawmakers have wasted little time this year pushing for limits on lobbyist gifts.
As the General Assembly got under way last week, the state Senate set a $100 cap on lobbyist gifts to its members. Legislators’ first day also saw the filing of Senate Bill 36, which if passed would enact an even wider ban on lobbyist gifts. A copy of the legislation is attached to this article.
The bill, which is sponsored by State Sen. Bill Heath, R-Bremen, and State Sen. Bill Cowsert, R-Athens, would prohibit any gift from a lobbyist to a public officer in the state. According to Heath, current state law defines a gift as something with a value in excess of $100.
The Senate rule passed before SB 36’s filing is not without its loopholes. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in its report on the Senate’s gift cap notes that even under the rule, gifts worth more than $100 could be made to an entire committee or subcommittee. And the cap does not apply to family members or Senate staffers.
The AJC’s “Political Insider,” Jim Galloway, says there is a “fundamental situation” amid the moves to limit lobbyist gifts—a low legislator pay rate. He reports that the state’s lawmakers earn $17,342 a year before their per diem, which brings their pay to about $24,000 annually.
“We need to start paying a decent salary to these 236 lawmakers sent to Atlanta each year,” Galloway said.
One argument supporting higher legislator pay, Galloway adds, ties into the gift issue: If lawmakers earned more, they “would be less likely to feel entitled to the free meals, booze, and tickets to concerts and football games” given by lobbyists.
Is a law limiting lobbyist gifts to public officials necessary? Would a law banning such gifts be successful in making government more ethical?
Would increasing legislator pay make lawmakers less likely to accept gifts? Should state leaders consider a pay bump, or should they look at other changes first?
Share what’s on your mind with us, and then return here to see what your neighbors in Paulding, Douglas and Cobb have said.
See NRA, NAAACP, AFLCIO, Green movement, Auto Industry, Big Health, Big Business, Big Energy, Big Religion, Big Ethnic, and any of the subsequent minor groups within each - they run the country, not We the People..
The Center for Public Integrity and Global Integrity ranked this state last in the country for the strength of its laws on public corruption and government openness. From Jan 1st - Mar 31st 2012 lobbyists gave legislators about $9,500 per day in gifts. Two of the city's council members were lobbyists. Teri Anulewicz (Ward 3) and Ron Fennel (Ward 7).
Total Dollars Contributed to Date: $25,269,638 70% of Reports Collected See the Grid
"Relationship building" and "Educating" are all well and good, but the fact remains that gifts get them in the door to exert that influence, one side or the other, or many times both. Lobbying is legally accepted bribery.. Nothing more..
www.buyuniquegifts.net/