Both the Georgia House and Senate had a great opportunity to clean up how business is done under the Gold Dome this session and in all three cases it looks like our elected officials have shown little or no interest in doing so.

SB 458, HB798 and HB 1105 would address lobbyists’ gifts to our elected officials.

Some of the gifts include paid trips to attend special conferences, free lunches and dinners and free admittance to expensive and private get-togethers in the state and around the country and oversees.

On any given day you visit the Capitol you will spot free food and special gifts placed on you legislator’s desk.

We accept that this type of lobbing has gone on from the start of our Republic, but it doesn’t mean that it has to continue.

Both legislative bodies of our elected legislature should have the courage and fortitude to ban these types of gifts.
Sadly in this term, that type of leadership is lacking.

It’s interesting to see that in general legislators can take great pride in legislating your personal ethics, but for some reason can’t control their own ethics.