Bill would require lawmakers to report gifts

The onus of reporting lobbyist gifts would shift from the giver to the recipient under legislation introduced in the state House.

Rep. Rusty Kidd, I-Milledgeville, filed House Bill 61 on Wednesday. The bill says lobbyists, who now must report gifts to lawmakers every two weeks during the legislative session, would no longer face that chore.

Instead, lawmakers and other elected state officials would be required to file quarterly reports that detail any gift they received — from lobbyists or anyone else.

House Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, has promised an ethics bill in the first five legislative days. He has said he supports a ban on all lobbyist gifts.

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