Lobbyists spend big on Georgia lawmakers’ summer travel

High gas prices and other rising costs have made travel more expensive. But one annual summer tradition showed no signs of abating in Georgia.

Dozens of Georgia lawmakers had their trips to the beach and other locales paid for by lobbyists for some of the state’s most powerful interests. Those interests spent nearly $85,000 on lodging, meals and other travel expenses for elected officials in recent months, lobbyist reports show.

Lobbyist spending helped pay for elected officials’ getaways to Florida beaches, Chicago and other destinations.

Lobbyists say the trips provide policymakers an invaluable education on important issues.

“It is always important for elected officials to hear directly from industry leaders who provide food to millions of Georgians every day,” said Kathy Kuzava, president of the Georgia Food Industry Association, which hosted lawmakers at its Miramar Beach, Florida, convention in July.

Critics say summer trips are another way for special interests to cozy up to lawmakers, and the interests of ordinary Georgians aren’t always the agenda.

“A retiree in Gainesville or a small-business owner in Macon, they don’t necessarily get three days with their legislator at a resort,” said Kyle Gomez-Leineweber, policy director for the government watchdog group Common Cause Georgia.

Georgia law requires professional lobbyists to register with the state and disclose spending to influence public officials. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reviewed lobbyist spending from mid-May through August.

The AJC found lobbyists spent about $45,000 on lodging, $23,000 on meals and $16,000 on other travel-related expenses over the summer. That’s comparable to the amount they spent on similar summer trips for public officials last year.

Those totals don’t include tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of meals and other more routine spending lobbyists reported that didn’t involve travel.

This summer lobbyists paid at least part of the cost for lawmakers and other state officials to attend a dozen events as far away as Chicago. A few stand out.

The Georgia Chamber of Commerce and other groups spent at least $28,000 on lodging and meals for more than two dozen public officials to attend its annual Spring Government Affairs Council meeting at Amelia Island, Florida, in June. According to its website, the chamber’s legislative priorities include maintaining tax incentives for economic development, policies that reduce lawsuit costs and preserving Georgia’s existing regulatory structure for electric service — all of which have been hot-button political issues in recent years.

The conference attracted both Democrats and Republicans. Two lawmakers who attended the event — Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte, R-Dallas, and House Minority Whip Sam Park, D-Lawrenceville — did not respond to requests for comment about the trip. The Georgia Chamber of Commerce also did not respond to requests for comment.

The Georgia Food Industry Association and other industry groups spent about $14,000 to host seven elected officials at the Miramar Beach convention. Kuzava said the event “brings together grocery retailers, industry partners and legislators to discuss supply chain challenges, food insecurity and other critical topics.”

According to its website, the group’s legislative priorities also include limiting the industry’s regulatory burden on issues ranging from alcohol licensing to minimum wage laws.

Two legislators who attended the event — Senate Committee on Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Chairman Russ Goodman, R-Cogdell, and House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley, D-Columbus — did not respond to requests for comment.

Even when they weren’t paying for lodging or travel, lobbyists helped cover substantial costs for meals at some events.

In July lawmakers from across the region met in Lexington, Kentucky, for the Council of State Governments’ Southern Legislative Conference. More than two dozen Georgia legislators attended the event, where they heard presentations on everything from data centers to gas taxes to income tax cuts — all of which were big issues in the legislative session that had wrapped up a few months earlier.

Auto dealers, artificial intelligence companies, private prison operators and other interests spent nearly $8,000 on meals and receptions for Georgia lawmakers, the AJC found.