A public hearing was held on April 1, 2021 in Room 606 at the Coverdell Legislative Office Building, 18 Capitol Square SW, Atlanta, GA 30334 to provide the public an opportunity to comment upon and provide input into the proposed advisory opinion.
NOTICE OF INTENT TO ADOPT ADVISORY OPINION NO. 2020-04
In response to an advisory opinion request submitted on December 7, 2020, by Ms. Joyce Gist Lewis, the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission advises that a candidate for public office, including incumbent public officers seeking election to a new office, may not accept campaign contributions, nor make campaign expenditures, for their campaign for new office prior to the filing of a Declaration of Intention to Accept Campaign Contributions (“DOI”) pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 21-5-30(g). Likewise, a candidate for public office, including incumbent public officers seeking election to a new office, may not solicit or accept in-kind campaign contributions and/or in-kind campaign expenditures, irrespective of the purpose of said in-kind transactions, prior to the filing of a DOI pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 21-5-30(g). Finally, a candidate for public office, including a public officer seeking reelection or election to a new office, may not utilize campaign contributions or campaign funds for extraordinary and unnecessary expenses which exceed the scope of permissible campaign expenses as contemplated by O.C.G.A. § 21-5-3(18).