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SB 386

General Assembly; daily expense allowances for days of session where a call of the roll is not conducted; prohibit the payment

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Colton Moore

SB 386 eliminates daily expense allowances for Georgia legislators on session days without roll call votes, reducing per diem compensation based on voting activity.

Senate Read and Referred
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Bill Summary · SB 386

Legislative bill overview

SB 386 proposes to prohibit the payment of daily expense allowances to Georgia General Assembly members on legislative session days where no roll call vote is conducted. Currently, legislators receive per diem payments for each day the legislature meets, regardless of the level of activity that day.

Why is this important

This bill directly affects legislative compensation and could reduce costs to the state budget. It also reflects a philosophy about accountability—the sponsor appears to be proposing that legislators should only be compensated for days with substantive voting activity, which raises questions about what constitutes a "working" legislative day.

Potential points of contention

  • Definition and enforcement: The bill's effectiveness depends on how "call of the roll" is defined. Would procedural votes count? Could the legislature easily restructure voting patterns to avoid the restriction?
  • Unintended consequences: Legislators might rush through votes, skip procedural safeguards, or consolidate legislative business inefficiently to trigger roll calls, potentially compromising deliberative processes.
  • Compensation philosophy: Opponents may argue that legislative work (committee meetings, constituent services, research) occurs on non-voting days and should be compensated; supporters counter that per diem should reflect actual legislative activity.
  • Budget impact: The actual savings are likely minimal since per diem amounts are typically modest, making the practical fiscal benefit unclear.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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