Helpful hints for filing your personal financial disclosure statement : a guide for: elected public officers, candidates for public officers, state transportation board, executive heads of state agencies

GRACE PERIODS, LATE FEES, CIVIL PENALTIES & WAIVERS
GRACE PERIODS
There is NO grace period when filing a PFD.
LATE FEES
A late fee of $125.00 shall be imposed for each PFD that is filed late.
An additional fee of $250.00 shall be imposed on the fifteenth day after the due date for such statement if such statement has not been filed.
An additional fee of $1,000.00 shall be imposed on the forty-fifth day after the due date for such statement if the statement has not been filed.
CIVIL PENALTIES (Arising out of a complaint)
Not to exceed $1,000.00 for each violation contained in any report.
Not to exceed $10,000.00 may be imposed for a second occurrence of a violation of the same provision.
Not to exceed $25,000.00 may be imposed for each third or subsequent occurrence of a violation of the same provision.
WAIVERS
In imposing a civil penalty or late filing fee under this chapter, the commission may waive or suspend such penalty or fee if the imposition of such penalty or fee would impose an undue hardship on the person required to pay such penalty or fee. The commission may also waive or suspend a penalty or fee in the case of failure to file or late filing of a report if there are no items to be included in the report.
Reference: O.C.G.A. 21-5-6 (14) (c)(i)
http://ethics.ga.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/LateFee-Hardship-Waiver-Request-INSTRUCTIONS-AND
-FORM4.pdf

For more information, visit our website at www.ethics.ga.gov
To attend a FREE Education Outreach Program Training Workshop or Webinar, visit http://media.ethics.ga.gov/training/ trainingSCHD.aspx
Have additional questions? Contact us!
GEORGIA GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY & CAMPAIGN FINANCE COMMISSION
200 Piedmont Ave Suite 1402-West Tower
Atlanta GA 30334
404-463-1980 Phone 404-463-0229 Fax
1-866-589-7327 Toll Free GAEthics@ethics.ga.gov
www.ethics.ga.gov

Helpful Hints For Filing Your
Personal Financial Disclosure Statement
A Guide For: ELECTED PUBLIC OFFICERS CANDIDATES FOR PUBLIC OFFICERS STATE TRANSPORTATION BOARD EXECUTIVE HEADS OF STATE AGENCIES

The Personal Financial Disclosure Statement (PFD) discloses information about your financial activity for the preceding year . (For example, if you are required to file by July 1, 2015, you will report the financial activity that occurred during calendar year 2014. This information must be provided even if you were not yet a state officer during the previous year.)
"Public officer" means: (A) Every constitutional officer; (B) Every elected state official; (C) The executive head of every state department or agency, whether elected or appointed; (D) Each member of the General Assembly; (E) The executive director of each state board, commission, council or authority and the members thereof; (F) Every elected county official and every elected member of a local board of education; and (G) Every elected municipal official.
Reference: O.C.G.A. 21-5-3 (22)
Statewide candidates include: Governor, Attorney General, Commissioner of Agriculture, Commissioner of Insurance, Commissioner of Labor, Lieutenant Governor, Public Service Commission, Secretary of State, State School Superintendent, Justices of Supreme Court and Judges of Court of Appeals.
State Level candidates include: Senators, Representatives, Judges of Superior Court and District Attorneys.
Electronic Filing of Reports (189-1-.10): Any and all reports required to be filed with the Commission shall be by electronic means, unless otherwise excepted by way of Commission vote. Authority: O.C.G.A. 21-5-6
To submit reports electronically, the Commission must receive a PFD Personal Identification Number Application.

PERSONAL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE STATEMENT FILING
A Public Officer shall file: NOT before January 1 NOR later than July 1 of each
year in office (except the year of election.)
A Candidate for State Level Public Office shall eFile: NOT later than the fifteenth day on which the candidate
qualifies.
A Candidate for Statewide Public Office shall eFile: NOT later than seven days after qualifying or filing a
notice of candidacy. (Statewide candidates must disclose more information than other candidates for public office on the personal financial disclosure statement. )
Reference: O.C.G.A. 21-5-50 (a)(1)(2) & O.C.G.A. 21-5-50 (c)(1)
A State Transportation Board Member shall file: For the preceding calendar year NO later than the sixtieth
day following such member's election to the State Transportation Board; By January 31 of each year a PFD for the preceding year.; and With the commission, prior to January 31 of each year, an affidavit confirming that such board member took no official action in the previous calendar year that had a material effect on such board member's private financial or business interests.
Reference: O.C.G.A. 21-5-50 (a) (4)
EXEMPTIONS
A public officer shall not, however, be required to file such a personal financial disclosure statement for the preceding calendar year in an election year if such public officer does not qualify for nomination for election to succeed himself or herself or for election to any other public office subject to this chapter. For purposes of this paragraph, a public officer shall not be deemed to hold office in a year in which the public officer holds office for fewer than 15 days.
Reference: O.C.G.A. 21-5-50 (a) (6)

INFORMATION TO BE REPORTED
The PFD shall identify: Each monetary fee received; All fiduciary positions; Direct ownership interests in business entity which is
more than 5% of the total interests in such business, or has a net fair market value of $5,000.00 or more; Direct ownership interests in real property which is more than 5% of the total interests in such business, or has a net fair market value of $5,000.00 or more; Spouse's direct ownership interests in real property which is more than 5% of the total interests in such business, or has a net fair market value of $5,000.00 or more; Filer's employment and family members information; Filer's investment interests; Known business or investment interests of spouse and dependent children; and Annual payments received by a public officer or business entity from the State of Georgia in excess of $10,000.00 per calendar year.
Reference: O.C.G.A. 21-5-50 (b)
If running for a statewide position, the following is required to be reported for the preceding 5 calendar years in addition to the information above: Each transaction or transactions which aggregate
$9,000.00 or more in a calendar year in which the candidate (whether for himself or herself or on behalf of any business) or any business in which such candidate or any member of his or her family has a substantial interest or is an officer of such business has transacted business with the government of the State of Georgia, the government of any political subdivision of the State of Georgia, or any agency of any such government; and Each transaction or transactions which aggregate $9,000.00 or more in a calendar year in which the candidate or any business in which such candidate or any member of his or her family has a substantial interest or is an officer of such business received any income of any nature from any person who was at the time of such receipt of income represented by a lobbyist registered with the commission pursuant to Article 4 of this chapter.