Panel approves bill to create legislative overview for large federal funds, sponsors say it will boost transparency

Representative Lim introduced House Bill 1131 and told the committee the measure would create a legislative overview mechanism to make information about large federal funding streams more accessible to Georgia citizens and legislators.

"It is tailored after the overview mechanism and the OneGeorgia Authority," Representative Lim said. "It is about the information that we're accessing ... it will not affect the decision making that rests in our governor. The governor still has full authority on how these funds are expended." Lim cited ARPA, the CARES Act and anticipated infrastructure dollars as examples of funding the mechanism would track.

Several members asked for specifics about composition, reporting frequency and staffing. Representative Camp summarized the proposed composition as mirroring OneGeorgia: three members from the House, three from the Senate and three from the governor's office, with staff support provided by existing budget and research offices.

Members pressed on the term "periodically" used in the bill. Representative Lim said the phrase preserved flexibility because federal funds arrive irregularly but noted the bill also requires an annual report "on or before the first day of January of each year" for special fund allocations and that the board could develop bylaws to define meeting frequency.

Vice Chair Jackson and others asked whether federal oversight already exists and whether the state mechanism would duplicate federal rules. Representative Lim said the board would generally complement federal oversight (citing Treasury guidance on ARPA transparency) and argued giving legislators access to compiled information would make it easier to spot duplication, fraud or gaps that federal agencies might not catch.

Representative Singleton asked whether the board would be uncompensated and who would prepare reports; Representative Lim said members would be unpaid and that staffing would come from existing legislative budget and research offices so she did not expect a fiscal impact.

A motion to advance HB 1131 was offered, seconded, and approved by voice vote. The chair announced the bill passed the committee. The chair also noted a conflict for House Bill 530 and postponed that item. The committee adjourned.