By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Top lawmaker reimburses expenses
Placeholder Image

ATLANTA — Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers has repaid $8,500 to his campaign account after facing questions over how he funded publications sent to residents in his district, his lawyer said Thursday.

State records show the Republican lawmaker sought reimbursements from his official expense account to cover the cost of mailings that his campaign also reported funding. Lawmakers are not supposed to use state-funded mailers for political purposes.

Rogers attorney Doug Chalmers said that his client did not break any laws. He said state lawmakers can legally use campaign funds to pay for legitimate expenses related to their official duties, then seek reimbursement from the state. Chalmers said the publications mailed to constituents were not political and focused instead on informing constituents about the work of the General Assembly and general government issues.

"He did not need to cut that check back as a matter of law," Chalmers said. "He made that purely voluntarily in order to avoid an appearance of impropriety."

Chalmers said Rogers could legally keep the money reimbursed by the state since Rogers has loaned his campaign thousands of dollars that have not yet been repaid.

The expenses were first reported by the investigative website Atlanta Unfiltered. In two cases this year, receipts from a printing company show that fliers for which Rogers sought reimbursement were billed to his campaign. The Legislative Fiscal Office tells lawmakers that Georgia law does not allow them to seek reimbursement from their legislative expense accounts for items that are paid with campaign contributions.

Sign up for our E-Newsletters
Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program announces grant
Funds earmarked for Share the Road initiatives
Placeholder Image

Grant funding totaling $93,458 has been awarded to the Georgia Motorcycle Safety Program (GMSP) by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. The approved funding will be used to increase motorcycle safety awareness and outreach by encouraging all motorists and motorcyclists to Share the Road.

“The need for motorcycle safety programs is greater than ever, and this support from GOHS enables motorcycle safety programs and impaired riding initiatives to reach riders and non-riders alike” said Commissioner Spencer R. Moore. “Thank you GOHS for helping (the Department of Driver Services) and GMSP educate and encourage all Georgia drivers to ‘Share the Road.’”

The grant allows DDS to further develop the Motorcycle Safety Outreach Program by continuing to fund a position to promote state and national safety initiatives. The GMSP outreach coordinator researches, coordinates and helps maintain an adequate presence at industry events, local schools and colleges, regional meetings and festivals to increase awareness of motorcycles on the roadways and provide the most current information on motorcycle safety initiatives.

Visitors to a GMSP event display are also encouraged to sign up for regular newsletters which provide additional safety information, as well as review the motorcycle safety message on other social media platforms.

GMSP regulates motorcycle training for new riders, as well as seasoned riders, who want to learn how to ride a motorcycle legally and safely. The program is based on a continuum of learning and therefore offers three entry points to rider education.

Students participating in the Basic Riders Course do not need specialized motorcycle equipment, as the GMSP provides both a motorcycle and a helmet to class participants. Upon successful completion of the course, participants receive a 90-day license waiver card that exempts them from both the written and on-cycle skills tests needed to obtain a Class M license in the state of Georgia.

Please visit the DDS website at www.dds.georgia.gov for many online services including the convenience of enrolling in a GMSP training class and accessing many licensing services.

Latest Obituaries