GA Bill would allow utilities to back state political races

[The Straight Story]

For decades, regulated monopoly utilities have exercised their political will in Georgia without a tool available to other corporations -- the ability to bankroll state political campaigns in their own name.

Now a group called Georgians for Fair Speech is pushing to change that through a bill introduced on Thursday by state Sen. Don Balfour, R-Snellville. Senate Bill 160 would end Georgia's 36-year ban on state political giving by monopoly utilities and other companies supervised by the state Public Service Commission.

The bill would let utilities donate to all state campaigns except for the PSC, either directly or through employee-funded state political action committees.

The original ban was intended to curb the influence of state-created monopolies in state politics. It eventually was applied to companies with a mix of monopoly and competitive businesses, such as telecommunications firms.

http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-politics-elections/bill-would-allow-utilities-852605.html

[Frustratedlady]

1. Tastes like Koch. Do they have any action in Georgia? n/t