2025 Georgia Codes – Page 115

(a) A person commits the offense of bribery when:
(1) He or she gives or offers to give to any person acting for or on behalf of the state or any political sub-
division thereof, or of any agency of either, any benefit, reward, or consideration to which he or she is not
entitled with the purpose of influencing him or her in the performance of any act related to the functions of
his or her office or employment; or
(2) A public official, elected or appointed, or an employee of this state or any agency, authority, or entity
of the state, or any county or municipality or any agency, authority, or entity thereof, directly or indirectly
solicits, receives, accepts, or agrees to receive a thing of value by inducing the reasonable belief that the
giving of the thing will influence his or her performance or failure to perform any official action. A thing of
value shall not include:
(A) Food or beverage consumed at a single meal or event;
(B) Legitimate salary, benefits, fees, commissions, or expenses associated with a recipient’s nonpublic busi-
ness, employment, trade, or profession;
(C) An award, plaque, certificate, memento, or similar item given in recognition of the recipient’s civic,
charitable, political, professional, or public service;
(D) Food, beverages, and registration at group events to which all members of an agency, as defined in
paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of Code Section 21-5-30.2, are invited. An agency shall include the Geor-
gia House of Representatives, the Georgia Senate, committees and subcommittees of such bodies, and the
governing body of each political subdivision of this state;
(E) Actual and reasonable expenses for food, beverages, travel, lodging, and registration for a meeting
which are provided to permit participation or speaking at the meeting;
(F) A commercially reasonable loan made in the ordinary course of business;
(G) Any gift with a value less than $100.00;
(H) Promotional items generally distributed to the general public or to public officers;
(I) A gift from a member of the public officer’s immediate family; or
(J) Food, beverage, or expenses afforded public officers, members of their immediate families, or others that
are associated with normal and customary business or social functions or activities;
provided, however, that receiving, accepting, or agreeing to receive anything not enumerated in subpara-
graphs (A) through (J) of this paragraph shall not create the presumption that the offense of bribery has
been committed.
(b) A person convicted of the offense of bribery shall be punished by a fine of not more than $5,000.00 or by
imprisonment for not less than one nor more than 20 years, or both.

regulations
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this Code section, any officer or employee of the state or any agency
thereof who receives from any private person, firm, or corporation funds or other things of value to be used
in the enforcement of the penal laws or regulations of the state is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in this Code section, any officer or employee of a political subdivision
who receives from any private person, firm, or corporation funds or other things of value to be used in the
enforcement of the penal laws or regulations of the political subdivision of which he is an officer or employ-
ee is guilty of a misdemeanor.
(c) Nothing contained within this Code section shall be deemed or construed so as to prohibit any law
enforcement officer of the state or any political subdivision thereof:
(1) From being employed by private persons, firms, or corporations during his off-duty hours when such
employment is approved in writing by the chief or head, or his duly designated agent, of the law enforce-
ment agency by which such law enforcement officer is employed; or
(2) From soliciting for or accepting contributions of equipment or of funds to be used solely for the purchase
of equipment to be used in the enforcement of the penal laws or regulations of this state or any political
subdivision thereof when such acceptance is approved in writing by the chief or head, or his duly designat-
ed agent, of the law enforcement agency by which such law enforcement officer is employed.

(a) Any officer or employee of the state or any agency thereof who asks for or receives anything of value to
which he or she is not entitled in return for an agreement to influence or attempt to influence official action
by any other officer or employee of the state or any agency thereof shall be guilty of a felony and, upon
conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $100,000.00 or by imprisonment for not less
than one nor more than five years, or both.
(b) Any officer or employee of a political subdivision who asks for or receives anything of value to which
he or she is not entitled in return for an agreement to influence or attempt to influence official action by any
other officer or employee of that political subdivision shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction there-
of, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $100,000.00 or by imprisonment for not less than one nor
more than five years, or both.