Lawmakers make P-card abuse a felony | www.myajc.com

Reacting to allegations of spending abuses by DeKalb County commissioners, the state Legislature made it easier to bring felony charges against Georgia elected officials who misuse taxpayer-funded charge cards.

The legislation empowers county prosecutors to pursue charges against officials who buy personal items with their purchasing cards, known as P-cards, which are debit cards that draw funds from local government budgets. Previously, state law required charges to be brought in the jurisdiction where improper purchases took place, making it difficult to prosecute alleged misspending that occurred across county lines or out of state.

State lawmakers passed the measure, which had previously stalled because of concerns that it was overly broad, less than an hour before the midnight conclusion of this year’s legislative session April 2.

House Bill 192 also requires county commissions, city councils and school boards that use P-cards to vote on rules and transaction limits. The bill is pending before Gov. Nathan Deal.

“It’s a game-changer for us,” said DeKalb District Attorney Robert James, who supported the legislation. “There are several cases I haven’t been able to get involved in because of jurisdictional issues.”

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