Section 45-10-92. Abuse of power and improper use of state employees by General Assembly members

   (a) The committee shall serve the person against whom any complaint is made a copy of the complaint by hand delivery or statutory overnight delivery or mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested, within five business days of the committee's receipt of such complaint.

(b) The committee shall conduct a preliminary investigation of the merits of such complaint. If a complaint alleges a violation by one of the members of the committee, such member shall recuse himself or herself. If there are found no reasonable grounds to believe that improper conduct or sexual harassment has occurred, the complaint shall be dismissed, subject to being reopened upon discovery of additional evidence or relevant material. The committee shall not be required to conduct a hearing if there are no reasonable grounds to believe that improper conduct or sexual harassment has occurred. If the committee determines that there are such reasonable grounds to believe that improper conduct or sexual harassment has occurred, it shall give notice by summoning the persons believed to have committed the violation to a hearing. The rules of the committee shall be invoked if a hearing occurs. The committee may report suspected violations of law to the appropriate law enforcement authority.

(c) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to limit or encumber the right of the committee to initiate on probable cause an investigation on its own cognizance as it deems necessary to fulfill its obligations to investigate improper conduct or sexual harassment.

(d) The committee shall adopt a retention standard for complaints and documents attached thereto.

Code 1981, § 45-10-92, enacted by Ga. L. 2010, p. 1173, § 29/SB 17.