Georgia Bill Rescinds Protections for Legislators Over Alleged Improprieties

The 'Epstein amendment' to House Bill 1409 would require disclosure of settled claims of sexual harassment, discrimination, or retaliation against state lawmakers.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 8:34pm

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A serene, photorealistic painting of the Georgia State Capitol building in warm, golden light, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation about the role of government transparency.The Georgia State Capitol building stands as a symbol of state government transparency and accountability in the wake of new legislation requiring disclosure of settled claims against lawmakers.Atlanta Today

The Georgia General Assembly passed an amendment to House Bill 1409 that would require the leaders of the state's House and Senate to treat any settled claim of sexual harassment, discriminatory harassment, discrimination, or retaliation as an open record, subject only to the scrubbing of the complainant's identity. Refusal to release such records after a request would be treated as a misdemeanor punishable with a fine.

Why it matters

The amendment, nicknamed the 'Epstein amendment', is seen as a move towards greater transparency in state government, following recent high-profile resignations of U.S. Congress members over allegations of sexual misconduct. Supporters argue lawmakers should be held to the same standards as other public officials.

The details

The amendment was introduced by Republican state Sen. Randy Robertson and added to HB 1409, which updates a Georgia law requiring adults who interact with children to report suspected child abuse. Robertson said he was moved to act after reading about the death of a congressional aide who had an affair with a lawmaker. The version that passed was tacked on by Republican Sen. Blake Tillery, who is running for lieutenant governor. Tillery acknowledged the language originated with Robertson and said he was motivated by the failure of Congress to impose similar transparency on itself.

  • The amendment passed the Senate unanimously on April 2, the last day of the legislative session.
  • The House passed the amended bill 12 hours later, at 12:53 am on April 3, with broad bipartisan support.

The players

Brian Kemp

The governor of Georgia who will decide whether to sign the bill into law.

Randy Robertson

The Republican state senator who introduced the 'Epstein amendment' and had been trying to get similar transparency measures passed since March.

Kim Jackson

The Democratic state senator who added Robertson's language to another bill, hoping to kill that bill, but ended up supporting the transparency requirement.

Blake Tillery

The Republican state senator running for lieutenant governor who added the 'Epstein amendment' to HB 1409.

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What they’re saying

“I'm going to encourage our congressional delegation to look at what we did here and go up and take the same stand. They represent us, so I think they have an obligation, the same as state senators and state representatives, to be transparent with the people who put them in office”

— Randy Robertson, State Senator

“Robertson is on the right side of history on this. But I also think he just forced his colleagues — by that I mean Republicans — to support the measure. You can't vote against it, right?”

— Kim Jackson, State Senator

“The U.S. Congress voted to not do that. I think our body is better.”

— Blake Tillery, State Senator

What’s next

Gov. Brian Kemp will decide whether to sign the bill into law.

The takeaway

This legislation represents a push for greater transparency in state government, with lawmakers being held to the same standards as other public officials when it comes to allegations of sexual misconduct and other improprieties. The bipartisan support for the measure suggests a growing consensus that such transparency is necessary to protect legislative staff and maintain public trust.