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Georgia lawmakers on 1st day change rules on reporting misconduct
Georgia Senate puts time limit on how soon accusers must report allegations of misconduct by senators and their staffs
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Georgia's state Capitol in Atlanta. - photo by Associated Press
ATLANTA — Lawmakers in the Georgia Senate are putting a time limit on how soon accusers must report allegations of misconduct by senators and their staffs.

The Senate adopted the in-house rule change Monday as the 2019 legislative session began. It says the Senate’s internal ethics panel will only investigate allegations of misconduct reported within two years of the alleged incidents.

The change comes after a former Senate leader, Republican David Shafer, was accused of sexual harassment last year by a lobbyist whose allegations dated back to 2011. Shafer lost his 2018 GOP primary campaign for lieutenant governor. The Senate eventually dismissed the complaint.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the new rule also says the Senate can dismiss internal ethics complaints filed by accusers who publicly disclose the allegations.