Several groups pushing for ethics reform in the state legislature are touring Georgia this week urging voters to say "yes" to caps on gifts given to state lawmakers.

Ballot question number two will appear on both Republican and Democratic ballots next week and asks: “Do you support ending the current practice of unlimited gifts from lobbyists to state legislators by imposing a $100 cap on such gifts”.

William Perry of Common Cause Georgia is among those on the 14 city tour.

“A $100 gift cap is not going to solve all our woes, but what it is, is an important litmus test to find whether we have ethical candidates running for office,” he says.

So far 130 candidates have signed a pledge that they will sponsor legislation that would impose such a cap.

Sen. Josh McKoon (R-Columbus) sponsored such legislation last year but had little support from his fellow Republicans.  He is among those touring the state urging voters to say "yes" to gift caps.

“The current system that allows millions of dollars in gifts to be showered on state legislators in a display that has become significantly more extravagant every year is indefensible and must end,” he says.

McKoon says lobbyists spent $1.8 million dollars last year on state lawmakers up nearly 30 percent from 2008.

Perry says House Speaker David Ralston has received $59,000 since taking over leadership of the House and accuses him of being the main roadblock for such legislation.

Ralston has repeatedly said transparency is more important than caps and voters can look at disclosures filed by their legislators and make the ultimate decision at the ballot box.

Meantime, Rep. Joe Wilkinson (R-Sandy Springs), who chairs the House Ethics Committee, released a statement saying 49 of the candidates who signed the pledge for gift caps are themselves in violation of ethics and campaign finance laws.

The statement reads: “These candidates have failed to file, or filed late, their required Declaration of Intent (due when they first qualified to run), their Personal Financial Disclosure (due 15 days after qualifying to run), and their Campaign Contribution Disclosure Report (which was due July 9),” he says. “All either have already been fined or expect to be fined shortly as required by Georgia law.”

Wilkinson says these current laws are tough and gift caps will lead to non-reporting and underground lobbying as seen in other states.