HB 491 Georgia House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Game and fish; remove an exception for use of air guns to hunt wildlife

Summary
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 1 of Chapter 3 and Article 2 of Chapter 4 of Title 27 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to hunting and noncommercial fishing, respectively, so as to remove an exception for the use of air guns to hunt wildlife; to revise provisions concerning the taking of catfish by bow and arrow; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Passage
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Feb 18, 2025 Signed May 14, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

LC 44 3109S/hcs HB 491/AP* · 3 edits
MINOR
The bill has progressed from a committee substitute version to its final version as passed by both the House and Senate. The primary changes involve updating the bill's title and version identifiers to reflect its legislative journey, along with minor formatting adjustments to page headers and footers. No substantive policy changes regarding hunting regulations, fishing laws, or other provisions were made in this diff.
TECHNICAL

Updated bill title from 'COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE' to 'AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE' to indicate final legislative approval.

Changed version identifiers from 'LC 44 3109S' to 'HB 491/AP' to reflect current legislative status.

Minor formatting adjustments to page headers and footers across multiple pages of the document.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 2, 2025 · House Mar 6, 2025

How they voted

513
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 55
Apr 2, 2025
D Democratic22
22 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican33
29 Yea 3 Nay 1
87% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
19
Key actions
6
Committee
3
Amendments
2
May 14, 2025
Signed into law
Act 268
upper
May 14, 2025
Signed into law
House Date Signed by Governor
lower
Apr 4, 2025
Introduced
Senate Agreed House Amend or Sub
upper
Apr 4, 2025
Introduced
House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub As Amended
lower
Apr 2, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate Passed/Adopted As Amended
upper
Mar 20, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate Committee Favorably Reported
upper
Mar 10, 2025
Committee
Senate Read and Referred
upper
Mar 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
House Passed/Adopted By Substitute
lower
Feb 27, 2025
Lower · Passed
House Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
lower
Feb 18, 2025
Introduced
House Hopper
lower
6 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors