Georgia Native Plant Month; designate April of each year
Summary
A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 4 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to holidays and observances, so as to designate April of each year as Georgia Native Plant Month; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
Bill status
passed
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 21, 2025
Last action Mar 16, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison
What changed between versions
As introduced LC 46 1131
→
As Passed Senate
·
3 edits
MINOR
This bill was amended to add a new section designating the Cherokee rose sweetbay magnolia as Georgia's state floral emblem, while keeping the existing provision for April as Georgia Native Plant Month. The bill also received a new short title, the Caroline Romberg Silcox Act.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded to include a new state floral emblem designation in addition to the existing Native Plant Month observance.
DEFINITION
Added a new section establishing the Cherokee rose sweetbay magnolia as the official state floral emblem of Georgia.
TECHNICAL
Added a new short title for the act, the Caroline Romberg Silcox Act.
Reorganized the bill structure by moving the Native Plant Month provision from the original Section 1 to a new Section 2, and adding the floral emblem provision as Section 3.
Floor votes · Senate Mar 3, 2026
How they voted
46–0
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 48
Mar 3, 2026
D
Democratic19
89% Yea
R
Republican29
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
11
Key actions
4
Committee
5
Mar 16, 2026
Lower · Passed
House Committee Favorably Reported
lower
Mar 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute
upper
Feb 20, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute
upper
Jan 12, 2026
Committee
Senate Recommitted
upper
Feb 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate Committee Favorably Reported
upper
Feb 24, 2025
Committee
Senate Read and Referred
upper
Feb 21, 2025
Introduced
Senate Hopper
upper
5 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Bill Cowsert
RRepublican
P
Matt Brass
RRepublican
P
Max Burns
RRepublican
P
Randy Robertson
RRepublican
P
Rick Williams
RRepublican
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