Environment

introduced · Georgia · House Feb 24, 2025

HB 561: Okefenokee Protection Act; enact

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 3 of Article 2 of Chapter 4 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to surface mining, so as to prohibit the director of the Environmental Protection Division of the Natural Resources Department from issuing, modifying, or renewing any permit or accepting any bond to conduct surface mining operations on Trail Ridge for future permit applications and amendments; to provide a definition; to provide for a short title; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill prohibits surface mining permits on Trail Ridge (Okefenokee Swamp area), directly protecting wetland ecosystem from potential habitat destruction and pollution per bill's explicit language.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Parks & Recreation

Track

introduced · Georgia · House Feb 24, 2025

HB 562: Natural Resources, Department of; five-year moratorium on acceptance of applications for new or requests to modify existing permits; provisions

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Part 3 of Article 2 of Chapter 4 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to surface mining, so as to provide for a five-year moratorium on the acceptance of applications for new permits and the acceptance of requests to modify existing permits by the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources to expand the area of land affected by surface mining operations on Trail Ridge; to provide a definition; to provide exemptions; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentFive-year moratorium on surface mining permits and modifications halts expansion of mining operations on Trail Ridge, preventing potential environmental damage from land disturbance and pollution.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Parks & Recreation

Track

in committee · Georgia · Senate Jan 29, 2025

SR 55: Bona Fide Conservation Use Property; maximum acreage to qualify for assessment and taxation; increase -CA

A RESOLUTION proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to increase the maximum acreage to qualify for assessment and taxation as a bona fide conservation use property; to provide for related matters; to provide for the submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection; and for other purposes.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesIncreases acreage limit for conservation tax assessment, reducing state tax revenue by expanding tax-exempt land qualifications.85% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentIncreases acreage limit for conservation tax assessment, incentivizing land conservation and aligning with environmental protection goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation

Track

in committee · Georgia · Senate Jan 29, 2025

SB 43: Bona Fide Conservation Use Property; the maximum acreage to qualify for assessment and taxation; increase

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 48-5-7.4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to preferential assessment for bona fide conservation use property and bona fide residential transitional property, so as to increase the maximum acreage to qualify for assessment and taxation as a bona fide conservation use property; to provide for related matters; to provide for a contingent effective date and automatic repeal; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill increases tax exemption acreage for conservation land, reducing state tax revenue through preferential assessment. Creates tax break aligning with 'oppose' indicators for Budget & Taxes.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentIncreases acreage limit for conservation property tax assessment, encouraging land conservation and protecting natural resources through expanded tax incentives.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Conservation

Track

introduced · Georgia · House Feb 27, 2025

HB 611: Forever Chemicals Transparency Act; enact

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to control of water pollution and surface-water use, so as to require publicly owned treatment works to seek information from industrial users relating to the manufacture or use of PFAS; to provide for definitions; to provide for legislative findings; to provide for a short title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRequires public treatment works to obtain PFAS use/manufacture data from industries, directly addressing water pollution from persistent 'forever chemicals' to strengthen environmental oversight and protection.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill regulates PFAS in water to prevent contamination, supporting public health programs (a healthcare topic) by reducing exposure to health-hazardous chemicals.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Drinking Water Water Quality

Track

introduced · Georgia · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 919: Conservation and natural resources; outdoor stewardship; eliminate reductions in appropriations

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 6A of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to outdoor stewardship, so as to eliminate reductions in appropriations; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill eliminates funding cuts to conservation/natural resources programs, directly protecting existing environmental appropriations and stewardship efforts.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation

Track

signed · Georgia · House May 14, 2025

HR 32: General Assembly; increase maximum acreage to qualify for assessment and taxation as a bona fide conservation use property - CA

A RESOLUTION proposing an amendment to the Constitution so as to increase the maximum acreage to qualify for assessment and taxation as a bona fide conservation use property; to provide for related matters; to provide for the submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases acreage threshold for conservation tax benefits, reducing property tax burden for qualifying landowners90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill expands conservation property tax benefits by increasing qualifying acreage, directly encouraging land preservation and resource protection per its constitutional amendment purpose.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation

signed · Georgia · House May 14, 2025

HB 129: Ad valorem tax; bona fide conservation use property; remove a limitation on leased property as to certain entities

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 48-5-7.4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to preferential assessment for bona fide conservation use property and bona fide residential transitional property, so as to remove a limitation on leased property as to certain entities; to provide for related matters; to provide for an effective date and applicability; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill removes tax limitation for conservation property, providing preferential assessment (tax relief) for eligible entities, directly affecting tax policy.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentRemoves tax limitation for conservation land leasing, encouraging conservation use and natural resource protection under preferential assessment95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Conservation

signed · Georgia · House May 9, 2025

HB 90: Revenue and taxation; increase maximum acreage to qualify for assessment and taxation as a bona fide conservation use property

HB 90 amends Georgia's tax code to raise the maximum acreage limit for land to qualify for preferential tax assessment as conservation property. This change directly affects landowners who manage large tracts of land for conservation purposes, allowing properties exceeding the previous size threshold to maintain lower tax rates. The key provision increases the acreage cap under Code Section 48-5-7.4, ensuring more conservation land qualifies for reduced taxation. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027, and repeals conflicting tax laws.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases tax relief for conservation landowners by raising acreage cap for preferential tax assessment under Georgia tax code.90% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentIncreases tax incentives for large conservation land, encouraging preservation of natural resources through reduced property taxes on qualifying acreage.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Conservation

signed · Georgia · House May 13, 2025

HB 208: Special license plates; support state parks and historic sites; establish

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Code Section 40-2-86 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to license plates promoting or supporting certain agencies, funds, or nonprofit corporations with proceeds disbursed to the general fund and the agency, fund, or nonprofit corporation, so as to establish a specialty license plate supporting the state parks and historic sites division of the Department of Natural Resources; to establish a specialty license plate promoting conservation and enhancement of black bass populations; to provide for compliance with constitutional requirements; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill establishes specialty license plate revenue to fund state parks/historic sites division via general fund, directly advancing program funding through dedicated revenue stream.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill establishes specialty license plate funding for state parks and conservation, directly advancing environmental protection through dedicated revenue streams.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Parks & Recreation