2025 Legislative Session Recap
Summary of the Georgia General Assembly’s Legislative Session
Principled advocacy relies upon sound data and inclusive collaboration. With this in mind, the Georgia Conservancy's Advocacy team is under the Gold Dome every day of the Legislative Session working with partners in advocating for the protection of Georgia's land, water, and communities.
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Thank you for your stalwart support of conservation in Georgia. On April 4th, the 2025 Georgia Legislative Session gaveled to a close at the State Capitol. Because of your support, Georgia Conservancy is Georgia's leading voice under the Gold Dome for policy and funding for our state’s water, wildlife, and sustainable communities. The General Assembly views us as a trusted partner on these priorities due to our thoughtful, principled advocacy of almost 60 years.
Your support for the advocacy aspect of our mission has allowed us, over those decades, to build relationships and trust with state decision-makers. It is fundamental that these decision-makers are aware of the conservation needs and growth-related challenges that our communities face. They must also understand your passionate support for various conservation solutions. We cannot make them aware of this information unless they are willing to engage, hence the importance of our organization’s reputation.
Thoughtful, principled advocacy is the surest way to advance solutions and build the culture of conservation you want to see across Georgia.
Please see our detailed recap of the 2025 Legislative Session below, and consider supporting our work as your voice for conservation at the State Capitol as we continue to advocate this spring and into next year's session.
Thank you,
Katherine Moore
Georgia Conservancy President
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Amended FY25 and FY26 Budget Recap
As with any session, passing the new budget and amending the current one is at the top of the “to-do” list. This year, the Governor and General Assembly made funding Hurricane Helene relief a priority, while concurrently pushing for tighter purse strings, even in light of a $6 billion budget surplus.
Early in the session, the General Assembly passed the revised FY25 budget, which included an additional $150 million in relief for farmers and timber producers impacted by Hurricane Helene.
After budget differences were reconciled by leadership in the conference committee, the House and Senate agreed to a final FY26 budget before the close of the session. Allocations in the final FY26 budget for the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program (GOSP) Conserve Georgia Grant, a total of $23,012,109, mirrored Governor Brian Kemp's proposed budget.
The FY26 allocation to the GOSP Conserve Georgia Grant represents a more than $7 million decrease from the FY25 budget. Cited in the FY26 budget, the decrease is due to safeguards put in place statutorily when the grant program was implemented. Funding changes for the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program in the FY2026 budget include:
1. Reduce funds for grants and benefits to reflect a decrease in FY 2024 collections of sporting goods stores sales and use tax pursuant to O.C.G.A. 12-6A-5.
2. Reduce funds for grants and benefits by 20% to reflect a greater than one percent reduction in collections pursuant to O.C.G.A. 12-6A-5.
GOSP, which was established by the 2018 Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act and through a subsequent ballot amendment, is authorized for a 10-year period. GOSP is Georgia's only source of dedicated conservation dollars. GOSP is set to sunset in 2028 unless reauthorized. Read more about our GOSP support below.
In other GOSP Conserve Georgia Grant news, projects awarded during the 2024/25 funding cycle were announced last month by Georgia DNR. Click here to learn more about those projects.
Legislation during the 2025 Legislation Session
Expanding Conservation-Use Valuation Assessment (CUVA) for Landowners
Several measures focused on expanding the maximum acreage allowed in CUVA were introduced during the session, with one, House Bill 90, gaining traction with the General Assembly.
For this measure to go into effect, an amendment to the Georgia Constitution must be ratified by voters during the 2026 general election. For this to proceed, a companion resolution, House Resolution 32, was introduced and passed by the legislature.
House Bill 90 passed and is now on the Governor’s desk. The Georgia Conservancy supported the passage of HB 90 and HR 32 during the session.
If HB 90 is signed by the Governor and the ballot initiative is approved by voters, the maximum acreage qualifying for assessment and taxation as a bona fide conservation use property will increase to 4,000 acres.
Commonly known as CUVA, a conservation use value assessment provides conservation benefits and tax reductions for willing and qualified landowners who enter into a 10-year covenant that reserves a portion of their property for conservation use or certain agricultural purposes and prohibits the development of those acres. In doing so, the tax assessment for those acres is based on the land's production value instead of its fair market value. CUVA was established in Georgia in 1992 and has proven to be a great conservation incentive for willing landowners.
There’s no minimum acreage required to qualify for CUVA, but currently, 2,000 acres is the maximum allowable acreage for which a landowner can seek to conserve through the program.
By increasing the maximum acreage to 4,000 acres, HB 90 broadens the pool of potential property owners seeking to preserve land for greenspace or agricultural use and further incentivizes conservation.
Adding to this year's list of CUVA-related legislation, House Bill 129, sponsored by Rep. Chas Cannon (R-172), expands the pool of eligible farmers seeking to lease Conservation Use Valuation Assessment (CUVA) properties in Georgia.
Currently, CUVA rules restrict eligible properties from leasing to certain farming partnerships and LLCs, thereby limiting the options for conservation-use. Family farming has become more complex than the traditional owner-farmer model, and HB 129 seeks to update our state's CUVA rules to reflect this while also maintaining CUVA's high conservation covenant standards.
Opposition to Mining Near the Okefenokee
Two measures aimed at stalling or banning mining on Trail Ridge were introduced this session, House Bill 562 and House Bill 561.
House Bill 562, sponsored by Rep. Darlene Taylor (R-173), sought to impose a 5-year moratorium on mining along Trail Ridge, the geologic formation that forms the eastern boundary of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. This measure is a direct response to Twin Pines, LLC's proposed heavy sands mine on Trail Ridge.
HB 562 did not pass. The bill had a committee hearing on Monday, March 3, but was not called for a vote before Crossover Day. The Georgia Conservancy supported the passage of House Bill 562 during the session.
This measure follows a similar mining moratorium bill led and supported by the Georgia Conservancy during the 2024 legislative session. That measure, an amended Senate Bill 132, overwhelmingly passed the House, but did not come up for a vote in the Senate.
Per this year’s House Bill 562: "Beginning on July 1, 2025, and continuing through June 30, 2030, [Georgia Environmental Protection Division] shall not accept any applications for new permits, nor shall the division accept any requests to modify any existing permits for any surface mining operations on Trail Ridge that seek to expand the area of affected land."
It's been six years since word got out that Alabama mining company Twin Pines, LLC was seeking to mine for heavy minerals on Trail Ridge, near the southeastern boundary of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. Public engagement and concerns over the project have so far (and thankfully) kept the ground intact on Trail Ridge, though Twin Pines continues to inch closer to their ultimate goal. The slow process, however, gathered intensity last spring, as the proposed project took center stage in several arenas – the State Capitol during the 2024 Legislative Session and in a Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) public comment period.
After the issuance of draft mining permits in February 2024 by Georgia EPD, the Georgia Conservancy, along with tens of thousands of concerned citizens and dozens of conservation organizations, submitted formal comments to the agency, urging them to deny the final mining permits and reject Twin Pines Mining Land Use Plan. As of April 2025, Georgia EPD has not decided on its next move.
House Bill 562 would not have prohibited Georgia EPD from approving Twin Pines LLC's current draft permit, allowing mining on an 800+ acre demonstration site on Trail Ridge. However, the legislation, if passed, would have imposed a 5-year pause on Georgia EPD accepting any additional mining permit applications from Twin Pines or others on or after July 1 of this year. Twin Pines seeks to mine roughly 8,000 acres along Trail Ridge and would need additional permits to do so.
The Okefenokee Protection Act, House Bill 561, also sponsored by Rep. Darlene Taylor (R-173), sought to prohibit the Georgia EPD from issuing any mining permits on Trail Ridge. Like House Bill 562, this measure was a direct response to Twin Pines, LLC's proposed heavy sands mine on Trail Ridge (more info on that proposal above).
House Bill 561 did not pass. The measure also had a committee hearing on March 3, but was not called for a vote in committee before Crossover Day. The Georgia Conservancy supported the passage of House Bill 561 during the session.
Per House Bill 561: The director of the [Georgia Environmental Protection Division] shall not issue, modify, or renew any permit or accept any bond to conduct surface mining operations on Trail Ridge for any permit application or permit amendment submitted on or after July 1, 2025."
HB 561 mirrored House Bill 71, which was introduced during the 2024 session, and a previous measure from the 2023 session. Like HB 561, neither of the bills gained any traction in the General Assembly, nor were they voted on in their originating committees.
TREE Act – Hurricane Helene Relief for Farms and Forestry
The TREES Act, or House Bill 223, introduced by Rep. James Burchett (R-176), focused on helping Georgia's timber farmers and timber industry rebound from the effects of Hurricane Helene, which had an estimated $1.3 billion impact on the industry.
House Bill 223 passed and is now on the Governor's desk. The Georgia Conservancy supported the passage of House Bill 223
The TREES Act, if signed by the Governor, will provide grants to local governing authorities and temporary tax relief to qualified timberland properties to offset the financial losses from the storm.
Georgia's timber industry is vital to rural Georgia's agricultural-based economy, and continued support for sustainable working landscapes is crucial to its economic viability in the face of increased development pressures.
Establishing an Office of Resilience
Senate Bill 264, introduced by Sen. Russ Goodman (R-8), sought to establish a State Resilience Office to be housed within the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency. Thirteen states currently have a State Resilience Office.
Senate Bill 264 did not pass. After clearing the Senate Committee on Public Safety, the measure did not get called for a vote by the Senate before Crossover Day. The Georgia Conservancy supported the passage of Senate Bill 264 during the session.
During the 2024 Legislative Session, both chambers passed resolutions establishing study committees to examine disaster mitigation and resilience. The House Study Committee on Disaster Mitigation and Resilience’s report and recommendations can be read here, and it includes the establishment of a State Resilience Office.
Many of the committee's recommendations, including those found in Senate Bill 264, recognize the role that conservation and nature-based solutions have in mitigating impacts, and are relevant to our statewide efforts, including our role in salt marsh conservation and coastal resiliency, as well as developing nature-based solutions for weather and climate-related impacts to our natural resources and communities.
Support for Georgia's Shrimping Industry
An amended House Bill 117, sponsored by Rep. Jesse Petrea (R-116), sought to require all restaurants in Georgia that serve imported foreign shrimp to disclose that fact on their menus and in publicly visible locations.
House Bill 117 did not pass. The measure passed the House but was tabled by the Senate on Sine Die. The Georgia Conservancy supported the passage of House Bill 117.
This measure was introduced to support our local Georgia shrimping industry and provide diners with important information on the origin of their shrimp. The Georgia Conservancy is a proud supporter of our local sustainable fisheries, and we encourage legislation that strengthens its place in the market.
No Legislative Action during the 2025 Legislative Session
Georgia Farmland Conservation
During the 2025 Legislative Session, the Georgia Conservancy advocated for increased, consistent, and sustainable funding for the newly established Georgia Farmland Conservation Fund and Program, and additional policies to help achieve this goal. In the FY 2024 Budget, the State allocated $2 million in initial funding for the program.
No legislative or budgetary action was taken on this issue or program during the 2025 Legislative Session. Continued funding for and promotion of the program will remain a top priority for the Georgia Conservancy during the summer and into the 2026 Legislative Session.
The Georgia Farmland Conservation Program was established during the 2023 Legislative Session when the Georgia General Assembly overwhelmingly passed the Georgia Farmland Conservation Act, Senate Bill 220. The Program offers farmland owners a financial incentive to conserve lands that are under threat of development. The establishing legislation was developed by the Georgia Conservancy, in concert with Representative Richard Dickey, Senator Russ Goodman, and the Department of Agriculture. (Learn more about the Georgia Farmland Conservation Program)
During the 2024 Session, through House Resolution 470, legislators created a Senate Study Committee on the Preservation of Georgia's Farmland. Referencing the Georgia Conservancy's Georgia Now and Forever Initiative, which determined that "Georgia lost approximately 2.6 million acres of crop, hay, and pasture land from 1974 to 2016", the Senate Study Committee's established purpose was to decide if "additional legislative measures may be necessary to give local communities the ability to protect Georgia's farmlands as a vital state resource and to slow the permanent conversion of this resource to other uses."
In five meetings hosted throughout the state this summer and fall, the committee heard from organizations (including the Georgia Conservancy), farmers, and other citizens about the need for robust farmland conservation programs and incentives. A summary of the committee hearings and the committee's findings and recommendations can be read here, while a summary of the committee can be read here.
In late 2024, Georgia Conservancy President Katherine Moore was appointed by Tyler Harper, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner, to serve on the Georgia Farmland Advisory Council (GFAC). The council was created through 2023's Georgia Farmland Conservation Act. Per the Act, the GFAC "will advise and assist the Georgia Department of Agriculture with the administration and implementation of the program utilizing the criteria proposed by the department and adopted by the council."
Moore's appointment came after continued Georgia Conservancy advocacy efforts during summer and fall meetings of the Senate Study Committee on Preservation of Georgia’s Farmlands, at which we shared with legislators and citizens data and information from our Georgia Now and Forever initiative—an analysis vital to preserving our state’s fertile agricultural lands.
Navigable Streams and Freshwater Access
During last year’s Legislative Session, House Resolution 1554, sponsored by Rep. Lynn Smith (R-70), established a House Study Committee to evaluate issues surrounding navigable streams and potentially recommend legislative actions determining which streams, or parts of streams, are navigable in Georgia.
The Study Committee was established to provide further understanding and potential additions/changes to two measures (HB 1172 and SB 542) that were introduced during the 2024 session. While both HB 1172 and SB 542 sought to clarify the law as it pertains to state ownership of navigable stream beds and clarify language that expresses the public right of passage on navigable streams, SB 542 provided much stronger support for the rights of those boating, hunting, and fishing on such streams. The House version eventually passed both chambers and was signed by the Governor.
The Georgia Conservancy has a long history of promoting, supporting, and advocating for recreational boating on Georgia’s rivers and streams, and we closely followed this committee as it hosted four meetings across the state during the summer and fall. Its report and recommendations can be read here.
While, in the end, the committee suggested no legislative or regulatory action as it pertains to legal definitions of navigable and non-navigable streams in Georgia and how those definitions relate to public access to waterways, the Georgia Conservancy will keep an eye on any measures that seek to erode current public access to our state's waters.
Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program / Conserve Georgia Grant
As a member of the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Coalition, the Georgia Conservancy continued to monitor Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program (GOSP) funding activities during the session and throughout the interim.
As previously mentioned, GOSP Conserve Georgia Grant saw a reduction in funds in the FY26 Budget due to safeguards found in the program's authorization legislation. A bill (HB 919) introduced during the last week of the session, and after Crossover Day, sought to remove those safeguards to ensure full funding of the program from year to year. The Georgia Conservancy will closely monitor and report on similar legislation during next year's session.
The GOSP, which was established by the 2018 Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act and through a subsequent ballot amendment, is authorized for a 10-year period. GOSP is Georgia's only source of dedicated conservation dollars. GOSP is set to sunset in 2028 unless reauthorized.
During the 2025 Session, the Georgia Conservancy began gathering support for the program's reauthorization in 2028 and looking towards ways to improve the program and increase funding. This work will continue into the summer and leading up to the 2026 Legislative Session.
Georgia Conservancy Advocacy Program
For a statewide nonprofit organization, there are more barriers than incentives to including an Advocacy Program in its mission and work.
Advocacy work is difficult to resource. It takes a special disposition to balance various relationships with elected officials and between partners, and an interest not only in policy but also in politics, process, and strategy.
This year’s session demonstrated again why the investment in an effective and engaged Advocacy Program at the Georgia Conservancy is so important – it’s necessary!
Please consider a tax-deductible donation to the Georgia Conservancy. We couldn't do this important work without you!
House and Senate Committees
The Conservancy works closely with members of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment, House Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment, House Committee on Game, Fish and Parks, and the House Committee on Ways and Means. Bills that originate in these committees often have the greatest impact on Georgia's natural environment.
Please advocate for sound environmental policies that benefit all of Georgia by reaching out to your elected officials. This is our Georgia.
QUESTIONS?
Please get in touch with Georgia Conservancy Communications Director Brian Foster at bfoster@gaconservancy.org with any questions regarding the 2025 Legislative Session.
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