Why It Matters: Georgia’s sportsmen and women were well represented once again at the Georgia General Assembly during the 2026 legislative session. From issues positively impacting conservation funding to hunter education in schools to prescribed fire, there were numerous wins delivered this session, ensuring Georgia’s hunters and anglers can feel confident their interests were well represented in Atlanta.
Highlights:
- On January 28, Senate Bill 148 (SB 148) sponsored by Georgia Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus (Caucus) Co-Chair and NASC Executive Council member Representative Chas Cannon, passed the General Assembly and is currently awaiting signature from Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus member Governor Brian Kemp. SB 148 will allow public schools to offer hunter safety education courses in grades six through twelve.
- House Bill 983 (HB 983), a bill sponsored by Representative Cannon and several other Caucus members, clarifies that no county or municipality can regulate prescribed burning for silvicultural purposes except for notice or permit requirements. HB 983 passed the General Assembly and is awaiting Governor Kemp’s signature.
- Senate Bill 478 (SB 478), a bill that would reauthorize the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program (Program) through 2039 and increase the amount of funds that the General Assembly may appropriate to the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Fund (Fund), passed the General Assembly and is awaiting Governor Kemp’s signature.
- Senate Bill 420 (SB 420), a bill that will provide for minor fees for reef and migratory fish endorsements, passed the General Assembly and is currently awaiting Governor Kemp’s signature.
Georgia is an incredibly diverse state that offers a wide range of exciting outdoor opportunities for hunters and anglers of all backgrounds to take part in and enjoy. With vast opportunities afield, this provides plenty of opportunities to advance our time-honored traditions at the State House each year.
As previously reported, SB 148 passing the General Assembly in January is the result of an effort led by the Caucus working closely alongside the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) that first began in 2025. As a key priority for the Foundation, CSF brought forward and worked with the Caucus to introduce this legislation and then stayed engaged throughout the legislative process over the past two years to see this bill reach the Governor’s desk. On top of steady engagement over the past two years, CSF also spearheaded a coalition letter of support for SB 148. Students across Georgia will now have the opportunity to take a hunter safety education taught by a Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) certified instructor and earn both school credit and satisfy their required hunter safety education requirement.
Georgia also took a big step forward in recognizing the importance of prescribed fire as a critical tool for managing the state’s forests. By simplifying regulatory oversight, HB 983 creates a statewide uniform approach to utilizing prescribed fire on the landscape. CSF submitted written testimony in support of HB 983 and worked to see this legislation through the legislative process.
Building on years of proven success, SB 478 reauthorized the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program through the year 2039, while also allow the General Assembly to invest more into conservation throughout Georgia. The Program will continue to increase the scale of conservation work on both private and public lands, which will directly benefit wildlife habitat, hunters, anglers, and outdoor recreationists alike. CSF submitted written testimony in support of SB 478 and worked closely with the Caucus to see this legislation through the legislative process.
Also the product of a multi-year effort, HB 443 will greatly advance Georgia’s leadership in recreational saltwater fisheries management in the South Atlantic region. Georgia’s saltwater anglers have endured minimal access to popular saltwater fisheries, like red snapper, while their neighbors in the Gulf states enjoyed longer seasons under state management. HB 443 will allow the DNR to build a recreational data collection program that is more timely and accurate than the current federal system of fisheries management. CSF submitted written testimony in support of HB 443 and worked closely with the Caucus to see this legislation through the legislative process.
Additionally, Caucus Co-Chair and NASC Executive Council member Representative Chas Cannon introduced House Resolution 1889, which recognizes the importance of voluntary conservation easements. The General Assembly formally recognized their support for voluntary conservation easements. Representative Cannon also introduced House Resolution 1928, which recognizes trapping as a preferred wildlife management tool. House Resolution 1928 was formally adopted.
Finally, the Caucus hosted a successful Caucus Range Day in February and Trout Fishing Day in March, where Caucus members were able to enjoy time afield and at the range while learning about our time-honored traditions. The Caucus also conducted a fundraising raffle where $10,000 in proceeds were donated to the DNR’s Outdoor Beyond Barriers Program.
CSF commends the Caucus for its incredibly strong work on all fronts during the 2026 legislative session and looks forward to building upon this momentum in the years ahead.