---
title: HB 1266. Watercraft; use of certain motors on vessels being operated on the Ogeechee River; repeal a provision
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb1266
cite_as: HB 1266, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1266
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1266.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1266/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73059
date: 2026-05-11
status: passed
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1265.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 1083
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1266.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 1266
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-05-11
last_action: Effective Date 2026-07-01
sponsors:
- Jason Ridley
- Trey Rhodes
- Steven Meeks
- Russ Goodman
text_version: Enrolled
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1266/2025
upstream_id: 2113592
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- boating law
- Ogeechee River
- personal watercraft rules
- watercraft regulations
---
# HB 1266. Watercraft; use of certain motors on vessels being operated on the Ogeechee River; repeal a provision
## Text
House Bill 1266 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By: Representatives Ridley of the 6th, Rhodes of the 124th, and Meeks of the 178th
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 1 of Chapter 7 of Title 52 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to general provisions regarding registration, operation, and sale of watercraft, so as
to revise a provision relative to the use of certain watercrafts being operated on the Ogeechee
River; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 1 of Chapter 7 of Title 52 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
general provisions regarding registration, operation, and sale of watercraft, is amended by
revising subsection (c) of Code Section 52-7-13, relating to boating safety zones, restrictions
on use of motors and operation of houseboats on certain lakes, and exceptions, as follows:
"(c) With the exception of law enforcement crafts, no motor in excess of 9.9 horsepower
personal watercraft as defined in paragraph (2) of Code Section 52-7-8.2 shall be used on
any vessel being operated on the Ogeechee River from the point where it crosses State
Highway No. 119 to its point of origin."
SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.
## Summaries written by Georgia Commons
The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the bill. Quote the text, not the summary.
House Bill 1266 would change the rule on which watercraft can be used on the upper Ogeechee River, replacing a horsepower limit with a ban on personal watercraft like jet skis.
### Plain-language summary
Current Georgia law (O.C.G.A. Section 52-7-13) bars any motor over 9.9 horsepower from being used on the Ogeechee River between its origin point and where it crosses State Highway 119, except for law enforcement boats. House Bill 1266 removes that horsepower cap entirely.
In its place, the bill bans personal watercraft, defined by reference to another section of Georgia's boating law (O.C.G.A. Section 52-7-8.2), such as jet skis and similar small motorized craft, from operating on that same stretch of river. Law enforcement vessels remain exempt. The change applies only to that specific segment of the Ogeechee River and takes effect once the Governor signs it, with all conflicting prior laws repealed.
### What it does
- Removes the existing 9.9 horsepower limit on motors used on the upper Ogeechee River.
- Replaces the horsepower limit with a ban on personal watercraft, using the definition already in Georgia law (O.C.G.A. Section 52-7-8.2), on that same river stretch.
- Keeps the exemption for law enforcement vessels operating on the river.
- Applies only to the section of the Ogeechee River between State Highway 119 and the river's point of origin.
- Repeals any prior laws that conflict with the new rule.
### Who it affects
Boaters and personal watercraft users, such as jet ski operators, on the upper Ogeechee River, along with anglers, kayakers, and other recreational users who share that stretch of water. Law enforcement agencies patrolling the river remain unaffected by the new restriction.
### Why it matters
Boats with motors just over 9.9 horsepower that were previously banned could now legally operate on this stretch of the Ogeechee River, while jet skis and other personal watercraft that were previously allowed would now be banned, changing who can use the water and how.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 revises subsection (c) of O.C.G.A. Section 52-7-13, striking the 9.9 horsepower motor limit for the Ogeechee River segment.
- Section 1 inserts a new restriction banning personal watercraft, as defined in O.C.G.A. Section 52-7-8.2, from that same river segment.
- The restriction continues to apply only between the river's point of origin and where it crosses State Highway 119.
- Law enforcement crafts remain exempt from the restriction.
- Section 2 repeals any existing laws that conflict with this change.
## Status
- Status: Passed (2026-05-11)
- Last action: Effective Date 2026-07-01 (2026-05-11)
- Sponsors: Jason Ridley, Trey Rhodes, Steven Meeks, Russ Goodman
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73059
> The history, votes, and amendments (1,083 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1266.md?full=1