--- title: HB 1310. State symbols; cotton as official state fabric; designate collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hb1310 cite_as: HB 1310, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1310 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1310.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1310/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73198 date: 2026-05-06 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. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1309.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1311.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 1224 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1310.md?full=1 bill_number: HB 1310 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: bill status_date: 2026-05-06 last_action: Effective Date 2026-07-01 sponsors: - Jaclyn Ford - Robert Dickey - Steven Meeks - Angie O'Steen - Al Williams - Charles Cannon - Sam Watson text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB1310/2025 upstream_id: 2116203 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - state symbols - cotton - Georgia agriculture - state fabric --- # HB 1310. State symbols; cotton as official state fabric; designate ## Text House Bill 1310 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE) By: Representatives Ford of the 170th, Dickey of the 134th, Meeks of the 178th, O’Steen of the 169th, Williams of the 168th, and others A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to other state symbols, so as to designate cotton as the official state fabric; to provide legislative findings; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: SECTION 1. The General Assembly of Georgia finds that: (1) Cotton is a natural fiber used for cloth, batting, and bindings. The fabric is made from either the weaving or knitting process; (2) In clothing, it is known for its breathability, allowing air to circulate freely around the skin. Cotton helps regulate body temperature, keeping skin cool and dry; (3) Cotton is hypoallergenic and wearing it reduces skin irritations and is oftentimes recommended by dermatologists; (4) Wearing cotton prevents the addition of harmful microplastics to our air and water that synthetic fiber leaves behind, leading to cleaner, healthier communities; (5) Around one million acres of cotton is grown in nearly 100 of Georgia's 159 counties every year contributing over $3 billion annually to the economy of this state; (6) Cotton is a vital component to healthy rural Georgia economies, which are based on stable farm incomes; and (7) May cotton continue to be the fabric of our lives in the great state of Georgia. SECTION 2. Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to other state symbols, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows: "50-3-96. Cotton is designated as the official Georgia state fabric." SECTION 3. 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 1310 designates cotton as Georgia's official state fabric, adding a new section to Georgia law listing state symbols. ### Plain-language summary Georgia law includes a list of official state symbols, and this bill adds cotton to that list as the official state fabric. The bill starts with a set of legislative findings describing cotton's properties, such as its breathability and hypoallergenic qualities, and notes that Georgia farmers grow roughly one million acres of cotton each year across nearly 100 counties, generating more than $3 billion annually for the state's economy. The operative change is short: it adds a new Code section, O.C.G.A. § 50-3-96, to Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 50, stating simply that cotton is the official Georgia state fabric. The bill also repeals any conflicting laws, which is standard closing language. ### What it does - Adds a new Code section, O.C.G.A. § 50-3-96, to Georgia law designating cotton as the official state fabric. - States legislative findings about cotton's economic role in Georgia, citing about one million acres grown yearly across nearly 100 counties. - Cites cotton's contribution of over $3 billion annually to Georgia's economy as part of the rationale for the designation. - Repeals any existing laws that conflict with the new designation, standard closing language with no separate substantive effect. ### Who it affects The designation is largely symbolic, so it does not impose new duties or costs on any group. It touches Georgia's cotton farmers and rural agricultural communities, whose industry is highlighted in the bill's findings, and it affects the official list of Georgia state symbols maintained in state law. ### Why it matters The bill does not change any regulations, funding, or requirements; it adds a formal, symbolic recognition of cotton's role in Georgia's history and economy to the state code, similar to other designated state symbols like the state bird or flower. ### Key provisions - Section 1 lists legislative findings about cotton's properties and its economic contribution, including over $3 billion annually and cultivation across nearly 100 of Georgia's 159 counties. - Section 2 adds new Code section 50-3-96 to Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 50, stating that cotton is designated the official Georgia state fabric. - Section 3 repeals any laws in conflict with the Act, standard boilerplate with no independent substantive effect. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-05-06) - Last action: Effective Date 2026-07-01 (2026-05-06) - Sponsors: Jaclyn Ford, Robert Dickey, Steven Meeks, Angie O'Steen, Al Williams, Charles Cannon, Sam Watson - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73198 > The history, votes, and amendments (1,224 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb1310.md?full=1