---
title: HB 145. State symbols; change state floral emblem to sweetbay magnolia
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb145
cite_as: HB 145, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb145
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb145.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb145/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69567
date: 2025-01-30
status: introduced
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/hb144.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb145.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 145
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2025-01-28
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
  - Deborah Silcox
  - Scott Hilton
  - Jan Jones
  - Ron Stephens
  - Matt Reeves
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB145/2025
upstream_id: 1945186
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - state symbols
  - Georgia state flower
  - sweetbay magnolia
  - Cherokee rose
---

# HB 145. State symbols; change state floral emblem to sweetbay magnolia

## Text

House Bill 145
By: Representatives Silcox of the 53rd, Hilton of the 48th, Jones of the 47th, Stephens of the
164th, and Reeves of the 99th
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 change the state floral emblem to the sweetbay
magnolia; 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 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to other
state symbols, is amended by revising Code Section 50-3-53, relating to state floral emblem,
as follows:
"50-3-53.
The <del>Cherokee rose</del> <ins>sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana)</ins> is adopted as the floral
emblem of the State of Georgia."
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.

A Georgia House bill would replace the Cherokee rose with the sweetbay magnolia as the state's official floral emblem, updating a section of state law that has designated the flower symbol.

### Plain-language summary

Georgia law currently names the Cherokee rose as the state's official flower under a section of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A. § 50-3-53). This bill would rewrite that section to instead designate the sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) as the state floral emblem.
The bill makes no other changes to Georgia law beyond this single substitution. It also includes a standard clause repealing any other state laws that conflict with this change. The bill does not include an explicit effective date section beyond the standard process of becoming law once passed and signed.

### What it does

- Removes the Cherokee rose as Georgia's official state flower by striking it from O.C.G.A. § 50-3-53.
- Designates the sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) as the new official state floral emblem in its place.
- Repeals any other existing state laws that conflict with this change.

### Who it affects

This bill mainly affects the symbolic designation of Georgia's state flower, so it touches state government recordkeeping, educational materials about Georgia symbols, and anyone who references the state's official flower, such as textbook publishers or tourism materials.

### Why it matters

If enacted, official references to Georgia's state flower in government publications, school materials, and public displays would need to change from the Cherokee rose to the sweetbay magnolia, affecting how the state is represented in educational and ceremonial contexts.

### Key provisions

- Section 1 amends O.C.G.A. § 50-3-53 to strike the Cherokee rose and insert the sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) as the state's floral emblem.
- Section 2 repeals any other Georgia laws that conflict with this change.

## Status

- Status: Introduced (2025-01-28)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2025-01-30)
- Sponsors: Deborah Silcox, Scott Hilton, Jan Jones, Ron Stephens, Matt Reeves
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69567

> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb145.md?full=1