HB 166: State holidays; fourth Friday in November as National Sugarcane Syrup Day; designate

Georgia law currently has no official day recognizing sugarcane syrup making, a farming tradition the bill's findings describe as fading due to rising costs and competition from artificial syrups. This bill adds a new section to Georgia's holidays and observances law to fix that. The bill adds a new Code section, O.C.G.A. § 1-4-27, designating the fourth Friday in November each year, the day after Thanksgiving, as 'National Sugarcane Syrup Day' in Georgia. The bill includes legislative findings explaining the reasoning: sugarcane syrup making is a longstanding family farm tradition, it faces economic pressure, and late November is when Georgia sugarcane is said to be at its sweetest. The designation does not create a paid state holiday or close government offices; it is a symbolic recognition. The bill repeals any conflicting laws.

• Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 1-4-27) to Georgia law designating the fourth Friday in November as 'National Sugarcane Syrup Day'.
• Includes legislative findings framing sugarcane syrup making as a family farm tradition facing decline from costs and artificial syrup competition.
• Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with the new designation.
• Does not establish a paid state holiday, close government offices, or create any funding, program, or enforcement mechanism.

Georgia farmers and families involved in traditional sugarcane syrup production, and more broadly any Georgian interested in the symbolic recognition, since the bill creates no regulatory requirements or funding affecting businesses, agencies, or the public.

The bill would give sugarcane syrup making formal state recognition on a specific day each year, which could raise public awareness of the tradition and the difference between natural and artificial syrups, though it carries no funding, mandates, or legal obligations.

• Section 1 lays out legislative findings describing sugarcane syrup making as a fading family farm tradition worth preserving and publicizing.
• Section 2 adds new Code section 1-4-27, designating the fourth Friday in November each year as 'National Sugarcane Syrup Day' in Georgia.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws, a standard closing provision with no substantive effect here.

1. 2025-02-03House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-01-30House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-01-29House Hopper (House)

• Lehman Franklin (R, HD-160)Primary sponsor
• John Corbett (R, HD-174)
• Leesa Hagan (R, HD-156)
• Debbie Buckner (D, HD-137)
• Vance Smith (R, HD-138)
• Bill Yearta (R, HD-152)

• state holidays
• sugarcane syrup
• Georgia agriculture
• farm traditions