HB 466: State symbols; marsh tacky horse as official Georgia heritage horse breed; designate

Georgia law lists a number of official state symbols, from the state bird to the state fruit, but currently has no designated heritage horse or cattle breed. This bill adds two new sections to that part of Georgia law (O.C.G.A. Title 50, Chapter 3, Article 3). The bill first lays out legislative findings describing the marsh tacky horse's long history in Georgia, tracing its presence back to the 1500s and noting its use by Indigenous nations, European settlers, and Gullah and Maroon communities, as well as its role in Revolutionary War era guerrilla campaigns. It also notes the breed is now listed as critically endangered by the Livestock Conservancy, with fewer than 2,000 remaining. The bill then creates a new Code section naming the marsh tacky horse the official Georgia heritage horse breed, and a second new Code section naming the pineywoods cattle the official Georgia heritage cattle breed. It repeals any conflicting laws.

• Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 50-3-96) designating the marsh tacky horse as the official Georgia heritage horse breed.
• Adds a new Code section (O.C.G.A. § 50-3-97) designating the pineywoods cattle as the official Georgia heritage cattle breed.
• Includes legislative findings describing the marsh tacky horse's history in Georgia and its critically endangered status.
• Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with these new designations.

This mainly affects the symbolic list of official Georgia state emblems. It has practical relevance to breeders, conservation groups, and historians focused on the marsh tacky horse and pineywoods cattle, and to Georgians interested in state history and heritage livestock breeds.

The designation carries no funding, regulation, or enforcement, but it gives official state recognition to two historically significant but now rare livestock breeds, which can raise public awareness and support conservation and educational efforts around them.

• Section 1 sets out findings on the marsh tacky horse's presence in Georgia since the 1500s, its use by Indigenous, European, and Gullah/Maroon communities, and its critically endangered status with under 2,000 horses remaining.
• Section 2 creates new Code section 50-3-96 designating the marsh tacky horse as the official Georgia heritage horse breed.
• Section 3 creates new Code section 50-3-97 designating the pineywoods cattle as the official Georgia heritage cattle breed.
• Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws, a standard clause with no specific effect described in the bill.

1. 2026-05-05Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-05Act 382
3. 2026-05-05House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-10House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-04-02House Agreed Senate Amend or Sub (House)
6. 2026-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
7. 2026-03-31Senate Third Read (Senate)
8. 2026-03-25Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)

• Mike Cameron (R, HD-001)Primary sponsor
• Al Williams (D, HD-168)
• Ron Stephens (R, HD-164)
• Jesse Petrea (R, HD-166)
• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)

1. PassedHouse voteMarch 6, 2025

   168 yea, 1 nay (4 not voting, 7 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #223

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   41 yea, 6 nay (3 not voting, 4 absent)

   Passage By Substitute: Senate Vote #904

3. PassedHouse voteApril 2, 2026

   170 yea, 1 nay (1 not voting, 4 absent)

   Agree To Senate Substitute: House Vote #863

• state symbols
• marsh tacky horse
• pineywoods cattle
• Georgia heritage
• livestock conservation