HB 922: Georgia Boater Bill of Rights; enact

HB922, called the 'Georgia Boater Bill of Rights,' does two main things. First, it adds a new section to Georgia's traffic laws saying no state agency or local government can restrict the use or sale of a motor vehicle or watercraft because of the type of energy that powers it, whether that's gasoline, diesel, electricity, hydrogen, or solar power. This would block cities, counties, or state agencies from banning or limiting vehicles or boats based on their fuel or power source. Second, the bill creates the Georgia Boating Access Task Force inside the Department of Natural Resources. The eight-member task force, chaired by the commissioner of natural resources, would coordinate boating safety rules, evaluate public boat access points around the state, and work to control invasive aquatic species while preserving access. Members would serve four-year terms and receive only expense reimbursement, not salary. The commissioner could issue rules to carry out the task force's work.

• Prohibits state agencies and local governments from restricting the use or sale of motor vehicles or watercraft based on their energy source, such as gasoline, electricity, or solar power.
• Creates the Georgia Boating Access Task Force within the Department of Natural Resources to ensure safe and adequate boating access on Georgia waters.
• Assigns the task force duties including coordinating boating safety enforcement, evaluating existing boat access points, and addressing threats from invasive aquatic species.
• Sets the task force's membership at eight people, including the commissioner as chair, a county government representative, a Department of Transportation representative, a municipal representative, and four industry stakeholders, all appointed by the Governor except the chair.
• Limits task force member compensation to daily expense allowances and travel reimbursement matching what state legislators receive, unless the member is already paid as a state employee.
• Authorizes the commissioner of natural resources to write rules needed to carry out the task force's work.

Boat owners and motor vehicle owners in Georgia, local city and county governments, the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Transportation, the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, the Georgia Municipality Association, and industry stakeholders who could serve on the new task force.

The energy-source provision would prevent any Georgia city, county, or state agency from banning or limiting vehicles or boats based on fuel type, such as restricting gas-powered boats or requiring electric vehicles. The new task force could lead to concrete changes in where and how boaters can access public waters statewide.

• Section 1 names the bill the 'Georgia Boater Bill of Rights.'
• Section 2 adds new Code Section 40-1-10, defining 'energy source,' 'motor vehicle,' and 'watercraft,' and barring state or local restrictions on vehicles or watercraft based on energy source.
• Section 3 adds a new Article 4 to Chapter 7 of Title 52, creating the Georgia Boating Access Task Force under the Department of Natural Resources (Code Section 52-7-91).
• Section 3 sets the task force's mission to coordinate boating safety enforcement, evaluate boat access points, and address invasive aquatic species (Code Section 52-7-91(b)).
• Section 3 sets task force composition at eight members with four-year terms and defines compensation limited to expense and mileage reimbursement (Code Section 52-7-92).
• Section 3 authorizes the commissioner of natural resources to issue rules to implement the article (Code Section 52-7-93).
• Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2026-01-12House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-04-04House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-04-04House Hopper (House)

• Steven Sainz (R, HD-180)Primary sponsor
• Ron Stephens (R, HD-164)
• Jaclyn Ford (R, HD-170)
• Lauren McDonald (R, HD-026)
• Alan Powell (R, HD-033)
• Rick Townsend (R, HD-179)

• boating access
• electric vehicles
• local government authority
• watercraft regulation
• Department of Natural Resources