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House · Passed · 2025-2026 Regular Session

HB 983: Conservation and natural resources; prescribed burning for silviculture purposes is exempt from certain burning notice and permit requirements; clarify

Last action July 1, 2026 · Effective Date

A Georgia House bill would rewrite state forestry law to spell out that local governments cannot use ordinances to block prescribed burning done for silviculture (forest management) purposes, and it defines those terms more precisely.

Read the full bill text

These buttons carry the bill's own text, not the summaries below. Copy for LLM, View as markdown, and Send to AI use the Markdown version: the text as filed, then the summaries under a heading that names them as ours. View raw is the text alone.

The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the bill and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.

In plain language

Georgia law already lets landowners burn woods, brush, and undergrowth under certain notice and permit rules, and it already limited how much counties and cities could restrict that burning. This bill rewrites those protections. Instead of a general ban on local rules that would 'prohibit burning the understory' or block landowners from reducing fuel loads, the new language says counties and municipalities can add their own notice or permit requirements for burning generally, but none of those local rules can restrict 'prescribed burning' as defined in the forestry code, except burning of leaf or brush piles not needed for that purpose. The bill also rewrites the definition of prescribed burning to specifically tie it to silviculture (forest management), listing examples like site preparation for timber, hazard fuel reduction, wildlife habitat improvement, and longleaf pine ecosystem maintenance. It adds a new definition of 'silviculture' itself. Finally, it removes a reference to burning under a 'permit issued under' Part 3 of the forestry article, replacing it with a broader reference to 'any requirements set forth in' that part.

What the bill does

  • Clarifies that county and municipal ordinances cannot restrict prescribed burning done for silviculture purposes, while still letting local governments add other notice or permit rules for burning generally.
  • Narrows the local-restriction exception so it does not cover burning of leaf or brush piles unless necessary to accomplish prescribed burning's purposes.
  • Rewrites the legal definition of 'prescribed burning' to tie it specifically to silviculture and lists covered activities such as timber site preparation, hazard fuel reduction, wildlife habitat improvement, and longleaf pine ecosystem maintenance.
  • Adds a new statutory definition of 'silviculture' covering the science and practice of managing forest establishment, growth, harvesting, planting, thinning, and burning.
  • Changes the requirement that prescribed burning follow 'a permit issued under' Part 3 of the forestry article to instead require compliance with 'any requirements set forth in' that part.

Who it affects

Forest landowners and timber companies who conduct prescribed burns for forest management, county and municipal governments that regulate burning through local ordinances, the State Forestry Commission, and nearby residents affected by burning notice and permit rules.

Why it matters

Landowners who burn forestland for timber management, wildlife habitat, or wildfire prevention would have clearer legal protection against local ordinances that try to restrict that burning, while counties and cities retain some ability to set their own notice and permit rules for burning in general.

Key provisions

  • Section 1 revises O.C.G.A. § 12-6-90(d) so local governments may add notice or permit requirements for burning but cannot restrict prescribed burning as defined in § 12-6-147, with an exception for leaf or brush piles not needed for the burn's purpose.
  • Section 2 revises the definition of 'prescribed burning' in § 12-6-147 to link it to silviculture purposes and lists specific covered activities, and adds a new definition of 'silviculture.'
  • Section 3 revises § 12-6-148(a)(4) to require prescribed burning to follow 'any requirements set forth in' Part 3 of the article rather than 'a permit issued under' that part.
  • Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws.

From the bill

“no such additional requirements shall restrict prescribed burning, as such term is defined in Code Section 12-6-147”

This is the bill's core protection preventing local ordinances from restricting prescribed burning.

“'Prescribed burning' means the controlled application of fire to existing vegetative fuels for silviculture purposes, which is confined to a predetermined area, is conducted under specified environmental conditions”

This is the bill's revised legal definition tying prescribed burning specifically to forest management.

Discussed in meetings (14)

The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.

  1. House Natural Resources & Environment Committee, February 5, 2026

    From 0:09:45 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

    Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 983 would clarify which prescribed burns cities and counties cannot restrict. According to the sponsor, existing protections cover burning forest understory and reducing fuel on the forest floor, while the bill would explicitly include preparing land for timber cultivation, reducing fuel, improving wildlife habitat and managing longleaf pine ecosystems. The sponsor said the Georgia Forestry Commission requested the change to reduce confusion among local governments and property owners. As an example, the sponsor described uncertainty about whether protected understory burning could occur after trees had been cleared for replanting, leaving no overstory. The sponsor said prescribed burning helps prevent wildfires, limit their damage and support forests and native wildlife. The chair also expressed support for prescribed burning as a preventive measure. No substantive questions or amendments were offered. The committee approved a motion to recommend passage by voice vote, with no audible opposition and no vote count stated.

  2. House Rules Committee, February 9, 2026

    From 0:24:09 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

    Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 983 was requested by the Georgia Forestry Commission to clarify the legal definition of prescribed burning and reduce confusion for counties, cities and property owners. Later, a committee member asked what silviculture meant. Other speakers described it as forestry, forest management and growing trees, including prescribed burns to improve forest growth. The committee took no calendar action.

  3. House Rules Committee, February 11, 2026

    From 0:52:29 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 568

    Summary by Georgia Commons: The committee placed HB 983 on Thursday's calendar after a motion and second, with no opposition voiced. There was no substantive discussion.

  4. House floor session, February 12, 2026 (legislative day 18)

    From 2:03:38 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the 2026 House Journal, p. 582

    Summary by Georgia Commons: The clerk described HB 983 as clarifying an exemption from certain burning notice and permit requirements for prescribed burns used in forestry. The sponsor said the Georgia Forestry Commission requested clearer language defining prescribed burning and specifying a predetermined area, to reduce confusion for local governments and property owners. A member asked whether Georgia's relatively straightforward prescribed-fire permitting process distinguished it from western states. The sponsor agreed and credited prescribed burning and rapid responses by state agencies and local responders with helping contain wildfires and limit losses. The House passed the bill, 162 to 0.

  5. Senate Natural Resources and the Environment Committee, February 23, 2026

    From 0:17:43 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

    Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said HB 983, requested by the Georgia Forestry Commission, would clarify prescribed burning rules to reduce confusion for local governments and property owners. A commission representative said a court had allowed a city to treat a reforestation burn as land clearing, requiring local permits and equipment that would increase costs and concentrate soil nutrients in a hole rather than across the site. The representative said the bill defines forestry practices and clarifies the commission’s authority to authorize forestry burns. Asked what those practices include, the representative described managing forest establishment, growth, health and quality. Asked why the city objected, the representative did not give a definitive reason but said some local governments charge permit fees while the commission does not. Another member asked whether local governments could regulate the time, place and manner of forestry burns; the representative said they could not. Asked about training or certification requirements, the representative described the commission’s existing prescribed-fire training program. The chair raised concerns about erosion and tree growth under the city’s approach. Another member supported relying on the commission’s expertise. The committee unanimously approved the bill.

  6. Senate Rules Committee, March 9, 2026

    From 0:04:45 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

    Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the Georgia Forestry Commission requested the bill to clarify prescribed burning and prevent confusion among local governments and landowners. Asked about silviculture, the sponsor described it as managing and caring for forests, with burning as one part of that work, and said the bill adds a definition. The sponsor said local governments may set burning rules but cannot prohibit prescribed burns, and that uncertainty about which burns qualify had caused problems in some places. No vote was recorded.

  7. Senate Rules Committee, March 12, 2026

    From 0:29:06 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel

    Summary by Georgia Commons: The chair identified HB 983 as a forestry-related bill and invited questions; none were asked. A committee member then requested its placement on the floor calendar. No provisions were explained, and the committee unanimously approved the calendar containing it.

  8. Senate floor session, March 16, 2026 (legislative day 32)

    From 3:27:45 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel · Confirmed by the bill's status history (Senate Third Read)

    Summary by Georgia Commons: The sponsor said the Georgia Forestry Commission requested HB 983 to clarify what qualifies as a prescribed burn and reduce confusion among local governments and landowners. The sponsor said local governments could regulate burning but could not prohibit prescribed burns. The sponsor also said the bill defined forestry practices and clarified prescribed burning's role in forest management. The sponsor reported unanimous approval in the House and Senate committee and said one tree produces enough oxygen annually for two to four people. No other members spoke, and the Senate passed the bill 51 to 0.

Status timeline

  1. 2026-07-01Effective Date
  2. 2026-05-06Act 429
  3. 2026-05-06House Date Signed by Governor (House)
  4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (House)
  5. 2026-03-16Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
  6. 2026-03-16Senate Third Read (Senate)
  7. 2026-02-25Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
  8. 2026-02-24Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
Show full history (15 actions)
  1. 2026-02-17Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
  2. 2026-02-12House Passed/Adopted (House)
  3. 2026-02-12House Third Readers (House)
  4. 2026-02-05House Committee Favorably Reported (House)
  5. 2026-01-27House Second Readers (House)
  6. 2026-01-16House First Readers (House)
  7. 2026-01-15House Hopper (House)

Sponsors

  • Leesa Hagan (R, HD-156)Primary sponsor
  • Chas Cannon (R, HD-172)
  • Steven Meeks (R, HD-178)
  • James Burchett (R, HD-176)
  • Russ Goodman (R, SD-8)

Votes

  1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 12, 2026

    162 yea, 0 nay (5 not voting, 10 excused)

    PASSAGE: House Vote #509

  2. PassedSenate voteMarch 16, 2026

    51 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 1 excused)

    PASSAGE: Senate Vote #724

Topics

  • forestry
  • prescribed burning
  • land management
  • local ordinances
  • wildfire prevention

Ask about this bill

Answers come from this document. Not legal advice.

Machine-readable https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb983.md · https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md · MCP https://mcp.georgiacommons.org/mcp

HB983: Conservation and natural resources; prescribed burning for silviculture purposes is exempt from certain burning notice and permit requirements; clarify | Georgia Commons