---
title: HB 992. State parks; free admission on certain public and legal holidays; provide
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hb992
cite_as: HB 992, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb992
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb992.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb992/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72259
date: 2026-01-27
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.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb991.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb993.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb992.md?full=1
bill_number: HB 992
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-01-15
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
  - David Wilkerson
  - Debbie Buckner
  - Scott Holcomb
  - Solomon Adesanya
  - Al Williams
  - Eric Bell
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HB992/2025
upstream_id: 2083541
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - state parks
  - park fees
  - Georgia holidays
  - outdoor recreation
---

# HB 992. State parks; free admission on certain public and legal holidays; provide

## Text

House Bill 992
By: Representatives Wilkerson of the 38th, Buckner of the 137th, Holcomb of the 101st,
Adesanya of the 43rd, Williams of the 168th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to general provisions regarding parks, historic areas, memorials, and recreation, so
as to provide for free admission to state parks on certain public and legal holidays; to provide
for a definition; 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 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 12 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
general provisions regarding parks, historic areas, memorials, and recreation, is amended by
adding a new Code section to read as follows:
<ins>"12-3-9.2.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term 'fee' means the charge or fee established by the
Board of Natural Resources for the use or occupancy of any state park, historic site, or
recreational area.
</ins>
<ins>(b) No fee shall be charged to any resident of this state for admission to any state park,
historic site, or recreational area on any public and legal holiday provided for by Code
Section 1-4-1."
</ins> 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 waive state park entrance fees for Georgia residents on official public and legal holidays, adding a new section to state parks law.

### Plain-language summary

Under current Georgia law, the Board of Natural Resources sets fees for using or occupying state parks, historic sites, and recreational areas. This bill would add a new Code section, 12-3-9.2, to Georgia's parks law that waives those fees for Georgia residents on any day recognized as a public and legal holiday under O.C.G.A. § 1-4-1 (the state's official holiday list).
The bill defines 'fee' as the charge set by the Board of Natural Resources for using or occupying a state park, historic site, or recreational area. It then bars charging that fee to Georgia residents on the listed holidays. The bill repeals any conflicting laws but does not state a specific effective date beyond the standard process for bills that become law.

### What it does

- Adds a new Code section, 12-3-9.2, to Georgia's parks law creating free admission for residents on public and legal holidays.
- Defines 'fee' as the charge the Board of Natural Resources sets for using or occupying a state park, historic site, or recreational area.
- Bars charging Georgia residents that fee on any day listed as a public and legal holiday under O.C.G.A. § 1-4-1.
- Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with this new free-admission rule.

### Who it affects

Georgia residents who visit state parks, historic sites, or recreational areas, and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and its Board of Natural Resources, which sets and collects the admission fees affected by this change.

### Why it matters

Georgia residents would be able to visit state parks, historic sites, and recreational areas without paying admission fees on official holidays like Labor Day or Thanksgiving, potentially reducing revenue the parks system collects on those specific days.

### Key provisions

- Section 1 adds new Code Section 12-3-9.2 to Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 12, covering state parks, historic areas, and recreation.
- Subsection (a) defines 'fee' as the charge the Board of Natural Resources sets for use or occupancy of a state park, historic site, or recreational area.
- Subsection (b) prohibits charging that fee to Georgia residents on any public and legal holiday listed in O.C.G.A. § 1-4-1.
- Section 2 repeals any laws that conflict with the new free-admission provision.

## Status

- Status: Introduced (2026-01-15)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-01-27)
- Sponsors: David Wilkerson, Debbie Buckner, Scott Holcomb, Solomon Adesanya, Al Williams, Eric Bell
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72259

> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hb992.md?full=1