HR 100: House Study Committee on the Cumulative Impact of Pollution on Economic Development and Growth; create

This resolution does not change any Georgia law directly. Instead, it creates the House Study Committee on the Cumulative Impact of Pollution on Economic Development and Growth, made up of five House members plus representatives from state agencies, academia, nonprofits, and an affected community member, all appointed by the Speaker of the House. The committee is directed to study how pollution affects property values, public health, agriculture, hunting and fishing revenue, and job prospects in Georgia communities, and to recommend legislation if it sees fit. Legislative members get standard legislative allowances, while other members can be reimbursed for expenses under existing state rules. The committee must file any approved findings or recommendations with the Clerk of the House before it is abolished on December 1, 2025.

• Creates the House Study Committee on the Cumulative Impact of Pollution on Economic Development and Growth, made up of 11 appointed members.
• Assigns five House members and six representatives from state agencies, academia, nonprofits, and an affected community to the committee.
• Directs the committee to study pollution's effects on health, property values, agriculture, and job growth and recommend possible legislation.
• Sets expense and mileage allowances for committee members under existing Georgia code sections covering legislative and state employee reimbursement.
• Requires any approved findings to be filed with the Clerk of the House of Representatives before the committee is abolished.
• Abolishes the committee automatically on December 1, 2025.

Members of the Georgia House of Representatives appointed to the committee, staff at the Environmental Protection Division, Department of Agriculture, and Department of Human Services, academic and nonprofit pollution experts, and community members living near industrial or polluted areas whose experiences the committee would study.

The resolution does not change any regulation or spending on pollution itself, but it sets up a formal process for lawmakers to gather information on how pollution affects health, property values, and jobs in Georgia, which could shape future legislation on environmental and economic policy.

• Paragraph (1) formally creates the House Study Committee on the Cumulative Impact of Pollution on Economic Development and Growth.
• Paragraph (2) sets the committee's membership at 11 people, five legislators plus six specified agency, academic, nonprofit, and community representatives appointed by the Speaker.
• Paragraph (3) directs the committee to study pollution's effects on communities and recommend legislation it considers necessary.
• Paragraph (5) sets member allowances, capping paid allowances at five days unless additional days are authorized, funded through the House of Representatives' appropriated funds.
• Paragraph (6) requires any approved report or recommendations to be filed with the Clerk of the House before the abolishment date, or committee meeting minutes filed in lieu of a report.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2025.

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

• Kim Schofield (D, HD-063)Primary sponsor
• Karla Drenner (D, HD-085)
• Viola Davis (D, HD-087)
• Sandra Scott (D, HD-076)
• Long Tran (D, HD-080)
• Marvin Lim (D, HD-098)

• pollution
• economic development
• environmental health
• legislative study committee
• industrial impact