---
title: HR 1704. House Study Committee on Dangerous Animal Attacks and Animal Control Resources in Rural Georgia; create
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr1704
cite_as: HR 1704, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1704
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1704.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1704/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74109
date: 2026-03-19
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.
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omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 129
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1704.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 1704
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-03-16
last_action: House Second Readers
sponsors:
  - Patty Stinson
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1704/2025
upstream_id: 2134485
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - animal control
  - dog attacks
  - rural Georgia
  - public safety
  - study committee
---

# HR 1704. House Study Committee on Dangerous Animal Attacks and Animal Control Resources in Rural Georgia; create

## Text

House Resolution 1704
By: Representative Stinson of the 150th
A RESOLUTION
Creating the House Study Committee on Dangerous Animal Attacks and Animal Control
Resources in Rural Georgia; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, Georgia's "Responsible Dog Ownership Law" governs classification of
dangerous and vicious dogs, as well as procedure for their seizure and impoundment and the
rights and penalties of such a dog's owner; and
WHEREAS, Code Section 4-8-23 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated addresses
protocols and procedures in circumstances where the owner of a classified dog cannot be
identified; and
WHEREAS, local government officials are shielded from civil liability for damages from a
dog attack where no owner can be found; and
WHEREAS, Georgia has not established a system for liability when a person is attacked by
a stray dog or a dog whose owner cannot be identified and, in such situations, the dog will
most likely be euthanized; and
WHEREAS, Georgia has also not established a system to compensate victims of an attack
by a stray dog or a dog whose owner cannot be identified; and
WHEREAS, a study committee is needed to thoroughly evaluate what additional resources
may be needed by rural areas without animal control resources within the state to effectively
and efficiently combat dangerous animal attacks.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
(1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee
on Dangerous Animal Attacks and Animal Control Resources in Rural Georgia.
(2) Members and officers. The committee shall comprise 11 members of the House of
Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The
Speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate a member of the committee as
chairperson of the committee.
(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,
issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or
legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.
(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee
may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or
convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and
accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.
(5) Allowances and funding.
(A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided
for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.
(B) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member
of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds
necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds
appropriated to the House of Representatives.
(6) Report.
(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that
include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the
same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to
subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.
(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for
proposed legislation the chairperson shall file a report subject to subparagraph (C) of
this paragraph.
(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of
abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee.
A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with
the Clerk of the House of Representatives.
(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the
House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu
thereof.
(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2026.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.

A Georgia House resolution would create an 11-member study committee to examine dangerous animal attacks and the lack of animal control resources in rural parts of the state.

### Plain-language summary

Georgia's Responsible Dog Ownership Law sets rules for classifying and handling dangerous or vicious dogs, and O.C.G.A. § 4-8-23 covers what happens when a classified dog's owner cannot be found. Local officials are currently protected from civil liability in those cases, but Georgia has no system to hold anyone liable or to compensate people attacked by a stray dog whose owner cannot be identified.
This resolution creates the House Study Committee on Dangerous Animal Attacks and Animal Control Resources in Rural Georgia. The Speaker of the House would appoint 11 House members to the committee and name its chairperson. The committee would study these gaps, including the resource needs of rural areas without animal control, and could recommend legislation. It can hold meetings, members get standard legislative allowances for up to five days, and the committee must file any report before it is abolished on December 1, 2026.

### What it does

- Creates the House Study Committee on Dangerous Animal Attacks and Animal Control Resources in Rural Georgia, made up of 11 House members appointed by the Speaker.
- Directs the committee to study liability and compensation gaps for people attacked by stray dogs whose owners cannot be identified.
- Directs the committee to evaluate what animal control resources rural areas of Georgia may need to address dangerous animal attacks.
- Authorizes the committee to hold meetings and recommend legislation, with members receiving standard legislative daily allowances (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8) for up to five days unless more are approved.
- Requires any committee report to be filed with the Clerk of the House before the committee is abolished, and sets an abolishment date of December 1, 2026.

### Who it affects

Members of the Georgia House of Representatives appointed to the committee, rural county and city governments that handle stray animals, local officials currently shielded from liability, and residents in rural areas who might be attacked by stray or unidentified dogs.

### Why it matters

Georgia currently has no way to compensate someone attacked by a stray dog whose owner cannot be found, and rural areas often lack animal control resources. This committee's findings could lead to future legislation addressing liability, victim compensation, or new funding for rural animal control.

### Key provisions

- Paragraph (1) creates the study committee under the name specified in the resolution.
- Paragraph (2) sets committee membership at 11 House members appointed by the Speaker, who also names the chairperson.
- Paragraph (3) charges the committee with studying dangerous animal attack issues and recommending action or legislation.
- Paragraph (5) sets funding through standard legislative allowances (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8), capped at five paid days unless extended, funded through the House's existing budget.
- Paragraph (6) requires a report to the Clerk of the House if the committee approves findings or recommendations by majority vote of a quorum.
- Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2026.

## Status

- Status: Introduced (2026-03-16)
- Last action: House Second Readers (2026-03-19)
- Sponsors: Patty Stinson
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74109

> The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1704.md?full=1