--- title: HR 883. House Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism; create collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr883 cite_as: HR 883, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr883 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr883.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr883/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71936 date: 2025-04-04 status: introduced corpus_version: bills-2026-08-28 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/hr882.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr884.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 235 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr883.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 883 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-03-31 last_action: House Withdrawn, Recommitted sponsors: - Ron Stephens - Matthew Gambill - Devan Seabaugh - David Clark - Steven Sainz - Jesse Petrea text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR883/2025 upstream_id: 2017591 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - tourism - hotel industry - economic development - FIFA World Cup 2026 - legislative study committees --- # HR 883. House Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism; create ## Text 25 LC 59 0177 House Resolution 883 By: Representatives Stephens of the 164th, Gambill of the 15th, Seabaugh of the 34th, Clark of the 100th, Sainz of the 180th, and others A RESOLUTION Creating the House Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism; and1 for other purposes.2 WHEREAS, Georgia offers diverse tourism experiences from coastal retreats and mountain3 escapes to small town charm and vibrant metro areas featuring a wide selection of hotels,4 shopping centers, and dining experiences; and5 WHEREAS, Georgia attracts visitors through local celebrations, family vacations, business6 conferences, and sporting events; and7 WHEREAS, Georgia is home to several major sports teams, including the Atlanta Falcons,8 Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta United, University of Ge orgia Bulldogs, Georgia9 Tech Yellow Jackets, and Savannah Bananas, further enhancing tourism appeal; and10 WHEREAS, Georgia's beaches, mountains, waterfalls, lakes, and s cenic trails are natural11 attractions that draw outdoors enthusiasts to this state; and12 WHEREAS, Georgia boasts historic landmarks, museums, entertainm ent venues, and13 business conferences, welcoming millions of visitors annually; and14 H. R. 883 - 1 - 25 LC 59 0177 WHEREAS, increasing hotel stays boosts local economies, supports businesses, generates15 tax revenue, and creates hospitality jobs; and16 WHEREAS, encouraging in-state travel, including weekend getaway s and staycations,17 further stimulates economic activity; and18 WHEREAS, Atlanta will host eight FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, a nd each match in19 Atlanta is expected to generate $4.6 million in global media exposure, enhancing Georgia's20 reputation as a premier travel destination; and21 WHEREAS, despite ranking last in tourism marketing funding, Georgia has an opportunity22 to elevate its profile during the 2026 FIFA World Cup; and23 WHEREAS, this state has over 2,298 hotels, providing significan t potential for economic24 growth; and25 WHEREAS, in 2023, Georgia's tourism industry generated a $79.7 billion state-wide26 economic impact and over $5 billion in state and local tax revenue, supporting 463,000 jobs;27 and28 WHEREAS, youth sports represents a growing sector in tourism, a ttracting visitors and29 creating new opportunities for economic growth for Georgia; and30 WHEREAS, a study committee is necessary to identify tourism growth opportunities across31 all regions, ensuring benefits for both small towns and large cities.32 H. R. 883 - 2 - 25 LC 59 0177 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:33 (1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee34 on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism.35 (2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of ten members to be36 appointed as follows:37 (A) Five members from the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker38 of the House of Representatives, three of whom shall be selected from the Committee39 on Economic Development and Tourism. The remaining two members shall be selected40 from the House body based on their interest and expertise in tourism;41 (B) One representative each from the Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association, Georgia42 Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, Georgia Restaur ant Association,43 Georgia Sports Tourism Council, and Explore Georgia; and44 (C) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate a legislative member45 of the committee as chairperson of the committee.46 (3) Powers and duties. The committee shall assess tourism related challenges and47 opportunities and recommend actions or legislation to support i ndustry growth, with a48 particular focus on increasing overnight hotel stays.49 (4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee50 may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or51 convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and52 accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.53 (5) Allowances, expenses, and funding.54 (A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided55 for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.56 (B) Members of the committee who are state officials, other than legislative members,57 or who are state employees shall receive no compensation for th eir services on the58 committee, but they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the59 H. R. 883 - 3 - 25 LC 59 0177 performance of their duties as members of the committee in the same manner as they60 are reimbursed for expenses in their capacities as state officials or employees.61 (C) Members of the committee who are not legislators, state of ficials, or state62 employees shall receive a daily expense allowance in an amount the same as that63 specified in subsection (b) of Code Section 45-7-21 of the Offi cial Code of Georgia64 Annotated, as well as the mileage or transportation allowance a uthorized for state65 employees.66 (D) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member67 of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds68 necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds69 appropriated to the House of Representatives; except that funds for the reimbursement70 of the expenses of state officials, other than legislative memb ers, and for the71 reimbursement of the expenses of state employees shall come from funds appropriated72 to or otherwise available to their respective agencies.73 (6) Report.74 (A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that75 include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the76 same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolut ion, subject to77 subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.78 (B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not i nclude suggestions for79 proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)80 of this paragraph.81 (C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of82 abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee.83 A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with84 the Clerk of the House of Representatives.85 H. R. 883 - 4 - 25 LC 59 0177 (D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson shall file with the Clerk of86 the House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee87 in lieu thereof.88 (7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.89 H. R. 883 - 5 - ## 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 a study committee to look for ways to grow tourism statewide, with a focus on boosting overnight hotel stays ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in Atlanta. ### Plain-language summary Georgia's tourism industry is a major part of the state economy, generating billions in economic impact and supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs, but the resolution notes Georgia ranks last in tourism marketing funding. This resolution creates the House Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism to study opportunities for growth across the state, including in small towns and large cities. The ten-member committee would include five state representatives picked by the Speaker of the House, plus one representative each from the Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association, the Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, the Georgia Restaurant Association, the Georgia Sports Tourism Council, and Explore Georgia. The committee would study tourism challenges and opportunities, particularly ways to increase overnight hotel stays, and could recommend legislation. It would have to file a report or meeting minutes before it is abolished on December 1, 2025. ### What it does - Creates the House Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism to study tourism growth opportunities statewide. - Sets committee membership at ten people: five state representatives and one representative each from five named tourism industry groups. - Directs the committee to assess tourism challenges and recommend legislation, with particular attention to increasing overnight hotel stays. - Provides legislative members standard travel allowances and daily expense payments for nonlegislative members, funded through House of Representatives appropriations (state funding). - Requires the committee to file a report of findings or, if none is approved, meeting minutes with the Clerk of the House before it disbands. - Abolishes the committee automatically on December 1, 2025. ### Who it affects Georgia state representatives appointed to the committee, and representatives of the Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association, Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, Georgia Restaurant Association, Georgia Sports Tourism Council, and Explore Georgia who would serve alongside them. The findings could eventually affect the broader tourism and hospitality industry. ### Why it matters The committee's work could shape future legislation affecting hotels, tourism marketing, and hospitality jobs across Georgia, particularly as the state prepares for increased visitor attention during the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in Atlanta. ### Key provisions - Paragraph 2 sets committee membership at ten: five House members chosen by the Speaker, three of whom must sit on the Economic Development and Tourism Committee, plus five industry representatives. - Paragraph 3 charges the committee with assessing tourism challenges and opportunities and recommending actions or legislation, focused on increasing overnight hotel stays. - Paragraph 5 sets pay and reimbursement rules: legislative members get standard allowances under O.C.G.A. ยง 28-1-8, other members get limited expense reimbursement, generally capped at five days unless extended. - Paragraph 6 requires the chairperson to file an approved report or, absent one, committee meeting minutes with the Clerk of the House before abolishment. - Paragraph 7 abolishes the committee on December 1, 2025. ## Status - Status: Introduced (2025-03-31) - Last action: House Withdrawn, Recommitted (2025-04-04) - Sponsors: Ron Stephens, Matthew Gambill, Devan Seabaugh, David Clark, Steven Sainz, Jesse Petrea - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71936 > The history, votes, and amendments (235 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr883.md?full=1