---
title: SB 240. Georgia Native Plant Month; designate April of each year
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/sb240
cite_as: SB 240, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb240
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb240.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb240/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70675
date: 2026-03-16
status: engrossed
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: 712
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb240.md?full=1
bill_number: SB 240
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: Senate
bill_type: bill
status_date: 2026-03-03
last_action: House Committee Favorably Reported
sponsors:
- Ricky Williams
- Matt Brass
- Bill Cowsert
- Randy Robertson
- Max Burns
- Deborah Silcox
text_version: Engrossed
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SB240/2025
upstream_id: 1980021
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
- state symbols
- native plants
- Georgia history
- conservation awareness
---
# SB 240. Georgia Native Plant Month; designate April of each year
## Text
Senate Bill 240
By: Senators Williams of the 25th, Brass of the 6th, Cowsert of the 46th, Robertson of the
29th and Burns of the 23rd
AS PASSED SENATE
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 4 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
holidays and observances, so as to designate April of each year as Georgia Native Plant
Month; to amend Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to other state symbols, so as to change the state floral emblem to the
sweetbay magnolia; to provide for related matters; to provide for a short title; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Caroline Romberg Silcox Act."
SECTION 2.
Chapter 4 of Title 1 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to holidays and
observances, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:
"1-4-28.
The month of April of each year is designated as 'Georgia Native Plant Month' in Georgia."
SECTION 3.
Article 3 of Chapter 3 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to other
state symbols, is amended by revising Code Section 50-3-53, relating to state floral emblem,
as follows:
"50-3-53.
The Cherokee rose sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) is adopted as the floral
emblem of the State of Georgia."
SECTION 4.
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.
Senate Bill 240 would designate April as Georgia Native Plant Month and replace the Cherokee rose with the sweetbay magnolia as Georgia's official state flower.
### Plain-language summary
Georgia law currently names the Cherokee rose as the state's official floral emblem and has no designated month recognizing native plants. This bill, called the 'Caroline Romberg Silcox Act,' makes two changes to Georgia law.
First, it adds a new section to the state's holidays and observances law declaring April of each year as 'Georgia Native Plant Month.' Second, it rewrites the state symbols law so that the sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) replaces the Cherokee rose as Georgia's official state flower. The bill does not create any programs, funding, or enforcement mechanisms; it simply establishes the observance and updates the state symbol in the Official Code of Georgia Annotated. It repeals any conflicting laws.
### What it does
- Adds a new section to Georgia's holidays and observances law (O.C.G.A. Chapter 4 of Title 1) naming April as 'Georgia Native Plant Month' each year.
- Rewrites Georgia's state symbols law (O.C.G.A. ยง 50-3-53) to remove the Cherokee rose as the official state flower.
- Names the sweetbay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) as the new official state floral emblem of Georgia.
- Gives the bill the short title 'Caroline Romberg Silcox Act.'
- Repeals any existing state laws that conflict with these changes.
### Who it affects
This bill mainly affects Georgia's official state symbols and calendar of observances, so it touches state government recordkeeping, education materials that reference state symbols, and groups interested in native plants, gardening, and conservation, rather than creating new obligations for individuals or businesses.
### Why it matters
If enacted, Georgia's textbooks, tourism materials, and official references would need to reflect a new state flower and a new April observance. The change is symbolic: it does not add funding, regulations, or penalties, but it does formally shift a long-standing state symbol Georgians have learned since childhood.
### Key provisions
- Section 1 gives the Act the short title 'Caroline Romberg Silcox Act.'
- Section 2 adds new Code Section 1-4-28 designating April as Georgia Native Plant Month.
- Section 3 revises Code Section 50-3-53 to replace the Cherokee rose with the sweetbay magnolia as the state floral emblem.
- Section 4 repeals any conflicting laws.
## Status
- Status: Engrossed (2026-03-03)
- Last action: House Committee Favorably Reported (2026-03-16)
- Sponsors: Ricky Williams, Matt Brass, Bill Cowsert, Randy Robertson, Max Burns, Deborah Silcox
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70675
> The history, votes, and amendments (712 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sb240.md?full=1