SR 323: Senate Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism; create

This resolution sets up the Senate Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism. The committee would have five members appointed by the President of the Senate, drawn from the Senate committees on Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, Economic Development and Tourism, and Natural Resources and the Environment, plus two more senators chosen for their interest or experience in tourism. The committee's job is to study conditions, needs, and problems related to tourism in Georgia and recommend legislation or other action. The chairperson calls meetings, and members can receive standard legislative daily allowances under Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8) for up to four days unless more are approved. Funding comes from the Senate's existing budget. If the committee approves findings, it must file a report with the Secretary of the Senate before the committee is abolished on December 1, 2025.

• Creates the Senate Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism, made up of five senators.
• Directs the President of the Senate to appoint members from three specific Senate committees plus two members chosen for tourism interest or experience.
• Authorizes the committee to study tourism-related issues statewide and recommend legislation or other action.
• Allows legislative members to collect standard per-day allowances (O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8) for up to four days of committee work unless more days are approved.
• Requires any approved findings or recommendations to be filed as a report with the Secretary of the Senate before the committee ends.
• Sets December 1, 2025 as the date the committee is automatically abolished.

The resolution directly affects members of the Georgia Senate, particularly those on the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, Economic Development and Tourism, and Natural Resources and the Environment committees who may be appointed. It also indirectly touches Georgia's tourism industry, local festivals, and destinations that could be studied.

The committee itself does not change any law, but its work could shape future legislation affecting how Georgia funds, promotes, or regulates tourism, potentially influencing local festivals, attractions, and businesses that depend on visitor spending statewide.

• Paragraph (1) formally creates the Senate Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism.
• Paragraph (2) sets membership at five senators, specifying which Senate committees three of them must come from and requires the President of the Senate to name a chairperson.
• Paragraph (3) authorizes the committee to study tourism conditions and problems and recommend legislation.
• Paragraph (5) ties member pay to the standard legislative allowance in O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8, capped at four days unless extended, funded through the Senate's budget.
• Paragraph (6) lays out reporting requirements, including that no report can be filed without majority approval from a quorum of the committee.
• Paragraph (7) abolishes the committee on December 1, 2025.

1. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted By Substitute (Senate)
2. 2025-03-21Senate Committee Favorably Reported By Substitute (Senate)
3. 2025-03-20Senate Recommitted (Senate)
4. 2025-03-18Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
5. 2025-03-13Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
6. 2025-03-03Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
7. 2025-02-28Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Drew Echols (R, SD-49)Primary sponsor
• Brandon Beach (R, SD-21)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-11)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-30)
• Max Burns (R, SD-23)
• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-27)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-50)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-32)
• Jason Esteves (D, SD-35)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-8)
• Josh McLaurin (D, SD-14)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-13)
• Sally Harrell (D, SD-40)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-38)
• Marty Harbin (R, SD-16)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-52)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-48)
• Frank Ginn (R, SD-47)

1. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   52 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 1 excused)

   CONSENT CALENDAR FOR SENATE STUDY COMMITTEES: Senate Vote #380

• tourism
• Georgia Senate
• economic development
• study committee