SB420: SB420 License, Permit, Tag, and Stamp Fees; fees for reef and migratory fish endorsement; provide

This bill changes Georgia's fishing license fee law (O.C.G.A. § 27-2-23) to add a resident reef/migratory fish endorsement costing $10 a year and a nonresident version costing $20 a year. The state Board of Natural Resources would be able to require this endorsement for certain fish species caught by recreational or commercial anglers, in addition to a regular fishing license. Anyone holding the endorsement would have to report information as required by the Department of Natural Resources. Money collected from these new fees would be kept by the department rather than going into the general treasury. The bill also updates three unrelated Georgia code sections dealing with criminal enforcement of Board of Natural Resources rules (O.C.G.A. §§ 12-2-2, 27-1-39, and 52-7-26). Each currently ties criminal violations to rules in effect as of January 1, 2025; the bill moves that reference date forward to January 1, 2026.

• Adds a $10 annual resident and $20 annual nonresident reef/migratory fish endorsement fee to Georgia's fishing license law.
• Lets the Board of Natural Resources require this endorsement for specific fish species caught recreationally or commercially, on top of a regular fishing license.
• Requires endorsement holders to report information to the Department of Natural Resources as the board specifies by rule.
• Directs the department to retain the new endorsement fees under O.C.G.A. § 45-12-92.1 instead of sending them elsewhere.
• Updates three code sections so that criminal violations of Board of Natural Resources rules are measured against rules in effect on January 1, 2026, instead of January 1, 2025.

Recreational and commercial anglers who fish for reef or migratory species in Georgia waters, the Department of Natural Resources and its Board of Natural Resources, and anyone whose conduct is judged against Board of Natural Resources rules for criminal enforcement purposes.

Anglers targeting certain reef or migratory fish would need to pay a new endorsement fee and report catch information, giving the state more data and revenue for managing those fisheries. The updated reference dates also change which set of natural resources rules courts use when deciding criminal violations.

• Section 1-1 adds subparagraphs (K) and (L) to O.C.G.A. § 27-2-23 setting the resident endorsement fee at $10 annually and the nonresident fee at $20 annually.
• Section 1-1 revises paragraph (11) to let the board designate species requiring the new endorsement and to require reporting by endorsement holders.
• Section 1-1 adds paragraph (12.1) directing the department to retain endorsement fees under O.C.G.A. § 45-12-92.1.
• Section 2-1 amends O.C.G.A. § 12-2-2(c)(5) to move the criminal-violation reference date from January 1, 2025, to January 1, 2026.
• Section 2-2 amends O.C.G.A. § 27-1-39 to make the same date change for rules and regulations used to establish criminal violations.
• Section 2-3 amends O.C.G.A. § 52-7-26(a) to apply the same updated reference date for penalties under that article.
• Section 3-1 repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-11Act 508
3. 2026-05-11Senate Date Signed by Governor (Senate)
4. 2026-04-10Senate Sent to Governor (Senate)
5. 2026-03-12House Passed/Adopted (House)
6. 2026-03-12House Third Readers (House)
7. 2026-03-10House Postponed (House)
8. 2026-02-12House Committee Favorably Reported (House)

• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)Primary sponsor
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• Mike Hodges (R, SD-003)
• Jesse Petrea (R, HD-166)

1. PassedSenate voteFebruary 3, 2026

   52 yea, 0 nay (1 not voting, 1 absent)

   Passage: Senate Vote #512

2. PassedHouse voteMarch 12, 2026

   163 yea, 2 nay (4 not voting, 7 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #700

• fishing licenses
• wildlife regulations
• reef fish
• Department of Natural Resources
• hunting and fishing fees