HR 1008: State-wide water management plan; ratify amendments

Georgia's Environmental Protection Division and the Water Council periodically update a comprehensive state-wide water management plan, first ratified by the General Assembly in 2008. This resolution formally approves amendments the Water Council adopted on December 9, 2025 after reconvening in September 2025 to review the plan. The resolution gives the amended plan legal force and effect, but specifies that if any part of the plan conflicts with a current or future Georgia statute, the statute wins. It takes effect once the Governor signs it or it becomes law without a signature, and it repeals any conflicting laws.

• Ratifies amendments to the comprehensive state-wide water management plan that the Water Council adopted on December 9, 2025.
• Gives the amended, nonstatutory plan legal force and effect once ratified by the General Assembly.
• Establishes that any statute passed by the General Assembly overrides the plan if the two irreconcilably conflict.
• Sets the resolution's effective date as the day the Governor signs it or it becomes law without a signature.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with this resolution.

The Environmental Protection Division of the Department of Natural Resources, the Water Council, and any state or local agencies, utilities, and water users whose activities are governed by Georgia's state-wide water management plan.

By ratifying the updated plan, the General Assembly makes the Water Council's revised water management policies legally effective statewide, shaping how Georgia agencies and water users plan for water supply, use, and conservation going forward.

• Paragraph (1) ratifies the specific amendments adopted by the Water Council on December 9, 2025 and submitted to the General Assembly on January 12, 2026.
• Paragraph (2) states the amended plan is nonstatutory but shall have force and effect once ratified.
• Paragraph (3) resolves conflicts by giving priority to any current or future statute over the plan's provisions.
• Paragraph (4) sets the effective date as approval by the Governor or becoming law without approval.
• Paragraph (5) repeals conflicting laws.

1. 2026-05-06Effective Date 2026-07-01
2. 2026-05-06Act 425
3. 2026-05-06House Date Signed by Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
4. 2026-04-06House Sent to Governor (Cámara de Representantes)
5. 2026-03-10Senate Passed/Adopted (Senado)
6. 2026-03-10Senate Third Read (Senado)
7. 2026-02-24Senate Read Second Time (Senado)
8. 2026-02-20Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senado)

• Lynn Smith (R, HD-070)Patrocinador principal
• Robert Dickey (R, HD-134)
• John Corbett (R, HD-174)
• Rick Townsend (R, HD-179)
• Vance Smith (R, HD-138)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)

1. AprobadaVotación: Cámara de Representantes29 de enero de 2026

   166 a favor, 0 en contra (5 sin votar, 4 ausentes)

   Adopt: House Vote #464

2. AprobadaVotación: Senado10 de marzo de 2026

   43 a favor, 0 en contra (8 sin votar, 4 ausentes)

   Adoption: Senate Vote #695

• water management
• environmental policy
• Water Council
• Georgia water resources