Senate Natural Resources and the Environment Committee, March 17, 2026

Transcript

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1. 0:21:06

   Natural Resource Committee together. Um, at this time I'm gonna ask Senator McNeel to lead us in the word of prayer. What number are you?

2. 0:21:18

   12.

3. 0:21:18

   12.

4. 0:21:19

   All right, please bow your heads. Dear Heavenly Father, we ask that you give your grace and wisdom over this committee today as we hear the needs of everyday Georgians. W- we pray for forgiveness from, forgiveness of our sins, and ask for your continued blessings. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.

5. 0:21:34

   Amen. Again, wanna thank each and every one of you for being here today. Um, we got... How many we got? Four, five? Five. We got five bills. As y- y'all probably know me by now, I mean, you can sign up if you wanna speak on a bill. If you fought a bill, if you fought a bill, you can, uh, you know, the, the quicker the author gets through with the bill, the quicker we can vote on the bill and get it out of here.

6. 0:22:11

   I think I've said that before. But if you just insist, then we will give you a few seconds to speak. But, uh, the first bill would be, uh... Dang, y'all ain't got 'em in order.

7. 0:22:34

   House Bill 1186, I mean, 82. Representative Rhodes. State your name and where you're from and- Call on Mr. Chairman ... where you're from and, and your LLC number.

8. 0:22:53

   Mic on?

9. 0:22:54

   Yes, sir.

10. 0:22:54

    Can you hear me?

11. 0:22:55

    Yes, sir.

12. 0:22:55

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee. Um, House Bill 1182 this morning, LC4435-

13. 0:23:01

    You didn't state your name

14. 0:23:02

    ... 25S.

15. 0:23:03

    Where you-

16. 0:23:04

    I'll get there, Mr. Chairman.

17. 0:23:05

    Okay.

18. 0:23:06

    Okay. Yes, sir. Uh, Representative Trey Rhodes. Uh, Chairman Anderson is my senator. Yes, sir. Uh, House Bill 1182, this is about our solar amendment program, as many of you are aware. Uh, this is a program that is necessary in the state, and as we're having more and more people move to rural Georgia, and as our industry grows, we're having more interactions, um, amongst the program and neighbors. And this is just a step to make the program a little more neighborly.

19. 0:23:38

    And all this bill does is it states that you cannot store, um, the product in the frack tanks within 100 feet of any property line unless the current owner of an adjacent property provides written consent to such storage. And then it says you just can't load or unload from a public road. And that's all the bill does, Mr. Chairman. I'd be glad to answer any questions.

20. 0:24:03

    Did you have a friendly amendment or any, any, uh-

21. 0:24:06

    It, it is, it is in the sub. I, I wanted a clean sub to bring to you-

22. 0:24:10

    Right

23. 0:24:10

    ... and you've got the originals-

24. 0:24:12

    Okay

25. 0:24:12

    ... up there that I brought you, number one and number two.

26. 0:24:15

    Good. Thank you so much.

27. 0:24:16

    Yes, sir.

28. 0:24:18

    Committee members, this is a bill that is dear to Senator Rhodes and myself and our district, that we've had to deal with for years and years and years. And, um, thank Lord, y'all do not have to deal with it. But, um, just, um, anyway, I mean, it's a good bill and it-

29. 0:24:43

    Second. Second. Any other discussion?

30. 0:24:50

    Was anyone that wanted to s- speak for the bill?

31. 0:24:57

    But it w- you was for the bill, right? So you okay with the bill? So you don't wanna speak? Thank you, sir. All right. Um, any other discussion? All in favor, raise your right hand. Carried unanimously.

32. 0:25:17

    Thank you, sir.

33. 0:25:17

    Thank you, sir.

34. 0:25:18

    Thank you, committee.

35. 0:25:24

    All right.

36. 0:25:27

    Chairman Dickey. I get it. I'll get it. I am.

37. 0:25:35

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, thank you, uh-

38. 0:25:38

    State your-

39. 0:25:38

    ... Chairman.

40. 0:25:39

    State-

41. 0:25:39

    Robert Dickey.

42. 0:25:40

    State your name. There you go.

43. 0:25:41

    Robert Dickey. Uh-

44. 0:25:43

    Where are you from?

45. 0:25:44

    I'm from a little town of Musella down in-

46. 0:25:46

    Okay

47. 0:25:46

    ... District 134, middle of Georgia.

48. 0:25:50

    Okay.

49. 0:25:51

    Grow a few peaches down there, but that's not what this bill's about.

50. 0:25:55

    What LLC number, Mr. Chairman?

51. 0:25:58

    W- um, uh, thank you for letting me be here, and I, uh, really, uh, wanna tell you're, uh, you're, you're a very wise chairman for allowing my new, uh, senator, uh, to be a m- a part of this, uh, uh, committee. He, uh, he fits right in very well.

52. 0:26:14

    E- every, every, every committee needs a lawyer, so I mean... So, um, we have, uh, HB 1133, a simple, straightforward bill, uh, that's, uh, fiscally responsible. It would grant the Georgia, uh, Environmental Finance Authority, GEFA, authority to issue low interest loans to local governments to support, um, solar, uh, developments on a closed landfill. Um, as, as many of y'all on this, uh, committee, like I am, I'm particularly concerned about losing valuable farmland to our solar, uh, developers.

53. 0:26:53

    Uh, they're going in, uh, all across our state, and this is one little small attempt to try to put solar on alternate sites that, uh, do not take up our valuable farmland. And so, um-

54. 0:27:09

    Georgia currently has 79 landfills, and only 21 of those are closed that, uh, are being, um, monitored and, and, and it's actually costly for our local governments. And so this bill would be a development of low interest loans to those local governments to, to incentivize these, uh, solar projects to go on these closed landfills and, uh, have the loan paid off, uh, back to the state after a period of time, and then income coming back to those, uh, local governments.

55. 0:27:40

    So it's kind of a win-win situation, and, uh, keeps a little bit of, uh, solar off of, uh, off of some farmland hopefully. It's just a good, um, message, I think to, to those out there that we, um, you know, doing things right with solar. EPD's here, they have no issues if the solar are installed correctly on these, uh, closed landfills and, uh, generating electricity. So that's what this bill does, and it's, uh, subject to some financing, uh, we'll have to get next year for the chief, uh, to, to be able to have a loan fund for this.

56. 0:28:16

    So other states have done this, but they've put money directly into it. Uh, this just really doesn't cost the state anything with the loans and, uh, paid back. Thank you.

57. 0:28:29

    Mr. Chairman, I know, you know, in other areas where we have solar panels, um, you have a, a border, a certain footage around property lines that you cannot put solar panels. Would it, would this be in the same condition on the landfills?

58. 0:28:51

    Yeah, I mean, I think they'd have to, uh, you know, do an engineering study how to install these things. Um, it, it will be, you know, more, more expensive than other things to do it. But, uh, these closed landfills are maintained now. Some of them generate electricity with methane coming out of them. I know I was, uh, in, um, uh, Houston County, uh, has, uh, generators running off of methane coming out. So if you get the solar and the both, you're, uh, off to the races.

59. 0:29:22

    I thank you for bringing this bill. I'm all for, you know, not taking up any more of our valuable farmland in the great state of Georgia. Uh, number five, who is that? Senator Ginn.

60. 0:29:36

    Thank you, Chairman. Uh, Representative Dickey said the... Are you proposing that they would actually be using solar panels above the, uh, waste in a so- in a solid waste landfill, or just in the peripher- uh, or buffer zones around that?

61. 0:29:55

    Any and all of it, but probably on top of the, um, on, on top of the, uh, mound or the landfill, whatever, how it's done, so-

62. 0:30:03

    I'm, I'm one of the few s- few senators in the, in the room that have closed two landfills and, and I know that, that, uh, there would be some, uh, as an engineer, there's some special circumstances on that probably. And I know my, my good f- uh, engineering friend back there, uh, the director, uh, Jeff Kellen came up through solid waste. The, uh, I imagine you could do a surface mount on these things and no- nothing penetrating the, uh, closure cap. The, uh, it's what you're expecting.

63. 0:30:30

    That's what I was expecting, something of, to that nature.

64. 0:30:33

    I'm watching the director shake his head.

65. 0:30:34

    That would not jeopardize the landfill. They would have to give, uh, permits, um, you know, I'm sure for this.

66. 0:30:40

    Okay. Thank you, man. Thank you, Chairman Dickey. And, uh, Mr. Chairman, to due, due time, I'm ready to make another motion.

67. 0:30:45

    Okay. Um, any other questions? Did anyone want to speak for the bill? Against the bill? Thank you for not having a-

68. 0:31:00

    Mr. Chairman, I move due pass on-

69. 0:31:02

    I'm not ready for you.

70. 0:31:03

    Oh.

71. 0:31:04

    Well-

72. 0:31:04

    Hurry up. You're wasting time.

73. 0:31:07

    But due- I do wanna thank you for bringing this bill up, and if we do have any other, any other government property land that would be a- able to put solar panels on, we need to be looking at that also.

74. 0:31:21

    I, I, I would... I'm certainly looking. Uh, I, I know you probably are too-

75. 0:31:25

    Yeah

76. 0:31:25

    ... and others around here too.

77. 0:31:27

    Yeah.

78. 0:31:27

    And set our eyes on some areas other than prime farmland.

79. 0:31:31

    All right. Now is the proper time. Senator Ginn.

80. 0:31:34

    I move due pass on LC443381.

81. 0:31:39

    Second.

82. 0:31:39

    Second by Senator Goodman. Any other questions? All in favor, raise your right hand.

83. 0:31:52

    All right, we have seven for it. Anybody oppose? All right. Okay.

84. 0:32:01

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman- Thank you, sir ... and members of the committee.

85. 0:32:06

    It's a good bill.

86. 0:32:09

    Oh. You should've trusted me.

87. 0:32:21

    All right. Now we have, uh,

88. 0:32:28

    Representative Kelly.

89. 0:32:39

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee. Trey Kelly from Cedartown, Georgia, and, uh, it's great to be here with y'all today. I've, uh, brought the committee a substitute, uh, to House Bill 320. It's LC600350S, uh, that made some small changes I'll point out as we go through. But, uh, this legislation, uh, was brought to me, uh, by, uh, individuals located in I, in y'all's majority leader's, uh, district.

90. 0:33:09

    And it, it deals with this topic we just talked about, which is, what do we do with solar panels once they've reached their life cycle? And, uh, making sure that they don't, uh, harm our landfills, make sure they don't harm our land. And what it simply requires is that solar panels, once they reach their life cycle, that they be recycled.

91. 0:33:29

    That's all it does, Mr. Chairman. The change is we made clear that if no recycling facility exists within a 250 mile lo- uh, from the locations where they are located, that they still could be disposed in the way they are now, which is put into a landfill. That, uh, change takes place, uh, beginning on line 28 through 33.

92. 0:33:53

    Okay. Any questions, Senator Ginn?

93. 0:33:57

    Yes, sir, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. Hey, uh, Representative Kelly, could you help me out? The, uh, I know a lot of people, they, uh, work in the solar industry, and I think they're trying to all be green today being St. Patrick's Day. They, uh... But when we look at, at solar farms and they, uh, as they, or as Chairman Dickey would tell me, they're not farms.

94. 0:34:16

    Solar power facilities.

95. 0:34:18

    Solar power facilities.

96. 0:34:19

    Yes, sir.

97. 0:34:19

    A lot of these facilities are built, and the panels, they, uh, were just planned to, to do the least cost way to dispose of them. This could potentially add cost to a, a project for disposal of, oh, the, the solar panels themselves. Uh, to me, that seems like, ah, we, we may be putting some sh- facilities in financial distress, the, uh, in passing this for facilities that are already in existence.

98. 0:34:50

    For fa- s- facilities that are coming into the, the, uh, forward, is there any provision in your statute that you're proposing that we address this from, uh, the date of inaction forward, those solar facilities? Because the ones that are out there, uh, currently, you know, if their least cost a- alternative is to just dispose of them, the, uh, I could see that. Or, you know, one of the things that as you know, the most recycled product on the planet is steel. So they, uh, and if we look at e- encompassing all of a solar facility, uh, they can easily, uh, meet all kind of requirements on, uh, recycling the steel, recycling, you know, cabling, wiring, those kind of things that might m- be of assistance.

99. 0:35:33

    But, uh, is there any kind of timetable that you have on here for, uh, new facilities, or is it you, you're trying to address everything that, that, uh, prior? Because I could see that could put a lot of facilities in jeopardy.

100. 0:35:47

     No, I, I appreciate the question. You know, I, I just kind of started with the premise that, that you started with, that these green companies and these green operators would want to be green to start with without us having to tell them to do that. Uh, but what this... So this doesn't have a provision to grandfather in. I think they, you know, if they claim to be a green company, they oughta, they oughta be a green company today, uh, and they should have built, uh, that in. But it also touches on something that, that I think is important, that is that there is, uh, lots of opportunity for them to recoup their, their costs when they do this recycling process because the steel and the other materials are valuable.

101. 0:36:27

     And, uh, many times, the material that is used in the solar panels needs to be repurposed, uh, and they have an opportunity to do that. So to answer your question, there is no, um, there's no grandfather clause.

102. 0:36:42

     Would y- would you consider for existing facilities that, uh, w- we do something like 50% of the solar, uh, facility has to be recycled by weight, the, uh, and then, uh, any new facilities, 'cause you're specifically listing the panel in your legislation, that any new facility said going into effect after this bill was, would be, uh, perceived to be passed, the, uh, that they are required to, to take those to a recycling facility? Because, uh, being that n- you know, I'm a proponent for free market, the, the, uh, most of these solar facilities are, uh, trying to, uh, turn a profit in our free market, and I, I, I support that in my, uh, best Republican, uh, pro-business kind of way.

103. 0:37:28

     Uh, look, I, I've learned in my 14 years that, you know, when a committee wants to do something to your bill, you, you, you let them do it. Uh, I like the bill as it is, but I respect the committee and y'all's purview.

104. 0:37:43

     Thank you.

105. 0:37:43

     Uh, Representative Kelly, on the panels, is it different sized panels, or are they all the same size?

106. 0:37:53

     Uh, they can vary. I think there are some standardized sizes, you know, uh, that are, that are more common than other. I can't speak to those specifics, but they can be different sizes.

107. 0:38:05

     Okay.

108. 0:38:08

     Senator Goodman.

109. 0:38:11

     Just a quick question. Everything that I've heard since I've been up here, you know, when we've talked about, you know, requiring these folks to be bonded for cleanup, and I, I've always heard from everybody that says, "Oh, you don't have to worry about it because the, the value of the stuff is worth so much that they're, they're gonna, you know, recycle it or whatever if you weren't gonna put the, put the land back in an alternative use." So isn't it fair to say that if everything that at least I've been told, and I think the majority of the people that serve in the general assembly have been told, if that is true, they're gonna want to recycle this stuff, right?

110. 0:38:43

     I think they should. And, and I think that when you look at how big these are and how much of Georgia's valuable land they're currently occupying, once they reach their life cycle, once they reach their, their usefulness limit, that we shouldn't then allow them to be disposed and start filling up our, our landfills. I mean, you're talking about thousands and thousands and thousands of tons of, uh, material that would then go into our landfills and eat away our, you know, m- m- most important natural resource we have here, which is our land, and I just don't wanna see them, you know, be- Leading us to need more landfills because we're disposing these.

111. 0:39:23

     The cost for me outweighs the, the, the burden we're putting on them.

112. 0:39:30

     Mm-hmm.

113. 0:39:30

     I appreciate the question.

114. 0:39:30

     Um, Representative Kelly, isn't it true that with all the green money, all the federal money that they've had been given to for solar panels, wouldn't you think they would have the money to be able to afford to do this?

115. 0:39:52

     I've tried to work on this legislation over the last two years in a balanced way, and in a way that's not crushing to the industry. Um, I did feel like when you, you balance both the, the, the, the value of the, the materials, the public policy of not m- not putting in forth a practice that would result in more landfills, and exactly what you touched on, Mr. Chairman, which is, you know, the, the, the, the subsidization that, that has existed, that, that the balance we struck in the legislation was sufficient.

116. 0:40:30

     And I mean, also, them being able to buy good farm land at the price they have been paying and renting. I mean, don't you think they have enough money in a checking account to be able to do this the right way?

117. 0:40:46

     I agree with the chairman.

118. 0:40:47

     Okay. Uh, Al Lita.

119. 0:40:52

     Thank you, Mr, Mr. Chairman. I mean, Representative Kelly, um, I think, and this may not speak for the entire state, but I do, I do, I do know that you and I represent a very unique area where, you know, I think rural Georgia and suburbia Atlanta collides. Um, and I know we also represent a unique area, and I know you used to represent some other areas, you know, between Haralson County and Bartow County, where we've seen, you know, existing landfills, we've seen people try and jam in new landfills.

120. 0:41:29

     Um, and I know we're dealing with environmental issues and arguments between local governments over what is happening with what is in those landfills in terms of capacity, um, and I think community impacts. Um, can you speak to when, you know, we have industries in the private sector and in kind of in the big picture trying to move to com- to communities, um, to, I think, you know, find new ways to deal with products, whether it's, you know, solar panels or other things, and, you know, w- what does that mean, I think, in terms of the bigger picture of the state?

121. 0:42:06

     Um, because we all know that when people start wanting to open up landfills, you know, this whole NIMBY thing of Not In My Backyard, um, you know, exists. It is what it is. Um, but I think, you know, that becomes less than when, I think, you know, communities are able to have partners in the community to address some of these products like you're talking about. But especially for us and others in Metro Atlanta or on kind of pr- you know, the edges of Metro Atlanta, whether you're in Polk County, maybe Walton County.

122. 0:42:36

     I mean, Gainesville is Metro Atlanta, so if you're in Habersham County or some of these outer counties where more of these conversations are gonna continue to rise, especially as the population only continues to grow and more people move to these outer areas. I mean, can you talk about that just kind of in the bigger picture of Georgia?

123. 0:42:53

     Well, I, I appreciate that question, and, and as, uh, as, as your constituent, one thing I've been proud of is, is the stance you've taken on wanting to conserve our land in our state. And that's certainly what we're trying to do here. We are, uh, in an interesting crossroads in our community, where the growth of Metro Atlanta is coming to Paulding County. It's came to Paulding County, and it's coming to Polk County. And we do have sitting in the middle of Polk County a, a, um, embarrassing c- landmark, which is the landfill me and you both know we have to deal with all the time and complaints from residents that live around there.

124. 0:43:29

     But we certainly, uh, you know, as part of our society is we have to, we have to deal with waste. And, um, as much as I wish it, it wasn't there, it's there, and that decision was made, made before us. But what we can do is try to limit, uh, what needs to go in there. And when we have a, a, again, a community partner like we've seen come to our district that also offer, offers an opportunity to employ, uh, Georgians at a great wage, uh, while also reducing the waste, uh, that would go into our landfill, I think it's a win-win for everybody, and that's the i- impetus of the legislation.

125. 0:44:02

     So thank you for the question.

126. 0:44:05

     Any other questions?

127. 0:44:09

     Anyone want to speak on, in favor of the bill? Against the bill? Hearing none. What, what's the-

128. 0:44:23

     Mr. Chairman.

129. 0:44:23

     Say that again.

130. 0:44:25

     Uh, Representative Kelly, I, I know, uh, I, I look at your bill, I don't like doctoring one on the fly. The, uh, I do wanna, uh, let you know, I, I think I'm gonna try to see if we can, uh, address it with a floor amendment if it passes out of committee today, which I think it will. The, uh, just to a- address some of the questions on where we go in, uh, recycling and, uh, that. Because, uh, I think the solar industry, they, uh, provides a, a, uh, power source for us.

131. 0:44:56

     I wanna make sure they continue, but at the same token, I don't wanna see your landfill being filled up with, with, uh, solar panels. I agree with you. I like the premise of the bill. I just think there's a way to make sure that, that, uh, we don't unduly burden somebody that's already set up their business plan and what it is, so.

132. 0:45:13

     Thank you.

133. 0:45:16

     Senator Goodman.

134. 0:45:18

     Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh-

135. 0:45:22

     I hate to be against my fraternity brother, but I'm gonna be voting against that amendment. But, uh, anyway, I wanna make a motion do pass, uh, because, uh, I think this is good legislation, and I think, uh, what we've been told all along, uh, from the folks in the solar industry, if, if what they have told us all along is true, then they're gonna, they're gonna wanna do the recycling anyway, and we're just codifying what they said they were gonna do to begin with. So, uh, I'd like to make a motion do pass.

136. 0:45:46

     I appreciate that. I-

137. 0:45:47

     At the proper time you can make a motion.

138. 0:45:49

     Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Chairman-

139. 0:45:51

     Any other questions?

140. 0:45:52

     Is now the proper time?

141. 0:45:55

     Hold on just-

142. 0:45:55

     I appreciate all three of my AGR friends that are sitting there- ... today, and a couple of them back in Cedartown as well.

143. 0:46:03

     Senator Goodman, I recognize you now for a motion.

144. 0:46:05

     Oh, thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is the proper time.

145. 0:46:08

     It is the proper time.

146. 0:46:09

     Okay. I'd like to make a motion do pass on, uh-

147. 0:46:12

     Got a second by Senator Watson. All in favor raise your right hand.

148. 0:46:17

     He didn't second that, I did.

149. 0:46:19

     Oh, you did?

150. 0:46:19

     I did.

151. 0:46:20

     I thought... I swear I heard, saw his lips move.

152. 0:46:23

     It didn't move. It's green.

153. 0:46:25

     Okay. Seconded by Senator Ginn. All in favor raise your right hand.

154. 0:46:34

     Carries unanimous. Thanks s-

155. 0:46:37

     Thank you, Mr. Chairman

156. 0:46:37

     ... Representative for bringing the bill.

157. 0:46:39

     I appreciate y'all. Thank you so much.

158. 0:46:41

     All right. House Bill 1266. Is the author here? Oh, there he is.

159. 0:46:52

     Oh.

160. 0:46:53

     Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

161. 0:46:55

     Who's carrying it out? We'll find out.

162. 0:46:58

     All right. Representative Jason Ridley. J-A-S-O-N R-I-D-L-E-Y. Inmate number OU812. And I'm ready whenever you are.

163. 0:47:09

     For your parole hearing?

164. 0:47:09

     Yes, for my parole hearing.

165. 0:47:11

     Give us, uh, your LC number.

166. 0:47:13

     LC, uh, 474108S.

167. 0:47:19

     All right. Everybody has it? Everybody got it? All right. Carry on.

168. 0:47:32

     Okay. Um, this is a simple bill. There's a stretch of the Ogeechee River that, uh, was limited to a 9.9 horsepower motor. Uh, we're striking through that and just adding personal watercraft, uh, that still, uh, will not be allowed in that section of the river. Um, and that's all the bill does.

169. 0:47:54

     Any questions for the author?

170. 0:48:00

     I have a question, Mr. Chairman.

171. 0:48:02

     Okay. Go ahead, Senator Goodman.

172. 0:48:06

     Is this bill about freedom?

173. 0:48:08

     It's about freedom.

174. 0:48:09

     Then I wanna make a motion, motion do pass when the appropriate time comes.

175. 0:48:14

     All right, uh, Leda.

176. 0:48:17

     Thank you, Representative Ridley. Just real quick, just to educate us, what, what happened on the Ogeechee River in this area for this change to be necessary?

177. 0:48:25

     So I... This was put in about-

178. 0:48:27

     Just some history.

179. 0:48:28

     I'm sorry?

180. 0:48:28

     Just some his- just-

181. 0:48:29

     Okay. So about-

182. 0:48:30

     Yeah

183. 0:48:30

     ... 35 years ago or so, uh, so this part of the river, I think there was a, it's kind of shallow in some spots, and then, uh, there I think there's a lot of debris there. So it was put in there about a 9.9 horsepower motor because if you remember, a lot of the motors used to be two-cycle, and so you kind of had to keep them wound tight. Well, now they're four-stroke, so now you don't have to have that. And it's kind of run into a problem 'cause people that's fishing up through there, there's one section they can't even get to, um, if they're in a 20 horsepower motor. So, um, so that's the reason that part struck out. And then personal watercraft does not need to be in that area because it's too dangerous.

184. 0:49:02

     So that's the reason that was added.

185. 0:49:04

     Okay. Thanks, man.

186. 0:49:06

     Thank you for that.

187. 0:49:11

     Senator Ginn.

188. 0:49:12

     I, I've been on this committee a long time, and I don't know too many times where the legislature puts into pla- practice something that the department, they, uh, would normally say, "Hey, this is unsafe." W- w- why, why should we put it into statute versus letting the department address it in their rules and regulations? The, uh, uh, as far as... You know, I can see this kind of bubbling up. We occasionally, the, uh, I've seen this, this, uh, committee do some things that, you know, "Well, there's not gonna be any landfill in my backyard," said ty- type attitude.

189. 0:49:47

     And I'm, I'm just kind of curious why the, uh, in this one where we're saying, "Hey, there's no boats in my backyard," so to speak, or whatever the case may be, why, why is this one s- different, and what, has the department weighed in one way or the other on this?

190. 0:50:00

     Yeah. Well, yes, sir. And actually the Senate is the, about 35 years ago is when it put this 9.9 horsepower restriction in this section of the river. Uh-

191. 0:50:07

     But, but they did allow watercraft in, in-

192. 0:50:09

     I'm sorry?

193. 0:50:09

     They did allow watercraft, uh, prior.

194. 0:50:13

     You know, at that time I'm, I mean, I guess probably not, because I guess they would probably be more than a nine horsepower.

195. 0:50:20

     Well, I, I-

196. 0:50:20

     Or maybe that's how they were doing it.

197. 0:50:22

     I, I, I'm, I'm trying to figure out, okay, in this particular case, usually the department can, they can make it where, okay, no boats are allowed in an area, safety issues like that. They have the power to do that. I'm just thinking, are we doing this because of safety, or we... W- what is the impetus of, of this?

198. 0:50:37

     The personal watercraft section is because of safety. That's the reason they're wanting to put that in there, 'cause they, there does, there don't need to be no jet skis in that area. It's too dangerous for them to be in that area.

199. 0:50:49

     And the department can't regulate that?

200. 0:50:52

     That would be a department question, but-

201. 0:50:54

     I'd, I'd love to hear from somebody on the department w- why-

202. 0:50:55

     I'm here to work for the people, not a department, so I'm just trying to do my job.

203. 0:50:58

     Yeah. Well, I, I mean, you know, they, well, that's weird to me. I'd, I'd, I'd love to have the department address it as to why they haven't done it yet, you know?

204. 0:51:08

     All right. State your name and what outfit you're from and...

205. 0:51:15

     Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Trevor Santos with the Department of Natural Resources. Uh, as Representative Ridley mentioned, it was the legislature that, um, put this law into statute going back 35 to 40 years ago. Um, has worked with the department. We see no issues with the

206. 0:51:32

     The bill as written, um, but we'll certainly leave it up to this body to make that determination if you wanna put it into statute. Um, but again, no issues. It would have, uh, prohibited, uh, personal watercrafts in the past, given the, the horsepower limit. Um, but given the ad- the advancements, uh, in both, um, outboard motors and personal watercrafts, uh, we see no, we see no issues with the bill as written.

207. 0:52:00

     Senator Good- Goodman.

208. 0:52:01

     Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, I joked earlier about this, about the- the being a bill about freedom, but I've gotten a lot of calls from friends over in that, that part of Georgia that have asked me to support this bill. And of course, you know, we... I kinda... They sort of told me the background about it, and I, I think that, uh, there was a, a... This is the only stretch of river in the state of Ge-

209. 0:52:24

     Senator Good- do you have a question?

210. 0:52:26

     Yes, sir.

211. 0:52:27

     Okay.

212. 0:52:27

     I do. But this is for the good of the committee, though.

213. 0:52:29

     Okay.

214. 0:52:29

     Um, this is the only, uh, portion, this is the only section of river in the state of Georgia that has a restriction. And my understanding is whoever the senator or the representative was 35 years ago, uh, got a law passed that his little section of the river had a restriction 'cause his house is right there on it. So that's kinda where this came from. But, uh, you know, I think to the point that you're saying, is it not true, because the chairman wants me to ask a question- ... that, uh, that outboard motors are much more quieter today than they were 35 years ago?

215. 0:53:00

     That is true.

216. 0:53:01

     Okay. Thank you.

217. 0:53:04

     Thank you for clarifying that for us.

218. 0:53:07

     Yes, sir.

219. 0:53:08

     Any other questions?

220. 0:53:12

     Anyone's signed up to, in favor of the bill to speak? Anybody against? Thank you for not. All right. What's the wish of the committee? We have to, we have to second. We gotta second. Did you make a m- Yes, I made a motion. I think. We got a, we got a motion by Senator Goodman. Got a second by... Who was it? Senator Derrick.

221. 0:53:42

     Derr- okay. All right. Any other questions? All in favor, raise your right hand.

222. 0:53:53

     Carries unanimously.

223. 0:53:54

     Thank you.

224. 0:53:54

     Thank you.

225. 0:54:04

     All right. Saved the best for last.

226. 0:54:10

     House Bill 946, which we have heard before, but we bringing it back, which is a good bill. And the representative is here today, Representative Clifton.

227. 0:54:26

     Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Um, I was gonna say best bill for last, but you stole my thunder, so I appreciate that. Um, R- Representative Rob Clifton, District 131. Um, Chairman An- or Chairman Anderson is my senator, and a great place to live. Uh, we have heard this bill once, but it was just-

228. 0:54:42

     LC number, please.

229. 0:54:42

     Yes, sir. LC443279, House Bill 946. This is the feral hog bill. Um, so short and sweet. This takes away a lot of restrictions that were in place, um, for hunting feral hogs. There's no license required. Um, you will be able to allow... You will be allowed to shoot them from a motor vehicle. Uh, and this bill also allows the use of personal drones on personal property in order to locate feral hogs, um, in order to shoot them and get rid of them.

230. 0:55:14

     Um, in this last committee, it was asked if we could broaden this. Um, and after talking to DNR, they would like to keep this the way it is. There's a lot of different patterns and differences if we did broaden this. So they would like to leave this, um, as it was written, um, and maybe come back next year or the years later, um, in hopes of potentially adding, um, species to this bill. So...

231. 0:55:36

     I know just for comment, you know, I, I appreciate you bringing it back, and we did talk with DNR, and, and, uh, they had some concerns with broadening it. And then also, y'all, all of us senators was enlightened yesterday by Senator McNeel about all the different type animals there is, that exist. And with all this, we decided that it would be best to just keep the bill as it is.

232. 0:56:10

     And, uh, is there any other questions for the author? I have one. Mr. Leader.

233. 0:56:18

     Representative Clifton, is, um, Senator McNeel gonna carry this bill?

234. 0:56:23

     Uh, Senator, Chair, uh, Chairman Anderson was, uh, was who I have worked with to carry this bill in the House. I'm sorry, Mr. Senator.

235. 0:56:30

     Unless you're offended, I'd, I'd would make that recommendation and help a new senator, but that's up to you, Mr. Chairman.

236. 0:56:36

     Okay.

237. 0:56:38

     Whoever, whoever-

238. 0:56:38

     I think, I think-

239. 0:56:39

     ... can get this across the finish line, I'll take any help I can get.

240. 0:56:42

     I think Senator McNeel got enough animals yesterday. You're probably right, sir. You're probably right. Senator Goodman.

241. 0:56:52

     I just, quick question. Didn't, didn't you present this bill in public safety? Senate Public Safety?

242. 0:56:57

     N- no, sir.

243. 0:56:58

     No, it was-

244. 0:56:58

     We presented it in here, uh-

245. 0:57:00

     It was just-

246. 0:57:00

     ... earlier this year.

247. 0:57:01

     Okay, I'm going crazy. I apologize.

248. 0:57:03

     That was that other hog bill.

249. 0:57:04

     Yeah, okay. Probably was.

250. 0:57:08

     Anyone signed up for the bill or against the bill? Okay. Hearing none, what's the pleasure of the committee? Motion to approve. We got a motion. We got a second. All... Any other questions? All in favor, raise your right hand. Carries unanimously. Congratulations.

251. 0:57:30

     Thank you, sir.

252. 0:57:31

     Chairman.

253. 0:57:31

     Thank you, members of the committee.

254. 0:57:33

     Okay. Good job. Wait a minute. I'm not through. Sir. Does any committee members have anything to say before we adjourn? Hearing none, all in favor to adjourn, rise.