| 3 | 3 | | By: Representatives Chastain of the 7 |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | th |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | , Rhodes of the 124 |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | th |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | , Howard of the 71 |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | st |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | , Mathis of |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | the 133 |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | rd |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | , Ridley of the 6 |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | th |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | , and others |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | To amend Article 1 of Chapter 3 and Article 2 of Chapter 4 of Title 27 of the Official Code |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | 1 |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | of Georgia Annotated, relating to hunting and noncommercial fishing, respectively, so as to2 |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | modify an exception for the use of air guns to hunt wildlife; to revise provisions concerning3 |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | the taking of catfish by bow and arrow; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting4 |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | laws; and for other purposes.5 |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:6 |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 1.7 |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 27 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to8 |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | hunting, is amended in Code Section 27-3-4, relating to legal weapons for hunting wildlife9 |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | generally, use of silencers and suppressors prohibited, and penalty for violations, by revising10 |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | paragraph (9) of subsection (a) as follows:11 |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | "(9) For purposes of this subsection, the term 'air gun' means any pistol, handgun, or12 |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | shoulder-held device, each of not less than 0.30 caliber, or air bow that propels a13 |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | projectile in the form of a slug, shot, or arrow equipped with a broadhead utilizing14 |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | unignited compressed air or gas. Air guns are legal weapons for hunting big game only15 |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | during primitive weapon hunts, primitive weapon seasons, and firearm seasons. This16 |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | paragraph shall stand repealed effective July 1, 2025 2030, unless continued in effect by17 |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | the General Assembly prior to that date. At its 2025 2030 regular session, the General18 |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | Assembly shall review this paragraph to determine whether it should be continued in19 |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | effect."20 |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 2.21 |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | Article 2 of Chapter 4 of Title 27 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to22 |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | noncommercial fishing, is amended in Code Section 27-4-34, relating to fishing with bow23 |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | and arrow, by revising subsection (d) as follows:24 |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | "(d) It shall be unlawful to take channel catfish and flathead any catfish anywhere in the25 |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | Savannah River, including its tributaries and impoundments within the Savannah River26 |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | Basin, species from the waters of this state by means of bow and arrow, except under the27 |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | following conditions:28 |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | (1) Each person using a bow and arrow shall have on his or her person a valid state29 |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | resident or nonresident fishing license;30 |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | (2) All arrows used pursuant to this subsection must be equipped with barbs or contain31 |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | devices on the point to act as a harpoon for recovering fish and must be attached to the32 |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | person or bow by a rope, line, or cord sufficient for recovering the arrow and channel33 |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | catfish or flathead catfish;34 |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | (3) Arrows with poisonous or exploding heads are illegal;35 |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | (4) It shall be unlawful to discharge arrows into waters nearer than 150 feet to anyone36 |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | engaged in any other means of recreation; and37 |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | (5) The taking of channel catfish and flathead any catfish in the Savannah River,38 |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | including its tributaries and impoundments within the Savannah River Basin, species39 |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | from the waters of this state by bow and arrow shall be legal at any time of the day and40 |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | at night by the use of a light."41 |
|---|