Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HR100 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	25 LC 44 2948
2	2	House Resolution 100
3	3	By: Representatives Schofield of the 63
4	4	rd
5	5	, Townsend of the 179
6	6	th
7	7	, Drenner of the 85
8	8	th
9	9	, Davis
10	10	of the 87
11	11	th
12	12	, Scott of the 76
13	13	th
14	14	, and others
15	15	A RESOLUTION
16	16	Creating the House Study Committee on the Cumulative Impact of Pollution on Economic
17	17	1
18	18	Development and Growth; and for other purposes.2
19	19	WHEREAS, pollution negatively impacts the health of a community and its economic3
20	20	prospects, thus furthering cycles of poverty; and4
21	21	WHEREAS, a concentration of industrial facilities in a community leads to blight and limited5
22	22	amenities that contribute to lower property values and less funding for public schools, also6
23	23	furthering cycles of poverty; and7
24	24	WHEREAS, proximity to a facility that needs a risk management plan is associated with8
25	25	significantly lower home values; and9
26	26	WHEREAS, employers and businesses such as grocery stores, food services, healthcare10
27	27	providers, hotels, and professional service centers prefer to not be located near industrial11
28	28	centers, thus limiting the job prospects for community residents and furthering cycles of12
29	29	poverty; and13
30	30	H. R. 100
31	31	- 1 - 25 LC 44 2948
32	32	WHEREAS, Georgia's leading economic engine, agriculture, is put at risk by air, soil, and
33	33	14
34	34	water pollution that can potentially stunt crop growth and affect both Georgia's economy and15
35	35	the food security of all Georgians; and16
36	36	WHEREAS, in Georgia there are more than 1 million resident anglers who collectively spend17
37	37	8.7 million days a year on the water, and more than 650,000 hunters who collectively spend18
38	38	8.9 million days a year in the field. The combination of these activities accounts for over $219
39	39	billion in retail sales, $3 billion in ripple effects, and more than 38,000 jobs; this vital20
40	40	economic engine is also put at risk by pollution; and21
41	41	WHEREAS, conditions such as severe asthma, nervous system damage, cardiovascular22
42	42	disease, dangerous pregnancy outcomes, heart disease, and various forms of cancer can23
43	43	cluster in polluted areas, areas near highways, and areas near industrial plants; addressing the24
44	44	environmental causes of disease is important for the health of communities, but also for the25
45	45	economic prosperity of the state; and26
46	46	WHEREAS, in 2020 the average life expectancy in the United States was 77 years of age,27
47	47	but in Georgia, the average life expectancy was 75.6 years of age, which constitutes the28
48	48	fifteenth worst life expectancy of any state in the nation; and29
49	49	WHEREAS, Georgia tied for second among states with the highest prevalence of childhood30
50	50	asthma in 2021, with 9.7 percent of Georgia's children suffering from the condition, and the31
51	51	total cost of asthma related hospitalizations among Georgia children totaled $41.6 million;32
52	52	and33
53	53	H. R. 100
54	54	- 2 - 25 LC 44 2948
55	55	WHEREAS, studies have shown that simply reducing heavy-duty truck traffic by half could
56	56	34
57	57	decrease air quality warning days, thus allowing 16,000 more Georgians to play outside,35
58	58	eliminate 2,700 sick days, and overall provide $200 million in annual economic benefit; and36
59	59	WHEREAS, flooding of infrastructure such as concrete and overburdened storm-water and37
60	60	waste-water systems, which are typically found in highly industrialized areas, is another38
61	61	source of pollution and negative economic impact on communities; and39
62	62	WHEREAS, all citizens of this state should have access to clean air, water, and sustainable40
63	63	infrastructure; and41
64	64	WHEREAS, careful study is necessary to determine policy and legislative solutions for42
65	65	sustainable, economically viable, and healthy communities.43
66	66	NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:44
67	67	(1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee45
68	68	on the Cumulative Impact of Pollution on Economic Development and Growth.46
69	69	(2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of 11 members to be47
70	70	appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives:48
71	71	(A) Five members of the House of Representatives;49
72	72	(B) One representative of the Environmental Protection Division of the Department of50
73	73	Natural Resources;51
74	74	(C) One representative of the Department of Agriculture;52
75	75	(D) One representative of the Department of Human Services;53
76	76	(E) One representative of academia or the nonprofit or scientific community who54
77	77	specializes in the study of pollution;55
78	78	H. R. 100
79	79	- 3 - 25 LC 44 2948
80	80	(F) One individual who represents a nonprofit entity with knowledge relative to
81	81	56
82	82	Georgia pollution impacts; and57
83	83	(G) One community member who sits at the intersection of pollution and economic58
84	84	development.59
85	85	The Speaker shall designate a legislative member of the committee as chairperson of the60
86	86	committee.61
87	87	(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs,62
88	88	issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or63
89	89	legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.64
90	90	(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee65
91	91	may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or66
92	92	convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and67
93	93	accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.68
94	94	(5) Allowances, expenses, and funding.69
95	95	(A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided70
96	96	for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.71
97	97	(B) Members of the committee who are state officials, other than legislative members,72
98	98	or who are state employees shall receive no compensation for their services on the73
99	99	committee, but they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the74
100	100	performance of their duties as members of the committee in the same manner as they75
101	101	are reimbursed for expenses in their capacities as state officials or employees.76
102	102	(C) Members of the committee who are not legislators, state officials, or state77
103	103	employees shall receive a daily expense allowance in an amount the same as that78
104	104	specified in subsection (b) of Code Section 45-7-21 of the Official Code of Georgia79
105	105	Annotated, as well as the mileage or transportation allowance authorized for state80
106	106	employees.81
107	107	H. R. 100
108	108	- 4 - 25 LC 44 2948
109	109	(D) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member
110	110	82
111	111	of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds83
112	112	necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds84
113	113	appropriated to the House of Representatives; except that funds for the reimbursement85
114	114	of the expenses of state officials, other than legislative members, and for the86
115	115	reimbursement of the expenses of state employees shall come from funds appropriated87
116	116	to or otherwise available to their respective agencies.88
117	117	(6) Report.89
118	118	(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that90
119	119	include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the91
120	120	same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to92
121	121	subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.93
122	122	(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for94
123	123	proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)95
124	124	of this paragraph.96
125	125	(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of97
126	126	abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee. 98
127	127	A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with99
128	128	the Clerk of the House of Representatives.100
129	129	(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the101
130	130	House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu102
131	131	thereof.103
132	132	(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.104
133	133	H. R. 100
134	134	- 5 -