25 LC 59 0177
House Resolution 883
By: Representatives Stephens of the 164
th
, Gambill of the 15
th
, Seabaugh of the 34
th
, Clark
of the 100
th
, Sainz of the 180
th
, and others
A RESOLUTION
Creating the House Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism; and
1
for other purposes.2
WHEREAS, Georgia offers diverse tourism experiences from coastal retreats and mountain3
escapes to small town charm and vibrant metro areas featuring a wide selection of hotels,4
shopping centers, and dining experiences; and5
WHEREAS, Georgia attracts visitors through local celebrations, family vacations, business6
conferences, and sporting events; and7
WHEREAS, Georgia is home to several major sports teams, including the Atlanta Falcons,8
Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta United, University of Georgia Bulldogs, Georgia9
Tech Yellow Jackets, and Savannah Bananas, further enhancing tourism appeal; and10
WHEREAS, Georgia's beaches, mountains, waterfalls, lakes, and scenic trails are natural11
attractions that draw outdoors enthusiasts to this state; and12
WHEREAS, Georgia boasts historic landmarks, museums, entertainment venues, and13
business conferences, welcoming millions of visitors annually; and14
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WHEREAS, increasing hotel stays boosts local economies, supports businesses, generates
15
tax revenue, and creates hospitality jobs; and16
WHEREAS, encouraging in-state travel, including weekend getaways and staycations,17
further stimulates economic activity; and18
WHEREAS, Atlanta will host eight FIFA World Cup 2026 matches, and each match in19
Atlanta is expected to generate $4.6 million in global media exposure, enhancing Georgia's20
reputation as a premier travel destination; and21
WHEREAS, despite ranking last in tourism marketing funding, Georgia has an opportunity22
to elevate its profile during the 2026 FIFA World Cup; and23
WHEREAS, this state has over 2,298 hotels, providing significant potential for economic24
growth; and25
WHEREAS, in 2023, Georgia's tourism industry generated a $79.7 billion state-wide26
economic impact and over $5 billion in state and local tax revenue, supporting 463,000 jobs;27
and28
WHEREAS, youth sports represents a growing sector in tourism, attracting visitors and29
creating new opportunities for economic growth for Georgia; and30
WHEREAS, a study committee is necessary to identify tourism growth opportunities across31
all regions, ensuring benefits for both small towns and large cities.32
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:
33
(1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee34
on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism.35
(2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of ten members to be36
appointed as follows:37
(A) Five members from the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker38
of the House of Representatives, three of whom shall be selected from the Committee39
on Economic Development and Tourism. The remaining two members shall be selected40
from the House body based on their interest and expertise in tourism;41
(B) One representative each from the Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association, Georgia42
Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, Georgia Restaurant Association,43
Georgia Sports Tourism Council, and Explore Georgia; and44
(C) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate a legislative member45
of the committee as chairperson of the committee.46
(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall assess tourism related challenges and47
opportunities and recommend actions or legislation to support industry growth, with a48
particular focus on increasing overnight hotel stays.49
(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee50
may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or51
convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and52
accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.53
(5) Allowances, expenses, and funding.54
(A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided55
for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.56
(B) Members of the committee who are state officials, other than legislative members,57
or who are state employees shall receive no compensation for their services on the58
committee, but they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the59
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performance of their duties as members of the committee in the same manner as they
60
are reimbursed for expenses in their capacities as state officials or employees.61
(C) Members of the committee who are not legislators, state officials, or state62
employees shall receive a daily expense allowance in an amount the same as that63
specified in subsection (b) of Code Section 45-7-21 of the Official Code of Georgia64
Annotated, as well as the mileage or transportation allowance authorized for state65
employees.66
(D) The allowances authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member67
of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds68
necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds69
appropriated to the House of Representatives; except that funds for the reimbursement70
of the expenses of state officials, other than legislative members, and for the71
reimbursement of the expenses of state employees shall come from funds appropriated72
to or otherwise available to their respective agencies.73
(6) Report.74
(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that75
include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the76
same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to77
subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.78
(B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for79
proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C)80
of this paragraph.81
(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of82
abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee.83
A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with84
the Clerk of the House of Representatives.85
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(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson shall file with the Clerk of
86
the House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee87
in lieu thereof.88
(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2025.89
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