Senate Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism; create
Summary
SR 323 creates a temporary Senate Study Committee on Making Georgia the No. 1 State for Tourism. The resolution states that Georgia already has a strong tourism base, citing festivals, sports teams, natural attractions, historic sites, museums, entertainment venues, and outdoor recreation, and it points to the state’s 2023 tourism economic impact and Atlanta’s upcoming FIFA World Cup matches as reasons to study how to further grow the industry. The committee is directed to examine the conditions, needs, issues, and problems related to tourism and to recommend any legislation or other action it deems appropriate.
The committee will consist of five senators appointed by the President of the Senate, including members drawn from the Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, Economic Development and Tourism, and Natural Resources and the Environment committees, plus two at-large members with tourism interest or experience. The committee may meet as needed, receive legislative allowances, use Senate-appropriated funds, and must be abolished on December 1, 2025. If it adopts findings or recommendations, it may file a report with proposed legislation or, if no report is approved, file meeting minutes instead.
Impact
This resolution does not directly amend the Georgia Code or create regulatory requirements for private parties. Its legal effect is to establish a temporary legislative study committee, authorize Senate funding and member allowances for the committee’s work, and set procedures for reporting and dissolution. Any substantive policy changes would have to come later through legislation recommended by the committee.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests broad support and little opposition: the Senate adopted the resolution on the consent calendar by a 52-0 vote. The bill’s findings and framing are strongly positive toward tourism development, emphasizing economic benefits, statewide attractions, and the opportunity to elevate Georgia’s national standing as a destination. No committee transcript is available, but the vote indicates the measure was noncontroversial in the Senate.
Contention
There is no recorded debate or amendment history in the provided materials, so no specific points of contention are documented. The only potential policy question implied by the resolution is how to balance tourism promotion across regions of the state, from small towns to major cities, and what legislative or funding changes might be recommended to support that goal. Because the measure only creates a study committee, any future disagreements would likely arise when the committee’s recommendations are considered rather than from the resolution itself.