Georgia House Navigable Streams Study Committee 2024-08-15

Update 2024-09-25: Georgia House Navigable Streams Committee in Nahunta 2024-10-11.

Update 2024-08-15: The livestream is here:
https://www.legis.ga.gov/schedule/house/AQIARgAAAxpEc5CqZhHNm8gAqgAvxFoJAGeQLC1kSDdIixjC7EHFmfIAAAJaYAAAANZQGGA2fqFiaHBHrewZqJ2eET4ABFxyjiQAAAAuAAADGkRzkKpmEc2byACqACGGA2fEWgMAZ5AsLWRIN0iLGMLsQcWZ8gAAAlpgAAAA

A new Georgia House Study Committee was established March 28, 2024, on the fraught issue of navigability of waterways: HOUSE STUDY COMMITTEE ON NAVIGABLE STREAMS AND RELATED MATTERS.

Maybe you’d like to contact your statehouse member before the meeting, since there seems to be no opportunity for public input during the meeting.

[New Navigable Streams Georgia House Studay Committee 2024-08-15: Ownership, Property Rights, Recreation, Economy]
New Navigable Streams Georgia House Studay Committee 2024-08-15: Ownership, Property Rights, Recreation, Economy

About the House Study Committee on Navigable Streams and Related Matters

The committee seeks to carefully evaluate all aspects of navigable streams in this state and the complex issues surrounding their ownership, private and public rights of use, and other related matters.

HR 1554.

The committee’s members include two state representatives from the Suwannee River Basin: Rep. James Burchett, District 176, and Rep. John Corbett, District 174.

It also includes former Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GA-DNR) Director Jud Turner.

Its Chair is Rep. Lynn Smith, who is also the Chair of the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment.

There’s nothing in the Meetings tab for that committee. Maybe you’re just supposed to know.

Agenda

Thanks to Suzanne Welander for sending the agenda.

It does not include any items for anybody but current or former members of the state government to say anything.

House of Representatives

[…]

MEETING NOTICE

TO: House Study Committee on Navigable Streams and Related Matters

Rep. James Burchett
Rep. Johnny Chastain
Rep. John Corbett
Rep. Stan Gunter
Rep. Al Williams
Mr. Jud Turner

FROM: Rep. Lynn Smith, Chair

There will be a House Study Committee on Navigable Streams and Related Matters meeting on Thursday, August 15″, 2024 at 9:00 AM in room 606 CLOB.

AGENDA

  • Introduction of Committee Members and Committee Overview
  • Presentation on Navigability and Related Legislative/Legal History (Mr. Jud Turner)
  • Presentation from Environmental Protection Division on Water and Watershed Protection
  • Presentation from Department of Natural Resources on Navigability and Water Management Responsibilities
  • Committee Questions and Discussion

*NOTE: Public comment will be available at future meetings, but written public comment can always be submitted to the committee and distributed to committee members.

Agenda subject to change per the call of the Chair

cc: Speaker’s Office, Clerk’s Office, House Media Services, Legislative Counsel, House Budget & Research Office

HR 1554

That bill, HR 1554, is the one that created this Study Committee. Here is its text.

House Resolution 1554

By: Representatives Smith of the 70th, Dickey of the 145th, Corbett of the 174th, Rhodes of the 124th, and Smith of the 138th

A RESOLUTION

Creating the House Study Committee on Navigable Streams and Related Matters; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, Georgia’s navigable streams are a precious resource of this state and serve as a valuable asset to owners of adjacent properties and as a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts; and

WHEREAS, identifying which of the state’s streams constitute navigable streams is a challenging endeavor both legally and factually; and

WHEREAS, a greater degree of certainty regarding the interaction of the various rights related to navigable streams, as to which streams constitute navigable streams, and for what purposes and under what circumstances they may be used is desirable; and

WHEREAS, the House of Representatives should carefully evaluate all aspects of navigable streams in this state and the complex issues surrounding their ownership, private and public rights of use, and other related matters.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES:

(1) Creation of House study committee. There is created the House Study Committee on Navigable Streams and Related Matters.

(2) Members and officers. The committee shall be composed of seven members as follows:

(A) The chairperson of the House Committee on Natural Resources and the Environment, who shall serve as the chairperson;

(B) Up to four members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(C) The Majority Whip of the House of Representatives; and

(D) An attorney at law licensed in this state and with experience with water rights and property rights, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(3) Powers and duties. The committee shall undertake a study of the conditions, needs, issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any action or legislation which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.

(4) Meetings. The chairperson shall call all meetings of the committee. The committee may conduct such meetings at such places and at such times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.

(5) Allowances, expenses, and funding.

(A) The legislative members of the committee shall receive the allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.

(B) Members of the committee who are not legislators, state officials, or state employees shall receive a daily expense allowance in an amount the same as that specified in subsection (b) of Code Section 45-7-21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, as well as the mileage or transportation allowance authorized for state employees.

(C) The allowances and expenses authorized by this resolution shall not be received by any member of the committee for more than five days unless additional days are authorized. Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from funds appropriated to the House of Representatives; except that funds for the reimbursement of the expenses of state officials, other than legislative members, and state employees shall come from funds appropriated to or otherwise available to their respective agencies.

(6) Report.

(A) In the event the committee adopts any specific findings or recommendations that include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file a report of the same prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution, subject to subparagraph (C) of this paragraph. (B) In the event the committee adopts a report that does not include suggestions for proposed legislation, the chairperson shall file the report, subject to subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.

(C) No report shall be filed unless the same has been approved prior to the date of abolishment specified in this resolution by majority vote of a quorum of the committee. A report so approved shall be signed by the chairperson of the committee and filed with the Clerk of the House of Representatives.

(D) In the absence of an approved report, the chairperson may file with the Clerk of the House of Representatives a copy of the minutes of the meetings of the committee in lieu thereof.

(7) Abolishment. The committee shall stand abolished on December 1, 2024.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/