HB983 on silviculture prescribed burning clears Georgia House, Senate with unanimous approval

Legislation crafted by State Rep. Leesa Hagan clarifies rules for prescribed burning in silviculture, focusing on property rights and land management objectives, after advancing through the House and Senate, according to the Georgia State House.

The bill gained approval in both chambers Monday, March 16, with unanimous votes—162-0 in the House and 51-0 in the Senate.

Filed as HB983 on Thursday, Jan. 15, during the 2026 regular session of the 158th General Assembly, the bill’s full description was: ’Conservation and natural resources; prescribed burning for silviculture purposes is exempt from certain burning notice and permit requirements; clarify’.

The following is our summary, developed from the actual bill text, with some interpretive detail for clarity.

Overall, the bill explains that prescribed burning for silviculture is exempt from additional local regulations or permit requirements, except when related to leaf or brush piles unrelated to these practices. It revises the definition of prescribed burning to focus on strategically controlled fire for land management or wildfire mitigation and adds a definition of silviculture. The measure specifies the burn must be supervised on site by a qualified person, is not considered a nuisance, supports property rights, and must comply with state permits. It also recognizes prescribed burning as advancing public interests including community safety, forest, and wildlife health.

In the House, 71 Democrats joined 91 Republicans in supporting the bill, with none opposing.

In the Senate, votes were 20 Democrats and 31 Republicans in favor, also with no opposition recorded.

Rep. James Burchett (Republican-176th) and Rep. Chas Cannon (Republican-172nd) served as co-sponsors, joining two additional sponsors.

Hagan is an alumna of the University of Georgia, graduating with a BS in 1995.

Hagan, a Republican, joined the Georgia State House in 2021 as the 156th House District representative, succeeding Greg Morris.

Gov. Brian Kemp signed the bill into law on Wednesday, May 6.

The legislative process in Georgia involves a bill being drafted with Legislative Counsel, filed, read, assigned to committee, subjected to committee action, and placed on the floor for debate and a vote. Both chambers must pass the bill; if differences arise, they resolve them through conference committee before reaching the governor. The governor has six days to act during the session or 40 days after adjournment (Sine Die), with the law going into effect upon signature, veto, or by default. The Georgia General Assembly meets for a 40-day annual session beginning the second Monday in January.

Information in this article was sourced from the Georgia State House. The primary source is available here.