ATLANTA – State Representative Lynn Smith (R-Newnan), chair of the House Study Committee on Navigable Streams and Related Matters, today issued a statement following the adoption of the final committee report from the House Study Committee on Navigable Streams and Related Matters’:
“It was an honor to serve as the chair of the House Study Committee on Navigable Streams and Related Matters,” said Rep. Smith. “I am grateful for my colleagues and their hard work on this complex and important issue facing our state. This study committee was the second of its kind to be held in the past two years, and we held meetings across the state, beginning at the State Capitol, then Unicoi State Park and ending in Newnan, Georgia. During the course of the study committee, we unfortunately had to cancel the meeting set in Waycross due to the devastating hurricane damage to the area. We had great attendance from the general public, and those who addressed the committee were respectful of the process as they expressed their thoughts and opinions on these pressing matters.
“The report summarizes the findings of the committee and will serve as a basis from which legislators can use to draft legislation. During our committee findings, we discovered that the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act, or GOSA, is set to expire in 2025. This program provides a dedicated funding mechanism to support parks and trails, as well as protect and acquire lands critical to wildlife, clean water and outdoor recreation across the state of Georgia. If it is the will of the body, I hope to pursue the reauthorization of this crucial program during the 2025 session. I am confident that the House will work diligently during the legislative session to remedy and improve laws governing Georgia’s streams.”
For more information on the House Study Committee on Navigable Streams and Related Matters, please click here. To view the full final report, please click here.
Representative Lynn Smith currently represents the citizens of District 70, which includes portions of Carroll and Coweta counties. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 1996 and currently serves as Chairman of the Natural Resources & Environment Committee. She also serves on the Special Committee on Election Integrity, Appropriations Subcommittee on General Government, Legislative & Congressional Reapportionment, Creative Arts & Entertainment and Rules committees.
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