ATLANTA – State Representative James Burchett (R-Waycross), Chairman of the House Judiciary Non-civil Committee, applauds the State Forestry Commission and local law enforcement officials’ actions to combat the theft of palmetto berries on private forestland in southeast Georgia since the enactment of House Bill 966. During the 2020 legislative session, Rep. Burchett sponsored HB 966 to regulate the harvest and sale of palmetto berries, as well as increase penalties and establish chain-of-custody protocols for those harvesting the berries.