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GA HB1172
Bill
Status
Passed
5/6/2024
Primary Sponsor
James Burchett
Click for details
AI Summary
- Removes references to the "common law public trust doctrine" from Georgia's water rights statute (Code Section 44-8-5) while preserving public use rights on navigable streams
- Establishes that citizens have an inherent common law right to use all navigable streams from low-water mark to low-water mark for passage, hunting, and fishing
- Retains the state's ownership of all navigable stream beds acquired upon statehood, except where private title originates from a valid Crown or state grant before 1863
- Where private parties hold valid title to navigable stream beds, the public's right is limited to using those streams only for passage, hunting, and fishing
- Explicitly prohibits construing the provision as permitting entry upon privately owned land adjacent to navigable streams
Legislative Description
Water rights; public trust doctrine; remove references
Last Action
Effective Date 2024-07-01
5/6/2024
Committee Referrals
Judiciary2/27/2024
Judiciary2/8/2024
Full Bill Text
No bill text available