HB 223 exempts structures on farms built primarily to store manure and dead animals from any building codes.

HB 225 establishes that it is the policy of the State to promote sustainable agriculture.

This bill encourages the use of Georgia grown products.

This bill makes changes to the law making cruelty to animals a crime.

This bill would exempt fundraisers sponsored by schools, churches and similar nonprofit groups from having to get a food service establishment permit from the state and the county board of health so long as the restaurants providing food at the fundraiser are permitted.

HB 782 would require county animal shelters that euthanize animals to maintain a registry of animal rescue groups that will accept animals facing euthanasia. The registry must include the name, mailing address, telephone number, website, e-mail address, emergency contact, the types of animals that the rescue accepts (including type and breed), as well as a statement as to whether the rescue group is willing and able to care for unweaned animals, sick or injured animals or animals with behavior problems.  

The county is required to compile a monthly and yearly summary of the number of animals, by species type that have been impounded, euthanized, died, lost, stolen, returned to their owners, adopted, transferred to other organizations or rescue groups and remain in the custody of the animal shelter.

The county may also request that the rescue group also provide an "informal" monthly report of the number of animals that have been given to the group, the number that have been adopted, the number that have died or been euthanized and the number that remain in the care of the rescue group.  The county is not permitted to ask for any further information as a condition of being placed on the registry.

The county cannot euthanize an animal unless the shelter has given at least two full business days notice (with written documentation) to all rescue groups on the registry that have indicated a willingness to take that type of animal.  Rescue groups have twenty-four hours to respond to the notification and another two full business days to take possession of the animal.  

In the case of unweaned animals without their mothers who cannot receive feedings at the shelter or be placed in foster care, the shelter must provide at least 8 hours notice to rescue groups that have indicated a willingness to receive unweaned animals.

The county may assess a fee, not to exceed its standard adoption fee, for each animal released to a rescue group.

This bill prohibits cities and counties from enacting any zoning ordinances that either prohibit or require a permit from any residential property owner to grow food crops, chickens, honey bees or rabbits so long as they are raised for human consumption by members of the household. No limits are set on minimum property size or the number of critters raised. 

This bill, which applies only to state purchases, stipulates that Georgia vendors are to be granted the same preferences over vendors of another state in the same manner that preference is granted in awarding bids by another state, or a local government of that state, to vendors resident therein over Georgia vendors.