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3/10/2008
Forest Land Conservation Act Advances |
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On March 6, the 29th legislative day of the 2008 session, the GA House of Representatives took a major step toward conserving large forest properties by addressing an out-of-control property tax system that has come to penalize forest landowners and discourage traditional forestry practices. In unanimous votes, House members approved HR 1276 and HB 1211, legislation designed to allow CUVA-like tax treatment on large forest tracts with no limitations on acreage and no restrictions on ownership. The legislation now moves to the Senate where ten legislative days remain in the session and the pathway toward final passage can become perilous.
Sponsored by State Representative Richard Royal, R-Camilla, the legislation marks the most significant tax legislation for forestry in eighteen years. Property enrolled in the program will receive more favorable tax treatment in exchange for placing the property in a fifteen year protective covenant and paying stiff penalties if the covenant is breached.
"Rep. Royal has long been considered a leading tax expert in the Georgia General Assembly, particularly in the area of property taxes," notes GFA spokesman Steve McWilliams. "With this legislation he has now positioned himself as one of the most notable conservation legislators as well."
In addition to the Georgia Forestry Association, the bi-partisan legislation was supported by the Georgia Conservancy, the Georgia Wildlife Federation, the Sierra Club-GA Chapter, the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the Georgia Conservation Voters, the Georgia Agribusiness Council the Georgia Farm Bureau the Georgia Hunting and fishing Federation and the Quality Deer Management Association. Approximately five million acres of forests are estimated to be eligible for the new tax classification, though for various reasons not all of that land is expected to be enrolled in the program.
In presenting the legislation on the House floor, Royal acknowledged that he had resisted supporting this type of legislation in the past, but that the trends that he has seen in the past few years convinced him that something need to be done soon to protect the state's large, contiguous forest tracts.
Click here for a copy of HR 1276
Click here for a copy of HB 1211
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