Committee approves bill designating April as Georgia Native Plant Month

The Committee on Special Rules approved House Bill 444 (LC461081) on a voice vote to designate April as Georgia Native Plant Month.

Chairlady Silcox, who presented the bill, said the measure grew out of community requests from garden clubs and the Native Plant Society and is intended to encourage Georgians to “plant native plants, because everybody grows best, you know, where they're planted.” She cited recent introductions of nonnative species — including armadillos and a “terrible hornet” found by Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper — as part of the reason for the designation. The bill’s LC number was given as LC461081.

The bill sponsor said the bill was drafted to avoid confusion with an earlier proposal that would have changed the state flower. Committee members asked a few procedural questions and then moved and seconded the bill for passage. The committee chair called for those in favor; the measure passed on the rules committee.

Outcome and next steps: The committee approved the bill for consideration by the full chamber; no roll-call tally was recorded in the committee transcript. Any additional floor amendments or Senate action were not discussed during the committee appearance.