Generally revise agriculture tourism laws

2025 Regular Session

Broadly revises agritourism laws to modernize farm-based tourism rules, affecting operators, farmers, and local governments; the draft died in process.

(LC) Draft Died in Process

#economicdevelopment #agriculture

LC 4295 — Generally revise agriculture tourism laws

Overview

Bill number: LC 4295

Title: Generally revise agriculture tourism laws

Status: Draft; Died in Process (no further progression after draft stage)

Introduced: January 8, 2025

Classification: Bill

Subject areas: Agriculture (including Livestock), Taxation—Agriculture/Livestock, Economic Development

What the bill is intended to do

The bill’s title indicates a broad effort to revise existing laws governing agritourism or agriculture-based tourism. While the full text is not provided here, such revisions typically aim to modernize and harmonize regulations that affect farm-based tourism activities (e.g., farm visits, tastings, events on agricultural premises) with objectives that commonly include clarity, safety, economic development, and consistency with agricultural policy.

Known or likely areas of reform (based on title and subject)

The bill would fall under agriculture and economic development policy, potentially touching on:

Definitions related to agritourism and farm-based activities
Licensing, permitting, or registration requirements for agritourism operations
Safety, health, and liability standards for visitors and operators
Tax treatment or exemptions relevant to agritourism activities or agricultural enterprises
Zoning, land-use considerations for farm tourism operations
Compliance, enforcement, and penalties
Administrative or procedural provisions to implement revisions

Important: The specific provisions, exact changes, and enacted language are not provided in the available information. The above points reflect common themes in agritourism regulatory updates and are not a statement of what LC 4295 contains.

Potential impact (high-level)

For agritourism operators: Possible changes in licensing requirements, safety standards, or tax treatment that could affect costs of compliance and operating models. If new incentives or streamlined processes are included, there could be positive effects on business growth.

For farmers and rural economic development: Could improve the regulatory environment to support farm-based tourism as a diversification strategy, potentially boosting local employment and visitor activity.

For local governments: Revised state-level rules may affect permitting processes, inspections, and enforcement priorities at the local level.

Public and consumer impact: Depending on provisions, revisions could enhance visitor safety and clarity around what activities are permitted, while also shaping consumer experiences in agritourism venues.

Procedural and timeline context

Drafter Assigned: January 8, 2025

Early status: Draft On Hold (initial hold status noted the same day as introduction)

Subsequent actions: May 22, 2025 – Draft On Hold; May 22, 2025 – Draft Died in Process

The bill did not advance beyond the draft stage and is recorded as having died in process, indicating no further legislative action on this measure within the session based on current records.

Next steps for readers

If text or amendments become available, a more detailed section-by-section summary can be provided, outlining exact changes, effective dates, and transition provisions.

Monitor for any reintroduction or related bills in future sessions that may carry forward similar reform objectives.