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HR 655

House Study Committee on Gaming in the State of Georgia; create

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Shaw Blackmon and 2 co-sponsors

Georgia creates a temporary study committee to evaluate legalized gaming in Georgia and its economic, social, and fiscal impacts, with a report and potential legislative recommenda

House Second Readers
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Bill Summary · HR 655

Summary — H.R. 655 (Georgia House Resolution): House Study Committee on Gaming in the State of Georgia

Status: Introduced Jan 23, 2025; House Second Readers
Classification: Resolution
Primary sponsors (Georgia version): Representatives Alan Powell (33rd), Shaw Blackmon (146th), Ron Stephens (164th)

Note: The materials provided also include a separate federal H.R. 655 (Dalles Watershed Development Act). This summary covers the Georgia House Resolution creating a study committee on gaming.

Purpose

Establish a temporary legislative study committee to examine whether and how legalized gaming (including land‑based destination resort casinos, pari‑mutuel and fixed‑odds horse racing, and digital/retail/on‑premise sports betting) should be authorized in Georgia. The committee will study economic, fiscal, workforce, social, and industry impacts and recommend legislative action if appropriate.

Key provisions

  • Creates the House Study Committee on Gaming in the State of Georgia composed of seven members:
    • Chairpersons of the House Committee on Ways and Means, House Committee on Regulated Industries, and House Committee on Economic Development
    • Four additional House members appointed by the Speaker
    • The Speaker designates the committee chair
  • Scope of study:
    • Economic and fiscal impacts, revenue expectations, and budgetary implications
    • Workforce development and quality of jobs created
    • Social and societal risks associated with expanded gaming
    • Potential benefits to Georgia’s horse breeding/raising industry and related pari‑mutuel racing
    • Whether money currently spent by Georgians out of state could be retained locally
  • Operations and meetings:
    • Chair calls meetings
    • At least four public hearings across the state plus at least one meeting to finalize findings
  • Reporting and duration:
    • Committee must adopt findings/recommendations (including proposed legislation) and file a report before abolishment
    • Committee is abolished on December 1, 2025
  • Funding and allowances:
    • Legislative members receive allowances under O.C.G.A. § 28‑1‑8 (limited to five days unless additional days authorized)
    • Committee funding to come from House appropriations

Who is affected

  • Georgia legislature and policymakers (direct)
  • Georgia voters and taxpayers (indirect)
  • Local economies and communities where gaming facilities might be sited
  • Horse breeding, training, and racing stakeholders
  • State budget planners and workforce development entities

Potential impacts to be examined

  • Potential new tax revenues and effects on the state budget
  • Job creation and quality of employment in gaming and ancillary sectors (hospitality, construction)
  • Economic development in regions that host gaming facilities
  • Social costs (problem gambling, public health, law enforcement)
  • Competitiveness with neighboring states and retention of out‑of‑state gaming expenditures

Next steps / timeline

  • Committee conducts hearings and prepares report with recommendations and draft legislation (if any)
  • Committee abolished Dec 1, 2025, by which time the final report must be filed

If you’d like, I can: (1) extract the exact O.C.G.A. citation referenced for allowances, (2) draft sample committee questions or a hearing agenda, or (3) compare this study committee’s scope to recent gaming‑related legislation in neighboring states.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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