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Majority Leaders Anavitarte and Efstration Announce Unified Legislative Calendar Ahead of 2026 Session

ATLANTA (January 11, 2026) — Georgia Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte (R–Dallas) and House Majority Leader Chuck Efstration (R–Mulberry) today announced their intent to pass an adjournment resolution drafted through close coordination, formally establishing the legislative calendar for the 2026 Regular Session of the Georgia General Assembly.

The resolution is the result of sustained collaboration between both chambers to align priorities, expectations and timelines well ahead of the session. By working together to develop a comprehensive calendar, House and Senate leadership aim to ensure a smooth, efficient and transparent legislative process that keeps the focus on delivering results for hardworking Georgians and their families.

“This resolution reflects the kind of coordination and collaboration that Georgians expect from their legislative leaders,” said Majority Leader Anavitarte. “I want to personally thank Majority Leader Efstration for the time and effort he and his team put into this process. By working closely together from the outset, we’ve have laid out a clear, responsible roadmap for the 2026 session that allows us to focus on what matters most, passing sound policy for families and delivering results for all Georgians.”

“For a historic fourth year in a row, I’m proud to bring an agreement on the 40-day Legislative Calendar, which helps our constituents, the press, staff and lawmakers to know well in advance when we will be in session,” said Majority Leader Efstration. “I want to thank Senate Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte for working together on this to provide an open and accessible legislative process for all Georgians.”

The draft adjournment resolution is attached.

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Sen. Jason Anavitarte serves as Senate Majority Leader. He represents the 31st Senate District, which includes Polk County and a portion of Paulding County. He may be reached via email at Jason.Anavitarte@senate.ga.gov.

Representative Chuck Efstration represents the citizens of District 104, which includes portions of Barrow and Gwinnett counties. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2013 and currently serves as the House Majority Leader. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Judicial, Ethics, Insurance, Judiciary, Judiciary Non-Civil, Judiciary Juvenile, Reapportionment and Redistricting and Ways & Means committees, as well as an Ex-Officio member of the Rules committee.

For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

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Majority Leader Jason Anavitarte Highlights Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act’s Role in Major Conservation Project

ATLANTA (December 22, 2025) — A major, multi-state conservation project protecting more than 10,000 acres of rare forestland and nearly 45 miles of waterways across the Georgia-Alabama border has been finalized, made possible in large part by Georgia’s continued investment through the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act (GOSA), according to Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R–Dallas).

The newly completed Stateline Forest project permanently conserves 10,345 acres, including 8,384 acres in Georgia. It safeguards one of the South’s most endangered ecosystems, the longleaf pine forest, while guaranteeing permanent public access for hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation.

“This project is exactly why Republicans led the effort to pass the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act and put it before voters in 2018,” said Sen. Anavitarte. “Georgians approved a conservative, no-new-tax funding model, which now allows us to protect critical conservation corridors, preserve public access to our lands and deliver lasting results.”

Passed by the General Assembly and approved by voters as a constitutional amendment, GOSA created the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program (GOSP), the state’s first dedicated funding source for conservation and outdoor recreation. The program dedicates a portion of existing sales tax on outdoor gear, without raising taxes or creating new fees, and is administered by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources through a competitive grant process.

In the 2022 Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Program grant cycle, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division received a $5.65 million GOSP grant to help acquire land within the Dugdown Mountain Corridor, one of Georgia’s highest-priority conservation areas. Those state dollars were required to secure a federal match and proved critical in leveraging more than $17 million from the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Legacy Program.

“This is smart stewardship in action,” Anavitarte said. “Georgia Outdoor Stewardship funds didn’t just protect land, they unlocked federal dollars, stretched taxpayer resources further and ensured these lands will remain publicly accessible forever. This project proves that conservation and conservative principles can go hand in hand. I want to thank Congressman Brian Jack for his leadership and support in helping secure the federal resources that made this project possible. Thanks to GOSA, Georgia is creating a lasting legacy of protecting our forests, our wildlife and the outdoor traditions that matter to families across our state.”

The conserved property connects the Paulding Forest Wildlife Management Area with Alabama’s Talladega National Forest, creating a continuous forested corridor that supports wildlife habitat, protects water quality and enhances wildfire resilience near the rapidly developing Atlanta region.

The Georgia portion of the acquisition will be added to the Treat Mountain Wildlife Management Area and the Tallapoosa River Wildlife Management Area, expanding public recreation opportunities in Haralson and Polk counties. The land will be permanently owned and managed by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the Alabama Forestry Commission, ensuring long-term stewardship and public benefit.

You can find more information about this project here.

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Sen. Jason Anavitarte serves as Senate Majority Leader. He represents the 31st Senate District, which includes Polk County and a portion of Paulding County. He may be reached via email at Jason.Anavitarte@senate.ga.gov.For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.

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Sen. Larry Walker, III Hosts Middle Georgia Listening Day with Local Leaders and Community Stakeholders

ATLANTA (December 3, 2025) — Today, Sen. Larry Walker, III (R–Perry) joined community leaders, local officials, educators and economic development partners from across Middle Georgia for a Regional Listening Day hosted by the Heart of Georgia Regional Commission. The event brought forth meaningful dialogue centered around local needs, opportunities and priorities ahead of the 2026 Legislative Session.

Joined by Representatives Matt Hatchett (R–Dublin), Butch Parrish (R–Swainsboro) and Danny Mathis (R–Cochran), Sen. Walker opened the program with remarks emphasizing the importance of direct engagement with local leaders and the role these conversations play in shaping responsive policy at the State Capitol.

“It was a great day in Middle Georgia,” said Sen. Walker. “Conversations like this fuel our work and shape real, meaningful progress for our state. Our communities face urgent challenges every day, and they deserve solutions that actually work for the people we serve. Good government starts with listening, and hearing directly from Georgians who live and breathe these issues every day keeps me inspired as we head into the next legislative session.”

Throughout the morning, the delegation met with representatives from various organizations, including Trinity Christian School, Laurens County Commission, Bleckley-Cochran Industrial Development Authority, Dublin-Laurens Development Authority, Oconee Fall Line Technical College, Eastman-Dodge Chamber of Commerce, Middle Georgia State University, and representatives from multiple county commissions and chambers of commerce. Conversations centered on workforce development, school safety, infrastructure needs, economic competitiveness and tools required to support sustained growth across Middle Georgia.

Sen. Walker also extended his appreciation to the Heart of Georgia Regional Commission for organizing the event. “I want to thank Brett Manning and his team for putting together such a productive day. Their leadership helps keep this region moving forward, and I am grateful for our partnership.”

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Sen. Larry Walker serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Insurance and Labor. He represents the 20th Senate District, which includes Bleckley, Dodge, Dooly, Laurens, Treutlen, Pulaski and Wilcox counties, as well as a portion of Houston County.  He may be reached by phone at (404) 656-0095 or by email at Larry.Walker@senate.ga.gov.

For all media inquiries, please reach out to SenatePressInquiries@senate.ga.gov.