ATLANTA (October 18, 2023) |Today, Chairman of the Senate Majority Caucus, Senator Jason Anavitarte (R – Dallas) released the following statement regarding the start of Georgia’s Whitetail Deer hunting season and proposed legislation, the “Second Amendment Tax Holiday Act.”
“This weekend, thousands of sportsmen will head to the woods for their chance to harvest one of Georgia’s great natural resources, the Whitetail Deer. With no natural predators, hunting is the primary means of keeping the Georgia deer population at a healthy level and preventing the herd from destroying agricultural crops and reducing accidents with motorists.
In addition to its ecological benefits, hunting is also an important economic engine in Georgia. According to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, in 2019 hunters accounted for $977 million in retail sales in Georgia, with a $1.6 billion ripple effect each year. Hunting in Georgia is responsible for 23,996 jobs and $600 million in salaries/wages/earnings.
To encourage more sportsmen to hunt in Georgia, I am introducing the “Second Amendment Tax Holiday Act.” This legislation will eliminate sales tax on firearms, ammunition and related accessories for 11 days from the Friday a week before Whitetail Deer season begins to the Monday after.
This Second Amendment Tax Holiday is intended to encourage hunting, conservation and tourism in the state of Georgia. Sportsmen are responsible for $106 million in state and local taxes which is a major source of funding for wildlife and habitat restoration projects. By carving out a small window in this tax revenue, we hope to expand the base of hunters and increase the overall tax revenue that is dedicated to conservation.”
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Sen. Jason Anavitarte serves as Chair of the Senate Majority Caucus. He represents Senate District 31 which includes Paulding and Polk Counties. He can be reached at 404.656.9221 or at Jason.anavitarte@senate.ga.gov