Governor Kemp Signs Rep. Chas Cannon’s Legislation to Bring Hunter Safety Education to Georgia Classrooms

ATLANTA - State Representative Chas Cannon (R-Moultrie), House co-chair of the Sportsmen's Caucus, announces that Governor Brian Kemp recently signed Senate Bill 148, legislation that allows children in grades six through 12 the option to take a hunter safety education course as part of their curriculum. Rep. Cannon sponsored House Bill 451 during the 2025 legislative session, which was later incorporated into Senate Bill 148, and was authored by Sportsmen's Caucus member Senator Bo Hatchett (R-Cornelia). On January 28,2026, SB 148 received a unanimous vote by the Senate and was sent to Governors Sportsmen's Caucus member Governor Kemp's desk, who signed it into law on May 5, 2026.

"As a hunter, this is an important topic for me and for the hunters, trappers and fishermen that I represent," said Rep. Cannon. "It wasn't that long ago that our ancestors had to hunt, trap and fish their own wild game to feed their family. Hunters and trappers were the first pioneers of this country and played an important role in the development of our nation. I think it's important that we have the opportunity to learn about hunting, what it means for managing our wildlife and wildlife habitat and what it means for us as a food source. I can't think of a better way of doing that than to introduce it to our young people in an educational setting. Some of the most memorable times of my life have been on hunting trips with friends and family, and I hope the next generation gets that same opportunity."

SB 148 requires the State Board of Education to develop content standards for instruction in hunting safety education, which would give school boards the option to establish a hunting safety curriculum for the next school year. The course will be based on current hunting safety education courses offered by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Additionally, the course will be taught by an individual who is certified by the DNR as a hunter education instructor. Students across the state will have the opportunity to satisfy their hunter safety education requirement, while simultaneously earning classroom credit. The course will provide students with information needed to understand the purpose of hunting, general hunting practices and conservation ethics shared by all sportsmen and women, with the goal of gaining a more complete understanding and appreciation for Georgia's wildlife. To learn more about SB 148, please click here.

The Sportsmen's Caucus, established in 2004 in coordination with the Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation (CSF), continues to work directly with CSF and is united with other state-level sportsmen's caucuses through the CSF-administered National Assembly of Sportsmen's Caucuses (NASC). Since its inception in 2004, NASC has expanded to all 50 states and now includes over 2,350 pro-sportsmen legislators from across the country. NASC has become an effective pro-sporting conservation policy force in the nation, securing more than 1,650 policy victories for sportsmen and women since 2018. Rep. Cannon serves as a member of the NASC Executive Council, which provides advice and counsel to CSF and seeks to ensure that NASC provides the best service possible to the individual state caucuses and their members. The Executive Council plays a role in the protection and advancement of sporting traditions by establishing the activities of NASC, developing issue briefs and setting guidelines for affiliated state caucuses.

Aside from passing the hunter education in schools legislation, the Sportsmen's Caucus supported other legislative initiatives, including Senate Bill 420 and House Bill 983. SB 420 will provide for minor fees for reef and migratory fish endorsements and seeks to advance Georgia's leadership in recreational saltwater fisheries management in the South Atlantic. HB 983 creates a statewide uniform approach to utilizing prescribed fire on the landscape, recognizing the importance of prescribed fire as a tool for managing the state's forests. Both bills were also signed into law by Governor Kemp. To learn more about SB 420, please click here, and to learn more about HB 983, please click here.

Additionally, the Sportsmen's Caucus hosted two events for its members during the 2026 legislative session: a Caucus Range Day event on February 24 at the Freedom Shooting Center in Atlanta and a Caucus Trout Fishing Day & Fish Fry on March 11 along the banks of the Chattahoochee River. The Sportsmen's Caucus also conducted its most successful fundraiser to date, which resulted in a $10,000 donation to the DNR's Outdoors Beyond Barriers Program, which helps provide more opportunities for individuals with mobility impairments across Georgia to experience the outdoors.

Founded in 1989, CSF is the informed authority across outdoor issues and serves as the primary conduit for influencing public policy. Working with the Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus, the Governors Sportsmen's Caucus and NASC, CSF seeks to give a voice to hunters, anglers, recreational shooters and trappers on Capitol Hill and throughout state capitols, advocating on outdoor issues. For more information on CSF's policy work, visit https://www.congressionalsportsmen.org.

Representative Chas Cannon represents the citizens of District 172, which includes Colquitt County, as well as portions of Cook and Thomas counties. He was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2023 and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Special Committee on Resource Management. He also serves on the Appropriations, Agriculture & Consumer Affairs, Defense & Veterans Affairs, Information and Audits, Natural Resources & Environment and Ways & Means committees.

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