Rep. Lynn Smith To Retire After 30 Years Of Public Service

State Rep. Lynn Smith (R-Newnan) said she plans to step down from her seat in House District 70 at the end of her term. Smith served her constituents and the state for 30 years and leaves a legacy for her leadership on environmental stewardship.

“I’m incredibly grateful to my friends and neighbors in Newnan and surrounding communities for letting me be their voice at the Gold Dome over these three decades,” Smith said. “It’s been such an honor to serve my constituents, and I’ve so enjoyed working with my colleagues over the years.  Together, we’ve tackled some complicated issues, and I’m incredibly proud of how we’ve worked to improve Georgia’s prosperity and quality of life while also protecting the state’s beauty, history, and environmental legacy. I will miss my fellow legislators but I know they will continue to do great things for all of Georgia.”

Smith, chair of the Natural Resources and Environment Committee, said she’s particularly proud of work on policies that protected Georgia’s environment in ways that didn’t impede economic growth.

“The first bill that House Republicans passed in 2005 when we took the majority was a land conservation bill that I carried, and looking back on my career now, I have greater appreciation for the meaningfulness of that achievement,” Smith said. “It led to passing anti-littering legislation that has successfully restored the beauty of our state’s highways and removed a blight that hurt economic development.”

Protecting Georgia’s water resources has also long been a priority for Smith, especially after Georgia experienced significant drought in the mid-2000s. She championed the State-wide Water Management Planning Act to ensure that Georgia managed its water resources sustainably in order to both support economic development and protect public health and the environment. The planning and data collection conducted under that Act played a critical role in the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in 2021 rejecting Florida’s argument that Georgia’s water withdrawals harmed Florida’s oyster industry. Smith’s substantive work on these vital water issues led some to call her Georgia’s “water guru”.

Another moniker for Smith is the “Godmother of the Georgia Outdoor Stewardship Act.”   This legislation provides a dedicated funding source to protect water resources, support parks and trails, and conserve critical conservation areas for hunting, fishing, recreation, wildlife protection, and military installation buffering.  In a similar vein, Smith’s passion for providing outdoor opportunities for Georgians led to legislation that established Chattahoochee Bend State Park, one of the state’s largest state parks that has five miles of protected river frontage beloved by paddlers, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts.

A strong believer in the importance of lifelong education, Smith was the brainchild behind the Georgia Legislative Environmental Policy Academy, an annual event supported by the Dobbs Foundation in partnership with the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia. The non-partisan event provides members of the House and Senate Natural Resources and Environment Committees the opportunity to learn more about the critical environmental and natural resource issues facing the state.

Devoted to her community, Smith’s legacy also includes supporting the conversion of the historic Old Newnan Hospital to the University of West Georgia Newnan campus. She likewise played a key role in establishing funding for the Central Education Center, a unique partnership between the business community, Coweta County School System, and West Georgia Technical College to support 21st century workforce development and education.

House Speaker Jon Burns said Smith’s work will last for generations.

“Over her remarkable 30 years of service, Chairwoman Smith has established a legislative legacy that will safeguard the environment and natural treasures across our state for future generations to cherish,” said Burns. “Lynn has been a steadfast advocate for her constituents at the Capitol, consistently upholding conservative principles. Her friends in the House — and everyone considers Lynn a friend — we wish her well in her retirement and many happy days with her grandchildren.”