SR224: SR224 Ben Hill County School District; congratulate

This is a commendatory resolution from the Georgia Senate, not a law that changes any statute. It recognizes the Ben Hill County School District as a recipient of the Georgia Reads Community Award, given by the Georgia Council on Literacy to communities that build sustained, multi-year partnerships to improve literacy. The resolution describes the district's partnerships with groups like Communities in Schools, L4GA, CLCP, the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill Chamber of Commerce, Dorminy Medical Center, and local businesses, which place site coordinators in schools to support students and families. The Senate formally congratulates the district for these efforts and directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to the district as a keepsake.

• Formally congratulates and commends the Ben Hill County School District for receiving the Georgia Reads Community Award.
• Recites the district's literacy partnerships with organizations such as Communities in Schools, L4GA, CLCP, and local businesses in Fitzgerald and Ben Hill County.
• Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to the Ben Hill County School District.
• Does not create, amend, or repeal any Georgia statute or fund any program.

The resolution directly names the Ben Hill County School District and its literacy partners, including Communities in Schools, L4GA, CLCP, the Fitzgerald-Ben Hill Chamber of Commerce, and Dorminy Medical Center, along with the Secretary of the Senate, who must distribute the commendation.

The resolution carries no legal effect and changes no law, but it gives official public recognition from the Georgia Senate to a school district and its community partners for literacy work, which can highlight their program as a model for other Georgia communities.

• The preamble explains the Georgia Reads Community Award, which requires partnerships of two or more organizations sustained for at least three years with a strategic plan and measurable literacy results.
• The resolved clause has the Senate congratulate and commend the Ben Hill County School District for its literacy efforts.
• A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute a copy of the resolution to the district.

1. 2025-02-20Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
2. 2025-02-19Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)Primary sponsor
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)

• literacy programs
• school districts
• Ben Hill County
• legislative commendation
• Georgia education