HR385: HR385 Rise Augusta; recipients of the Georgia Reads Community Award; dedication to literacy advancement; commend

This resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives recognizes Rise Augusta, an organization based in Richmond County, for receiving the Georgia Reads Community Award. That award, created by the Georgia Council on Literacy, honors communities that have built partnerships among two or more organizations, sustained for at least three years, with a strategic plan and measurable results in improving literacy. The resolution recounts that Rise Augusta has supported Richmond County students since 1997, and in 2020 became an independent organization after starting as Communities In Schools Augusta-Richmond County. It highlights partnerships with the Richmond County School System, the CSRA Community Foundation, the Regional Educational Services Agency, and the Jessye Norman School of the Arts. The House formally congratulates the award recipients and directs the Clerk of the House to send a copy of the resolution to Rise Augusta.

• Congratulates and commends Rise Augusta as a recipient of the Georgia Reads Community Award for its literacy work in Richmond County.
• States the Georgia Reads Community Award recognizes community partnerships of two or more organizations sustained at least three years with measurable literacy results.
• Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Rise Augusta.
• Creates no new law, funding, or penalty; it is a ceremonial statement of recognition by the House.

Rise Augusta and its partner organizations, including the Richmond County School System, the CSRA Community Foundation, the Regional Educational Services Agency, and the Jessye Norman School of the Arts, are named and honored by this resolution.

The resolution has no legal effect on Georgians generally; it publicly recognizes a local literacy organization's work and formalizes the House's acknowledgment of the Georgia Reads Community Award given to Rise Augusta for its impact on student reading proficiency in Richmond County.

• The preamble explains the Georgia Council on Literacy's mission and the criteria for the Georgia Reads Community Award, including sustained multi-organization partnerships with measurable results.
• The resolved clause formally congratulates and commends Rise Augusta and other Georgia Reads Community Award recipients for their literacy work.
• A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House to produce a copy of the resolution for distribution to Rise Augusta.

1. 2025-02-24House Read and Adopted (House)
2. 2025-02-24House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-02-24House Hopper (House)

• Mark Newton (R, HD-127)Primary sponsor
• Brian Prince (D, HD-132)
• L.C. Myles (D, HD-126)
• Karlton Howard (D, HD-129)
• Chris Erwin (R, HD-032)

• literacy
• Richmond County
• community organizations
• legislative commendation