SR254: SR254 Georgia Aerospace Day; recognize February 26, 2025

This resolution from the Georgia Senate honors the state's aerospace and defense industry and formally designates February 26, 2025, as Georgia Aerospace Day at the state capitol. It does not change any law or create new programs. Instead it lists reasons the Senate wants to recognize the industry, including the number of aerospace companies and jobs in Georgia, the industry's export value, major employers like Lockheed Martin and Gulfstream Aerospace, and the role of Georgia colleges and universities such as Georgia Tech, Middle Georgia University, Mercer University, Georgia Southern University, and the University of Georgia in training aerospace workers. The resolution directs the Secretary of the Senate to make copies available for distribution to aerospace and defense industry representatives, higher education officials, and other appropriate recipients.

• Formally recognizes February 26, 2025, as Georgia Aerospace Day at the state capitol.
• Honors Georgia's aerospace and defense industry and the higher education institutions that train its workforce.
• Directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to industry and higher education representatives.
• Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement; it is a ceremonial statement of recognition.

The resolution touches Georgia's aerospace and defense companies (such as Lockheed Martin and Gulfstream Aerospace), the roughly 200,000 Georgians employed in the industry, and higher education institutions including Georgia Tech, Middle Georgia University, Mercer University, Georgia Southern University, and the University of Georgia.

Because this is a ceremonial resolution rather than a law, it has no direct legal or financial effect on Georgians. Its practical impact is symbolic: it publicly acknowledges the aerospace industry's economic role and gives the Senate a formal occasion to distribute recognition to industry and academic leaders.

• The resolving clause formally designates February 26, 2025, as Georgia Aerospace Day at the state capitol.
• A series of whereas clauses cite industry statistics, including more than 800 aerospace companies and $57.5 billion in estimated annual economic impact.
• The whereas clauses name specific companies and institutions, including Lockheed Martin, Gulfstream Aerospace, Georgia Tech, Middle Georgia University, Mercer University, Georgia Southern University, and the University of Georgia.
• The final resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute copies of the resolution to industry and academic representatives.

1. 2025-02-26Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
2. 2025-02-24Senate Hopper (Senate)

• John Kennedy (R, SD-018)Primary sponsor
• Mike Hodges (R, SD-003)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• Frank Ginn (R, SD-047)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Matt Brass (R, SD-006)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)
• Larry Walker (R, SD-020)
• Ben Watson (R, SD-001)

• aerospace industry
• economic development
• higher education
• military and defense
• state recognition day