--- title: HR 1098. Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies; work in supporting students and families across the state of Georgia; recognize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr1098 cite_as: HR 1098, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1098 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1098.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1098/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72450 date: 2026-01-27 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1097.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1099.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1098.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 1098 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-01-27 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Lydia Glaize - Carmen Rice - Chris Erwin - Matt Dubnik - Will Wade - Rick Townsend text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1098/2025 upstream_id: 2095025 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - youth mentoring - school attendance - Big Brothers Big Sisters - student success - legislative recognition --- # HR 1098. Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies; work in supporting students and families across the state of Georgia; recognize ## Text House Resolution 1098 By: Representatives Glaize of the 67th, Rice of the 139th, Erwin of the 32nd, Dubnik of the 29th, Wade of the 9th, and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across Georgia and commending their work in supporting students and families across the state of Georgia; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across Georgia are dedicated to helping young people realize their full potential through positive, sustained mentor relationships that support academic success, strengthen families, and build safer, more connected communities; and WHEREAS, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta has long served youth and families throughout the metropolitan region, operating 1:1 mentoring programs that pair young people with caring adult role models who provide long-term guidance, stability and encouragement; and WHEREAS, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta also serves students through its workplace mentoring program, that transports students from high schools to corporate partners’ campuses, and the innovative Level Up school-based program, where mentors are embedded throughout the school day for the entire school year; and WHEREAS, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Chattahoochee Valley likewise delivers high- quality mentoring programs that support student engagement, foster confidence, and strengthen academic and social outcomes for children and families throughout the Columbus area; and WHEREAS, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Northwest Georgia Mountains has a profound impact on the educational system and the students of Whitfield and Murray County, where mentors serve as role models and advocates helping students reconnect to their schools, overcome barriers to achievement, and build essential life skills; and WHEREAS, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Heart of Georgia, in Macon, further extends this critical work throughout central Georgia, providing relationship-centered programming that supports school attendance, family stability, and long-term academic success for youth in Laurens, Peach, Wilkinson and Baldwin counties; and WHEREAS, chronic absenteeism poses a significant threat to student learning, graduation rates, and long-term economic opportunity; the Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies’ school- based and community-based programs have produced measurable improvements in student attendance, academic performance, and sense of belonging; and WHEREAS, additionally, the findings from a longitudinal economic study showed that the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentees, known as Littles, grow up to earn 15 percent more over their lifetime than their peers and that being a Little closes 2/3 of the economic gap, demonstrating that mentorship is a powerful tool for strengthening Georgia's workforce pipeline and promoting lifelong success; and WHEREAS, together, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Chattahoochee Valley, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Northwest Georgia Mountains, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Heart of Georgia serve as vital partners in ensuring that children across Georgia have access to caring adult mentors and evidence-based support that helps them thrive. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body recognize Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across Georgia for their leadership in supporting youth, families, and schools across the state, commend the Level Up program for its proven impact in reducing chronic absenteeism and strengthening student success in Georgia's schools, acknowledge the essential role of mentorship in promoting academic achievement, family stability, and long-term community well-being, and support the continued expansion of this mentorship-based program that increases attendance, improves engagement, and builds brighter futures for children across the State of Georgia. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Chattahoochee Valley, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Northwest Georgia Mountains, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Heart of Georgia. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia House resolution recognizes Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the state for their youth mentoring work and commends their programs for reducing chronic student absenteeism. ### Plain-language summary This is a House resolution, a formal statement from the Georgia House of Representatives rather than a change to state law. It recognizes four Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies operating in Georgia: the Metro Atlanta, Chattahoochee Valley, Northwest Georgia Mountains, and Heart of Georgia chapters, for their mentoring programs that pair young people with adult volunteers. The resolution highlights specific programs, including a workplace mentoring initiative and a school-based Level Up program in Metro Atlanta, and cites a longitudinal study finding that mentored youth earn 15 percent more over their lifetimes than peers. It commends the Level Up program for reducing chronic absenteeism and supports expanding these mentorship programs. The resolution directs the Clerk of the House to send copies to the four agencies named. It creates no new legal requirements, funding, or penalties. ### What it does - Formally recognizes four Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies in Georgia for their youth mentoring work. - Commends the Level Up school-based mentoring program for reducing chronic absenteeism and improving student engagement. - States the House's support for expanding mentorship-based programs across Georgia schools and communities. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to distribute copies of the resolution to the four named agencies. ### Who it affects The four named Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies (Metro Atlanta, Chattahoochee Valley, Northwest Georgia Mountains, and Heart of Georgia), the students and families they serve, and the Clerk of the House, who is tasked with distributing copies of the resolution. ### Why it matters The resolution carries symbolic and ceremonial weight rather than legal force. It does not create funding, mandates, or penalties, but it publicly signals legislative support for youth mentoring programs and may raise the profile of efforts to address chronic student absenteeism in Georgia schools. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses describe the work of four Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies serving different regions of Georgia, including Metro Atlanta, Columbus, Whitfield/Murray counties, and central Georgia. - The resolution cites a longitudinal economic study finding mentees earn 15 percent more over their lifetime and close two thirds of an economic gap compared to peers. - The resolving clause has the House recognize the agencies, commend the Level Up program, and support continued expansion of mentorship programs. - A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House to distribute copies of the resolution to the four named agencies. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-01-27) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-01-27) - Sponsors: Lydia Glaize, Carmen Rice, Chris Erwin, Matt Dubnik, Will Wade, Rick Townsend - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72450 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1098.md?full=1