--- title: HR 1129. Elkins, Penny L., Ph.D; commend collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr1129 cite_as: HR 1129, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1129 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1129.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1129/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72549 date: 2026-01-28 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/hr1128.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1130.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1129.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 1129 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-01-28 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Tangie Herring - Anissa Jones - Miriam Paris - Dale Washburn - Matt Reeves - Robert Flournoy text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1129/2025 upstream_id: 2100575 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - Mercer University - higher education - commendation resolution - Georgia House of Representatives --- # HR 1129. Elkins, Penny L., Ph.D; commend ## Text House Resolution 1129 By: Representatives Herring of the 145th, Jones of the 143rd, Paris of the 142nd, Washburn of the 144th, Reeves of the 99th, and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending Penny L. Elkins, Ph.D.; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Penny L. Elkins, Ph.D., was elected as Mercer University's 19th president, taking office on January 1, 2026; and WHEREAS, President Elkins, a life-long educator, has earned the respect and admiration of her colleagues, associates, and students during her more than 30-year career in education; and WHEREAS, President Elkins is not only the first female president in the university's nearly 200-year history, but also the first Mercer graduate to serve as president since 1979 and the first Double Bear to serve since 1959; and WHEREAS, prior to her election, President Elkins served as Mercer University’s senior vice president for enrollment management, leading the university in achieving record-breaking enrollment growth, including an 80 percent increase in freshman enrollment and 47 percent increase in the total residential undergraduate student population; and WHEREAS, during her remarkable tenure at Mercer, Dr. Elkins has led several cross-functional and interdisciplinary initiatives and was instrumental in the creation of the Department of Educational Leadership and the first doctoral program in the College of Education; and WHEREAS, President Elkins’ significant organizational and leadership talents, remarkable patience and diplomacy, keen sense of vision, and sensitivity to the needs of her students and staff have earned her the respect and admiration of her colleagues and associates; and WHEREAS, she is a person of exceptional strengths with an unimpeachable reputation for integrity, intelligence, fairness, and kindness; and WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that the outstanding accomplishments of this remarkable and distinguished Georgian be appropriately recognized. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body recognize and commend Penny L. Elkins, Ph.D. for her lifetime of dedicated service, congratulate her upon being elected President of Mercer University, and extend best wishes for her continued health, happiness, and success. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to Penny L. Elkins, Ph.D. ## 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 House resolution from the Georgia General Assembly formally commends Dr. Penny L. Elkins on becoming Mercer University's 19th president, the first woman to hold the post. ### Plain-language summary This resolution is a ceremonial statement from the Georgia House of Representatives honoring Dr. Penny L. Elkins, who became Mercer University's 19th president on January 1, 2026. It recounts her more than 30 year career in education, her prior role as senior vice president for enrollment management, and achievements such as an 80 percent increase in freshman enrollment and a 47 percent increase in the total residential undergraduate population. The resolution notes she is the first female president in Mercer's nearly 200 year history and the first Mercer graduate to hold the position since 1979. It formally commends her and directs the Clerk of the House to send her a copy of the resolution. It does not change any Georgia law. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and commends Dr. Penny L. Elkins for her career in education and her election as Mercer University's president. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and send a copy of the resolution to Dr. Elkins. - Creates no new law, funding, or regulation; it is a ceremonial statement of praise adopted by the House. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names Dr. Penny L. Elkins and Mercer University. It has no regulatory effect on other Georgians, businesses, or state agencies. ### Why it matters The resolution carries no legal or financial consequence and changes no Georgia statute. Its significance is symbolic, giving official recognition from the state legislature to Dr. Elkins' career and her historic appointment as Mercer University's first female president. ### Key provisions - The resolution's whereas clauses describe Dr. Elkins' background, including over 30 years in education and her prior role as senior vice president for enrollment management. - The resolved clause commends Dr. Elkins for her lifetime of service and congratulates her on becoming Mercer University's president. - A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to distribute a copy of the resolution to Dr. Elkins. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-01-28) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-01-28) - Sponsors: Tangie Herring, Anissa Jones, Miriam Paris, Dale Washburn, Matt Reeves, Robert Flournoy - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72549 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1129.md?full=1