Georgia CommonsHouse · Passed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
HR 1196: Koehler, Don; outstanding public service as an Executive Director of the Georgia Peanut Commission; commend
Last action February 2, 2026 · House Read and Adopted
A Georgia House resolution honors Don Koehler for nearly four decades of leadership as Executive Director of the Georgia Peanut Commission, marking his retirement.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
This is a commendation resolution passed by the Georgia House of Representatives. It does not change any law; instead it formally recognizes Don Koehler for his long career leading the Georgia Peanut Commission, an organization that supports the state's peanut farmers through research, education, promotion, and advocacy. The resolution recounts Koehler's record since becoming Executive Director in 1986, including overseeing construction of a new office and education center, securing disaster relief funding after Hurricane Michael, and helping pass a five-year federal farm bill. The House resolves to commend him for his service, congratulate him on his retirement, and directs the Clerk of the House to provide him a copy of the resolution.
What the bill does
- Formally commends Don Koehler for his service as Executive Director of the Georgia Peanut Commission since 1986.
- Congratulates Koehler on his retirement and extends the House's best wishes for his health and happiness.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Koehler.
- Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement; it is a ceremonial recognition only.
Who it affects
The resolution directly names and honors Don Koehler. It also references the Georgia Peanut Commission and Georgia's peanut farmers, whose industry Koehler's work supported, though the resolution itself imposes no obligations on them.
Why it matters
The resolution has no legal or regulatory effect on Georgians; it serves only to publicly acknowledge Koehler's decades of work supporting Georgia's peanut farming industry and to mark his retirement with an official statement from the House.
Key provisions
- Recounts Koehler's tenure since 1986 as the longest-serving Executive Director since the Commission's 1961 founding.
- Notes his roles advising USDA and U.S. Trade Representative trade policy and with several peanut industry organizations.
- Resolves that the House commends Koehler and congratulates him on his retirement.
- Directs the Clerk of the House to make a copy available for distribution to Koehler.
From the bill
“Don has served as Executive Director of the Georgia Peanut Commission since 1986, making him the longest serving Executive Director since the Peanut Commission's establishment in 1961”
“the members of this body recognize and commend Don Koehler for his efficient, effective, unselfish, and dedicated public service to the State of Georgia”
Discussed in meetings (1)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
House floor session, March 3, 2026 (legislative day 26, AM)
From 0:57:48 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The clerk read HR 1196, honoring the retiring executive director of the Georgia Peanut Commission. The sponsor said the executive director had served for 40 years, overseen a new office and education center, helped secure hurricane assistance for farmers, and worked on a new federal farm bill. The sponsor said Georgia produces 51% of U.S. peanuts and that the industry contributes an estimated $2 billion to the state economy while supporting more than 150,000 Georgians. The chair praised the executive director's service. The honoree thanked the commission's board, staff and legislators, emphasized teamwork, and said retirement would mean slowing down rather than leaving entirely. No vote was shown.
Status timeline
- House Read and Adopted (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Jaclyn Ford (R, HD-170)
- Angie O'Steen (R, HD-169)
- Robert Dickey (R, HD-134)
- Steven Meeks (R, HD-178)
- David Huddleston (R, HD-72)
Topics
- Georgia Peanut Commission
- agriculture
- legislative commendation
- peanut farming