---
title: HR 1275. Coleman, Dr. Thomas L.; condolences
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr1275
cite_as: HR 1275, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1275
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1275.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1275/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72985
date: 2026-02-06
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/hr1274.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1276.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 131
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1275.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 1275
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-02-06
last_action: House Read and Adopted
sponsors:
  - Omari Crawford
  - Billy Mitchell
  - Tanya Miller
  - Dar'shun Kendrick
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1275/2025
upstream_id: 2111537
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - memorial resolution
  - DeKalb County
  - veterans
  - Georgia public service
---

# HR 1275. Coleman, Dr. Thomas L.; condolences

## Text

House Resolution 1275
By: Representatives Crawford of the 89th, Mitchell of the 88th, Miller of the 62nd, and
Kendrick of the 95th
A RESOLUTION
Honoring the life and memory of Dr. Thomas L. Coleman; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens
with the passing of Dr. Thomas L. Coleman on January 31, 2026; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Coleman served as a guardian of this nation's freedom and liberty with the
United States Air Force, valiantly and courageously protecting his fellow Americans for
more than 25 years and serving in the Vietnam War; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Coleman had a long and devoted professional life of public service in
Georgia, including as Chief of Staff to former DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer
Burrell Ellis as well as more than 12 years with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice,
where he served as Chief Deputy Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of the Program's
Education and Youth Development Division; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Coleman was a former Director of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety
and served for more than a decade as a commissioner with the DeKalb County Housing
Authority, as well as with the Housing Development Corporation of DeKalb County; and
WHEREAS, he also served as a board member of the Georgia Department of Juvenile
Justice, vice-chaired the Georgia Piedmont Technical College Board of Directors, chaired
the 4th Congressional District of Georgia Congressional Black Caucus Scholarship
Committee, and served on numerous civic and community boards focused on education,
youth development, housing, and public safety; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Coleman's lifelong commitment to service earned him numerous honors
including a DeKalb County History Maker in 2017 and 2026, a Lifetime Achievement
Award presented during the administration of Joe Biden, and the Nathaniel Mosby
Humanitarian Award; and
WHEREAS, he was united in love and marriage to his wife, Dr. Beverly Harris Coleman,
and was blessed with two remarkable children, Jeffery and Donna; and his wonderful
grandsons; and
WHEREAS, he gave inspiration to many through his high ideals, morals, and deep concern
for his fellow citizens, and the devotion, patience, and understanding he demonstrated to his
family and friends were admired by others; and
WHEREAS, he was a person of magnanimous strengths with an unimpeachable reputation
for integrity, intelligence, fairness, and kindness, and by the example he made of his life, he
made this world a better place in which to live; and
WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous man, Dr. Coleman will long be remembered for
his love of family, friendship, and community and will be missed by all who had the great
fortune of knowing him.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body join in honoring the life and memory of Dr. Thomas L. Coleman
and express their deepest and most sincere regret at his passing.
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 the
family of Dr. Thomas L. Coleman.

## 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 honors the life of Dr. Thomas L. Coleman, a longtime public servant and Air Force veteran who died on January 31, 2026, and directs a copy be sent to his family.

### Plain-language summary

This is a memorial resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives recognizing Dr. Thomas L. Coleman following his death on January 31, 2026. The resolution recounts his more than 25 years of service in the United States Air Force, including service in the Vietnam War, and his subsequent career in Georgia public service, including as Chief of Staff to a former DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer, more than 12 years with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice, and as Director of the Governor's Office of Highway Safety.
The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It formally expresses the House's regret at his passing and directs the Clerk of the House to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to Dr. Coleman's family.

### What it does

- Formally expresses the House of Representatives' regret at the death of Dr. Thomas L. Coleman on January 31, 2026.
- Recounts his military service in the United States Air Force and his decades of public service roles in Georgia government.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and send a copy of the resolution to Coleman's family.
- Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory changes since it is a ceremonial resolution rather than a bill.

### Who it affects

This resolution directly names Dr. Thomas L. Coleman's family, including his wife Dr. Beverly Harris Coleman and his children and grandchildren, who will receive the resolution. It has no effect on the general public or on Georgia law.

### Why it matters

The resolution has no practical legal effect but serves as an official public記录 of the state's recognition of Coleman's decades of military and public service, providing his family with a formal memorial from the Georgia House of Representatives.

### Key provisions

- The whereas clauses detail Coleman's Air Force service of more than 25 years, including in the Vietnam War.
- The whereas clauses list his Georgia public service roles, including Chief of Staff to DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis and service with the Department of Juvenile Justice.
- The resolved clause formally expresses the House's regret at his passing and honors his life and memory.
- The final clause directs the Clerk of the House to make a copy available for distribution to his family.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-02-06)
- Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-02-06)
- Sponsors: Omari Crawford, Billy Mitchell, Tanya Miller, Dar'shun Kendrick
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72985

> The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1275.md?full=1