---
title: HR 1291. Pethel, Eden; commend
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr1291
cite_as: HR 1291, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1291
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1291.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1291/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73041
date: 2026-02-09
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/hr1290.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1292.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 131
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1291.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 1291
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-02-09
last_action: House Read and Adopted
sponsors:
  - Debbie Buckner
  - Karen Mathiak
  - Beth Camp
  - Katie Dempsey
  - Lynn Smith
  - Darlene Taylor
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1291/2025
upstream_id: 2112269
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - license plates
  - student achievement
  - Georgia House resolution
  - 250th anniversary
---

# HR 1291. Pethel, Eden; commend

## Text

House Resolution 1291
By: Representatives Buckner of the 137th, Mathiak of the 82nd, Camp of the 135th, Dempsey
of the 13th, Smith of the 70th, and others
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing Eden Pethel; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, in celebration of the United States of America’s semiquincentennial
anniversary, the State of Georgia held a license plate design competition open to sixth
through eighth grade students in the state; and
WHEREAS, eighth grade student Eden Pethel’s licence plate was chosen as the winning
design, reflecting her exceptional artistic abilities and national pride; and
WHEREAS, the home schooled student from Pendergrass, Georgia, brings honor and pride
to her city, state, and county through this prestigious accomplishment; and
WHEREAS, Eden Pethel’s design will be made into a real license plate and soon will be seen
displayed on cars in honor of the United States 250th anniversary.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body recognize and commend Eden Pethel for winning the State of
Georgia’s United States semiquincentennial anniversary commemorative license plate design
competition.
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 Eden
Pethel.

## 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 commends Pendergrass student Eden Pethel for winning the state's license plate design contest marking the 250th anniversary of the United States.

### Plain-language summary

This resolution honors Eden Pethel, an eighth grade home schooled student from Pendergrass, Georgia, for winning a statewide license plate design competition. The contest, open to sixth through eighth grade students, was held to celebrate the United States' semiquincentennial anniversary (its 250th birthday) in 2026.
The resolution states that Pethel's winning design will be made into an actual license plate that Georgians will be able to display on their vehicles. The House of Representatives formally recognizes and commends her for the achievement, and directs the Clerk of the House to prepare a copy of the resolution for her.

### What it does

- Formally recognizes and commends Eden Pethel, an eighth grade home schooled student from Pendergrass, Georgia, for winning a statewide license plate design competition.
- States that her winning design will be produced as an actual license plate available for display on Georgia vehicles.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Eden Pethel.

### Who it affects

This resolution directly names Eden Pethel, an eighth grade home schooled student from Pendergrass, Georgia. It also involves the Clerk of the House of Representatives, who must prepare a copy for her, and indirectly touches Georgia drivers who may eventually see her design on license plates.

### Why it matters

The resolution is a ceremonial honor with no regulatory or funding effect. Its main real-world consequence is that Pethel's artwork will become an official Georgia license plate design tied to the nation's 250th anniversary celebration.

### Key provisions

- The preamble explains the license plate design competition was held for sixth through eighth grade students to mark the United States' semiquincentennial anniversary.
- The resolution states Pethel's design was chosen as the winning entry and will be made into a real license plate.
- The resolved clause formally commends Eden Pethel on behalf of the House of Representatives.
- A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House to provide her a copy of the resolution.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-02-09)
- Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-02-09)
- Sponsors: Debbie Buckner, Karen Mathiak, Beth Camp, Katie Dempsey, Lynn Smith, Darlene Taylor
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73041

> The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1291.md?full=1