---
title: HR 1344. Lunar New Year Celebration; recognize
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr1344
cite_as: HR 1344, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1344
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1344.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1344/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73158
date: 2026-02-11
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
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next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1345.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 134
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1344.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 1344
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-02-11
last_action: House Read and Adopted
sponsors:
  - Long Tran
  - Soo Hong
  - Michelle Au
  - Marvin Lim
  - Charlice Byrd
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1344/2025
upstream_id: 2114644
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - Lunar New Year
  - Asian and Pacific Islander Americans
  - Georgia House resolution
  - cultural celebration
---

# HR 1344. Lunar New Year Celebration; recognize

## Text

House Resolution 1344
By: Representatives Tran of the 80th, Hong of the 103rd, Au of the 50th, Lim of the 98th, and
Byrd of the 20th
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the Lunar New Year Celebration; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, February 17, 2026, marks the beginning of the Lunar New Year, which is
celebrated in many Asian communities around the world, including the United States and
especially in Georgia; and
WHEREAS, Georgia is home to nearly 500,000 Asian and Pacific Islander Americans of
Bangladeshi, Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Hmong, Indian, Indonesian, Iu-Mien, Japanese,
Korean, Laotian, Malaysian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese descent,
which is approximately 4 percent of Georgia's total population; and
WHEREAS, the Asian and Pacific Islander American community has contributed to the
social, cultural, civic, economic, and academic success of the State of Georgia; and
WHEREAS, the Lunar New Year is predominately celebrated by Chinese, Korean, and
Vietnamese residents of Georgia, who account for approximately 200,000 Georgians; and
WHEREAS, this Lunar New Year, the Year of the Snake, will be universally celebrated by
these communities as a time to renew family ties and to start the new year with a clean slate;
and
WHEREAS, the celebration of the Lunar New Year in communities throughout Georgia
illustrates the state's rich cultural history and commitment to racial, religious, and cultural
diversity.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body join Asian and Pacific Islander communities throughout the state
in celebrating February 17, 2026, as the beginning of the Lunar New Year and extend best
wishes for a peaceful and prosperous Lunar New Year to all Georgians.
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 the
public and the press.

## 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 February 17, 2026 as the beginning of the Lunar New Year and extends the chamber's best wishes to Asian and Pacific Islander communities across the state.

### Plain-language summary

This resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives formally recognizes the Lunar New Year, which begins February 17, 2026. It notes that Georgia is home to nearly 500,000 Asian and Pacific Islander Americans, about 4 percent of the state's population, and that Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese communities in particular, about 200,000 Georgians, widely celebrate the holiday.
The resolution states that the House joins these communities in celebrating the holiday, known this year as the Year of the Snake, and wishes all Georgians a peaceful and prosperous new year. It also directs the Clerk of the House to prepare copies of the resolution for distribution to the public and press. The resolution does not change any Georgia law; it is a ceremonial statement by the House.

### What it does

- Formally recognizes February 17, 2026 as the beginning of the Lunar New Year on behalf of the Georgia House of Representatives.
- States the House's intent to join Asian and Pacific Islander communities in celebrating the holiday and extends well wishes to all Georgians.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press.
- Creates no new legal requirements, funding, or penalties, since it is a ceremonial resolution rather than a law.

### Who it affects

The resolution most directly names Georgia's Asian and Pacific Islander American communities, including Bangladeshi, Cambodian, Chinese, Filipino, Hmong, Indian, Indonesian, Iu-Mien, Japanese, Korean, Laotian, Malaysian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese Georgians, with particular mention of Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese residents who widely observe the holiday.

### Why it matters

While the resolution carries no legal force and changes no Georgia statute, it is an official public acknowledgment by the state legislature of a holiday celebrated by hundreds of thousands of Georgians, and it results in copies being distributed to the public and press.

### Key provisions

- The whereas clauses state that Georgia has nearly 500,000 Asian and Pacific Islander American residents, about 4 percent of the state's population.
- The whereas clauses note that Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese Georgians, roughly 200,000 people, predominantly celebrate the Lunar New Year.
- The resolving clause has the House join in celebrating February 17, 2026 as the start of the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Snake.
- A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House to make copies available for distribution to the public and the press.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-02-11)
- Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-02-11)
- Sponsors: Long Tran, Soo Hong, Michelle Au, Marvin Lim, Charlice Byrd
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73158

> The history, votes, and amendments (134 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1344.md?full=1