--- title: HR 1397. Bryant, Dr. Karen Leigh; honoring the life and memory; condolences collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr1397 cite_as: HR 1397, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1397 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1397.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1397/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73392 date: 2026-02-18 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/hr1396.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1398.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 134 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1397.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 1397 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-02-18 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Dexter Sharper - Michael Smith - Patty Stinson - L.C. Myles - Angela Moore text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1397/2025 upstream_id: 2119503 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - condolence resolution - Georgia House of Representatives - military veterans - education --- # HR 1397. Bryant, Dr. Karen Leigh; honoring the life and memory; condolences ## Text House Resolution 1397 By: Representatives Sharper of the 177th, Smith of the 41st, Stinson of the 150th, Myles of the 126th, and Moore of the 91st A RESOLUTION Honoring the life and memory of Dr. Karen Leigh Bryant; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens with the passing of Dr. Karen Leigh Bryant on April 30, 2022; and WHEREAS, Dr. Karen Leigh Bryant was born on August 4, 1968, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, a devoted single mother, daughter, sister, woman of faith, educator, veteran, community advocate, and friend; and WHEREAS, she served as a guardian of this nation's freedom and liberty with the United States Air Force, valiantly and courageously protecting her fellow Americans while serving in Italy and Germany; and WHEREAS, she was united in love and marriage to her husband, and was blessed with four remarkable children; and WHEREAS, she gave inspiration to many through her high ideals, morals, and deep concern for her fellow citizens, and the devotion, patience, and understanding she demonstrated to her family and friends were admired by others; and WHEREAS, she was a person of magnanimous strengths with an unimpeachable reputation for integrity, intelligence, fairness, and kindness, and by the example she made of her life, she made this world a better place in which to live; and WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous woman, Karen will long be remembered for her love of family, friendship, and community and will be missed by all who had the great fortune of knowing her. 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. Karen Leigh Bryant and express their deepest and most sincere regret at her 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. Karen Leigh Bryant. ## 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 and memory of Dr. Karen Leigh Bryant, an Air Force veteran and educator from Chattanooga, Tennessee, who died in 2022, and offers condolences to her family. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution passed by the Georgia House of Representatives. It does not change any Georgia law. Instead, it formally recognizes the life of Dr. Karen Leigh Bryant, who was born in 1968 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and passed away on April 30, 2022. The resolution describes her service in the United States Air Force in Italy and Germany, her work as an educator and community advocate, and her role as a mother, wife, and friend. The House resolves that its members join in honoring her memory and expressing condolences, and directs the Clerk of the House to prepare a copy of the resolution for her family. ### What it does - Formally expresses the Georgia House of Representatives' condolences on the death of Dr. Karen Leigh Bryant. - Recites biographical details about her military service, education career, family, and community involvement. - Directs the Clerk of the House to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to her family. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names the family of Dr. Karen Leigh Bryant, who will receive a copy of it. It also reflects the sentiments of the House members who sponsored and passed it, but it does not impose any legal obligations on any other group. ### Why it matters This resolution carries no legal or regulatory effect and does not alter any Georgia statute. Its significance is symbolic and personal, providing formal public recognition and comfort to the family of Dr. Karen Leigh Bryant through an official act of the legislature. ### Key provisions - The resolving clause states that House members join in honoring Dr. Bryant's life and memory and express regret at her passing. - A further resolution directs the Clerk of the House to prepare an appropriate copy for distribution to her family. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-02-18) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-02-18) - Sponsors: Dexter Sharper, Michael Smith, Patty Stinson, L.C. Myles, Angela Moore - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73392 > The history, votes, and amendments (134 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1397.md?full=1