---
title: "HR 140. Georgia Center for Civic Engagement and ENGAGE: Youth in Government; sponsors the Georgia Youth Assembly among other programs that cultivate youth civic engagement; commend"
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr140
cite_as: HR 140, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr140
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr140.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr140/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69796
date: 2025-02-03
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/hr139.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr141.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 131
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr140.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 140
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2025-02-03
last_action: House Read and Adopted
sponsors:
  - Matthew Gambill
  - Shaw Blackmon
  - Joseph Gullett
  - Leesa Hagan
  - Matt Dubnik
  - Mike Cameron
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR140/2025
upstream_id: 1952922
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - civic education
  - youth government
  - Georgia Youth Assembly
  - JROTC
  - legislative resolution
---

# HR 140. Georgia Center for Civic Engagement and ENGAGE: Youth in Government; sponsors the Georgia Youth Assembly among other programs that cultivate youth civic engagement; commend

## Text

House Resolution 140
By: Representatives Gambill of the 15th, Blackmon of the 146th, Gullett of the 19th, Hagan
of the 156th, Dubnik of the 29th, and others
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing and commending the Georgia Center for Civic Engagement and ENGAGE:
Youth in Government, which sponsors the Georgia Youth Assembly among other programs
that cultivate youth civic engagement; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, ENGAGE: Youth in Government is a Career Technical Student Organization
that supports high school students in the government and public administration cluster and
JROTC in Georgia; and
WHEREAS, ENGAGE: Youth in Government has a purpose to equip future civic leaders
with the skills, knowledge, and experiences needed to excel in government and serve the
public good; and
WHEREAS, there are more than 275 JROTC units in Georgia serving thousands of students;
and
WHEREAS, the Georgia Youth Assembly, which was established in 1946, is a model state
legislature for high school students in which students serve as legislators, justices, attorney,
members of the media, and lobbyists; and
WHEREAS, participants in the Youth Assembly may run for the offices of Youth Governor,
Lt. Governor, and Speaker of the House; and
WHEREAS, this year, the Youth Assembly celebrates its 81st anniversary and over 105
years of excellence and tradition in serving Georgia's students; and
WHEREAS, the 81st Youth Assembly is made up of many bright and eager young leaders,
including Youth Governor Laura Caswell, of Cartersville; Lieutenant Governor Savannah
Viktora, of Adairsville High School; Speaker of the House Austin Gay, of North Oconee
County High School; Speaker Pro Tem Maria Baxter, of Oconee County High School; and
others; and
WHEREAS, the Youth Assembly allows students to experience firsthand the excitement and
importance behind the legislative process and better understand the complexity of the
lawmaking process in this state.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body commend the Georgia Center for Civic Engagement and
ENGAGE: Youth in Government for its work in promoting civic engagement and for
sponsoring the Georgia Youth Assembly for 81 years of teaching Georgia's future leaders the
legislative and state government process.
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
Georgia Center for Civic Engagement.

## 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 the Georgia Center for Civic Engagement and ENGAGE: Youth in Government for running the Georgia Youth Assembly, a student model legislature program marking its 81st year.

### Plain-language summary

This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives, not a law that changes anyone's rights or duties. It recognizes ENGAGE: Youth in Government, a student organization for high schoolers in government and public administration classes and JROTC programs, and its sponsorship of the Georgia Youth Assembly, a mock state legislature for high school students that started in 1946.
The resolution highlights that the Youth Assembly lets students serve as legislators, judges, attorneys, media members, and lobbyists, and elect a Youth Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker of the House. It names several of this year's student leaders. The House directs its Clerk to send a copy of the resolution to the Georgia Center for Civic Engagement as a formal token of recognition.

### What it does

- Formally commends the Georgia Center for Civic Engagement and ENGAGE: Youth in Government for their civic education work.
- Recognizes the Georgia Youth Assembly, a model state legislature for high school students, on its 81st anniversary.
- Names specific student leaders elected within the 81st Youth Assembly, including the Youth Governor and Speaker of the House.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to the Georgia Center for Civic Engagement.

### Who it affects

The resolution directly names the Georgia Center for Civic Engagement, ENGAGE: Youth in Government, JROTC units across Georgia, and the students participating in the Georgia Youth Assembly, including several named student officeholders from schools such as Cartersville, Adairsville, and Oconee County.

### Why it matters

The resolution carries no legal force and changes no laws, but it gives official state recognition to a long running civic education program that introduces thousands of Georgia high school students to how the legislature and state government work.

### Key provisions

- The resolution's whereas clauses describe ENGAGE: Youth in Government as a Career Technical Student Organization supporting students in government, public administration, and JROTC programs.
- It states the Georgia Youth Assembly was established in 1946 and is marking its 81st anniversary and over 105 years of tradition.
- It names specific student leaders in the 81st Youth Assembly, including Youth Governor Laura Caswell and Speaker of the House Austin Gay.
- The resolving clause formally commends the two organizations for their civic engagement work.
- A further resolving clause directs the Clerk of the House to prepare a copy for distribution to the Georgia Center for Civic Engagement.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2025-02-03)
- Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-02-03)
- Sponsors: Matthew Gambill, Shaw Blackmon, Joseph Gullett, Leesa Hagan, Matt Dubnik, Mike Cameron
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69796

> The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr140.md?full=1