--- title: HR 1550. Russell, Mrs. Barberette; outstanding service, unwavering commitment to education, and lifelong dedication to strengthening families and communities; commend collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr1550 cite_as: HR 1550, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1550 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1550.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1550/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73823 date: 2026-03-03 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/hr1549.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1551.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1550.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 1550 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-03 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Sandra Scott - Rhonda Burnough - Robert Flournoy - Kim Schofield - Viola Davis text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1550/2025 upstream_id: 2128577 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - commendation resolution - education - community service - disability advocacy --- # HR 1550. Russell, Mrs. Barberette; outstanding service, unwavering commitment to education, and lifelong dedication to strengthening families and communities; commend ## Text House Resolution 1550 By: Representatives Scott of the 76th, Burnough of the 77th, Flournoy of the 74th, Schofield of the 63rd, and Davis of the 87th A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending Mrs. Barberette Russell for her outstanding service, unwavering commitment to education, and lifelong dedication to strengthening families and communities; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Mrs. Barberette Russell is a proud native of Atlanta, Georgia, whose life has been defined by service, leadership, and compassion; and WHEREAS, she earned an undergraduate degree in Education and Special Needs from Mercer University and a Master's degree in Educational Leadership from Strayer University, equipping her with the knowledge and vision to lead and inspire; and WHEREAS, with over fifteen years of experience in Early Childhood Education, Mrs. Russell has nurtured and shaped countless young learners, positively impacting children and families throughout her distinguished career; and WHEREAS, she is the devoted mother of four accomplished adult children, including an entrepreneurial driver, a United States Marine with more than fifteen years of honorable service, a daughter who became a certified NASCAR technician at the remarkable age of nineteen, and a son who is the proud father of four wonderful children; and WHEREAS, for more than two decades, Mrs. Russell has demonstrated exceptional dedication to community service across Georgia, contributing her time and talents to voter registration initiatives, feeding the homeless, supporting senior citizens at Crestview Nursing Home, and serving numerous schools throughout Clayton County and the greater Atlanta area; and WHEREAS, she is a steadfast supporter of the Breast Cancer, Autism, and Atlanta Heart foundations, reflecting her compassionate commitment to advancing health and wellness within the community; and WHEREAS, as the devoted caregiver of her brother, Johnny Shorter, who has Down syndrome, Mrs. Russell exemplifies love, patience, and advocacy, extending her commitment to disability rights through her work with Clayton Adult for Disability and ARC, and earning certification through Family Bridge to better serve adults with disabilities; and WHEREAS, guided by her faith and inspired by 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV), "each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms," Mrs. Russell has faithfully lived out this scripture through her tireless efforts to uplift, empower, and serve others; and WHEREAS, Mrs. Russell's life stands as a shining example of servant leadership, dedication to education, advocacy for individuals with disabilities, and unwavering commitment to strengthening families and communities throughout Georgia. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body recognize and commend Mrs. Barberette Russell for her extraordinary contributions to education, community service, and advocacy, and extend sincere gratitude for her continued impact on the citizens of this great state. 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 Mrs. Barberette Russell. ## 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 Mrs. Barberette Russell of Atlanta for her career in early childhood education, her decades of community service, and her advocacy for people with disabilities. ### Plain-language summary This is a commendation resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives, not a change to state law. It recognizes Mrs. Barberette Russell, an Atlanta native with degrees from Mercer University and Strayer University, for more than fifteen years working in early childhood education and more than two decades of community service in Georgia, including voter registration drives, feeding the homeless, and supporting seniors at Crestview Nursing Home. The resolution also highlights her role as caregiver for her brother, who has Down syndrome, and her work with disability advocacy groups. It directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for presentation to Mrs. Russell. ### What it does - Formally commends Mrs. Barberette Russell for her career in early childhood education and community service in Georgia. - Recognizes her advocacy for individuals with disabilities, including her caregiving for her brother who has Down syndrome. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Mrs. Russell. - Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement; it is a ceremonial statement by the House of Representatives. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names and honors Mrs. Barberette Russell. It has no regulatory or financial effect on other Georgians, government agencies, or businesses. ### Why it matters The resolution carries symbolic rather than legal weight. It gives official recognition from the Georgia House of Representatives to an individual's community contributions but does not change any law, create funding, or impose obligations on anyone. ### Key provisions - The resolving clause formally commends Mrs. Russell for her contributions to education, community service, and advocacy. - A further resolution clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make a copy available for distribution to Mrs. Russell. - The preamble (the 'whereas' clauses) recounts her education, career, family, and volunteer work but has no independent legal effect. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-03) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-03-03) - Sponsors: Sandra Scott, Rhonda Burnough, Robert Flournoy, Kim Schofield, Viola Davis - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73823 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1550.md?full=1