---
title: HR 1623. Sweat; Fire Chief Tim; 37 years of distinguished service to Clayton County and the State of Georgia; recognize
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr1623
cite_as: HR 1623, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1623
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1623.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1623/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73958
date: 2026-03-06
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/hr1622.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1624.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 134
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1623.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 1623
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-03-06
last_action: House Read and Adopted
sponsors:
  - Sandra Scott
  - Rhonda Burnough
  - Eric Bell
  - Yasmin Neal
  - Demetrius Douglas
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1623/2025
upstream_id: 2130711
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - fire department
  - Clayton County
  - public safety recognition
  - legislative honors
---

# HR 1623. Sweat; Fire Chief Tim; 37 years of distinguished service to Clayton County and the State of Georgia; recognize

## Text

House Resolution 1623
By: Representatives Scott of the 76th, Burnough of the 77th, Bell of the 75th, Neal of the 79th,
and Douglas of the 78th
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing and commending Fire Chief Tim Sweat for 37 years of distinguished service
to Clayton County and the State of Georgia; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, Fire Chief Tim Sweat has devoted 37 years of his life to the fire service,
demonstrating extraordinary courage, integrity, and commitment to public safety; and
WHEREAS, Chief Sweat began his career in 1989 as a volunteer with the Jonesboro Fire
Department, answering the call to serve with dedication and humility; and
WHEREAS, in January 1999, he joined Clayton County Fire & Emergency Services, where
he steadily rose through the ranks as Firefighter/EMT, Lieutenant in the Operations Division,
Captain of the Logistics Division in 2008, Deputy Chief in 2010, Assistant Chief in 2011,
Interim Fire Chief in March 2023, and was officially appointed Fire Chief on January 7,
2025; and
WHEREAS, throughout his career, Chief Sweat has exemplified excellence in leadership,
strategic management, and emergency response, ensuring that the citizens of Clayton County
receive the highest standard of fire protection and emergency services; and
WHEREAS, his professional accomplishments include earning an Associate of Applied
Science in Fire Science, a Bachelor of Science in Fire Administration, and graduating from
the National Fire Academy's Financial Management Program; and
WHEREAS, he is a Georgia Certified Emergency Manager, holds NPQ Firefighter III
certification, is a Haz-Mat Technician, and brings additional management experience from
the private sector-further strengthening the operational readiness and fiscal responsibility of
the department; and
WHEREAS, born and raised in Clayton County, Chief Sweat has dedicated his life to
protecting the very community he calls home, embodying the highest ideals of public service;
and
WHEREAS, beyond his professional achievements, he is a devoted husband to his wife,
Beth, and a proud father of four children, serving as a model of faith, family, and community
leadership; and
WHEREAS, Chief Sweat's legacy of service reflects courage under pressure, wisdom in
leadership, and an unwavering commitment to the safety and well-being of every resident of
Clayton County.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body recognize and commend Fire Chief Tim Sweat for his outstanding
service, congratulate him on his appointment as Fire Chief of Clayton County Fire &
Emergency Services, and express profound gratitude for his decades of dedication to
protecting lives, property, and the future of Clayton County.
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 Chief
Tim Sweat.

## 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 Clayton County Fire Chief Tim Sweat for 37 years of service, marking his rise from volunteer firefighter to fire chief.

### Plain-language summary

This is a commemorative resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives, not a change to state law. It recognizes Fire Chief Tim Sweat of Clayton County Fire & Emergency Services for 37 years in the fire service, tracing his career from a 1989 volunteer position with the Jonesboro Fire Department through steady promotions in Clayton County to his official appointment as Fire Chief on January 7, 2025.
The resolution highlights his education, certifications, and family life, and formally commends him for his service. It directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for presentation to Chief Sweat. It has no regulatory effect and does not create, change, or repeal any Georgia law.

### What it does

- Formally recognizes and commends Fire Chief Tim Sweat for 37 years of service to Clayton County and Georgia.
- Congratulates Sweat on his January 7, 2025 appointment as Fire Chief of Clayton County Fire & Emergency Services.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to Chief Sweat.
- Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement; it is a ceremonial statement by the House.

### Who it affects

The resolution directly names Fire Chief Tim Sweat and Clayton County Fire & Emergency Services. It has no legal effect on other Georgians, agencies, or businesses; it is a symbolic honor recognizing one public servant's career.

### Why it matters

The resolution carries no legal or financial effect on Georgians. Its significance is symbolic: it puts the Georgia House of Representatives on record honoring a local fire chief's decades of public safety work in Clayton County.

### Key provisions

- The whereas clauses recount Sweat's career history, from 1989 volunteer firefighter to his 2025 appointment as Fire Chief.
- The resolved clause formally commends Sweat and congratulates him on his appointment as Fire Chief.
- A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to provide a copy of the resolution to Chief Sweat.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2026-03-06)
- Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-03-06)
- Sponsors: Sandra Scott, Rhonda Burnough, Eric Bell, Yasmin Neal, Demetrius Douglas
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73958

> The history, votes, and amendments (134 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1623.md?full=1