Georgia CommonsHR 1640: Reheis, Harold Franklin; condolences
Last action March 6, 2026 · House Read and Adopted
A Georgia House resolution honors the life of Harold Franklin Reheis, the former director of Georgia's Environmental Protection Division, following his death at age 81.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
This is a commemorative resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives, not a change to state law. It recognizes Harold Franklin Reheis, who spent more than 60 years working on environmental protection in Georgia, including as director of the Environmental Protection Division within the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The resolution recounts his education, career history, and role in cleaning up polluted rivers, reducing air pollution in metro Atlanta, and closing open dumps. It credits him with helping pass the Georgia Hazardous Site Response Act and with remediating more than 100 hazardous sites. The House resolves to honor his legacy and directs the Clerk of the House to send a copy of the resolution to his family.
What the bill does
- Formally honors the life and career of Harold Franklin Reheis, Georgia's former Environmental Protection Division director.
- Recites his role in helping pass the Georgia Hazardous Site Response Act and cleaning up over 100 hazardous sites in Georgia.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to send a copy of the resolution to Reheis's family.
- Does not create, amend, or repeal any Georgia statute or regulation.
Who it affects
This resolution directly affects the family of Harold Franklin Reheis, to whom a copy will be sent. It does not impose duties or changes on the public, state agencies, or businesses, since it is a commemorative statement rather than a law.
Why it matters
The resolution has no legal effect on Georgians' daily lives or on state environmental policy. Its significance is symbolic, formally recording the Georgia House's recognition of a public official's decades of work on the state's air, water, and land protection efforts.
Key provisions
- The preamble ('WHEREAS' clauses) describes Reheis's education, 60-year career, and his role in reducing pollution and creating hazardous site remediation programs.
- The first resolving clause states the House honors his life and legacy and recognizes his contributions to Georgia's natural resources.
- The second resolving clause directs the Clerk of the House to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to his family.
From the bill
“Mr. Reheis helped establish and implement programs to address these serious issues, passing the Georgia Hazardous Site Response Act and creating the programs to remediate over 100 hazardous sites in Georgia”
Status timeline
- House Read and Adopted (House)
- House Hopper (House)
- House First Readers (House)
Sponsors
- Lynn Smith (R, HD-070)
- John Corbett (R, HD-174)
- Vance Smith (R, HD-138)
- Buddy DeLoach (R, HD-167)
- Gerald Greene (R, HD-154)
- Ron Stephens (R, HD-164)
Topics
- environmental policy
- Georgia Department of Natural Resources
- legislative resolutions
- memorial resolution