--- title: HR 1671. Reverend Bennie R. Mitchell Jr. Memorial Intersection; Chatham County; dedicate collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr1671 cite_as: HR 1671, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1671 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1671.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1671/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74049 date: 2026-03-18 status: introduced 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/hr1670.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1672.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 129 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1671.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 1671 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-12 last_action: House Second Readers sponsors: - Carl Gilliard - Ron Stephens text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1671/2025 upstream_id: 2133301 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - memorial dedication - Chatham County - Savannah history - road naming - Department of Transportation --- # HR 1671. Reverend Bennie R. Mitchell Jr. Memorial Intersection; Chatham County; dedicate ## Text House Resolution 1671 By: Representatives Gilliard of the 162nd and Stephens of the 164th A RESOLUTION Honoring the life of Reverend Bennie R. Mitchell, Jr., and dedicating an intersection in his memory; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Reverend Bennie R. Mitchell, Jr., demonstrated his commitment to teaching the Gospel, witnessing Christ through word and deed, and addressing the physical, psychological, intellectual, and spiritual needs of others; and WHEREAS, Reverend Mitchell was born in Edgefield, South Carolina and earned a bachelor's degree from Benedict College and a master's degree from Interdenominational Theological Center at Morehouse School of Religion; and WHEREAS, he was called by the Lord in 1974 to lead the congregation of Connor's Temple Baptist Church in Savannah, Georgia, where he was responsible for bringing the congregation to the forefront of the Savannah community; and WHEREAS, Reverend Mitchell's good works and service to others were recognized through numerous honors, including Omega Man of the Year, the Ivan Allen, Jr., Award for Excellence in Human Relations, WSOK Image Award, and Fannie Lou Hamer Award; and WHEREAS, in 1980, Reverend Mitchell organized the Martin Luther King, Jr., Observance Day Association in Savannah, which was responsible for the city's first Kingfest, including the first MLK parade, and he helped lead the movement to have a major street in Savannah named for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; and WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that this enduring example of God's message of peace and love be recognized be recognized appropriately by dedicating an intersection in his memory. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AND ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that the intersection of State Route 307 and State Route 25 (US-17) in Chatham County is dedicated as the Reverend Bennie R. Mitchell Jr. Memorial Intersection. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation is authorized and directed to erect and maintain appropriate signs dedicating the Reverend Bennie R. Mitchell Jr. Memorial Intersection. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the family of Reverend Bennie R. Mitchell, Jr., and to the Department of Transportation. ## 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 would name the intersection of State Route 307 and State Route 25 (US-17) in Chatham County after Reverend Bennie R. Mitchell Jr., a longtime Savannah pastor and community leader. ### Plain-language summary This resolution honors Reverend Bennie R. Mitchell Jr., who led Connor's Temple Baptist Church in Savannah starting in 1974 and helped organize the city's first Martin Luther King Jr. observance events and parade. It recounts his education, his decades of ministry, and awards he received for community service. The resolution's operative effect is to officially dedicate the intersection of State Route 307 and State Route 25 (US-17) in Chatham County as the Reverend Bennie R. Mitchell Jr. Memorial Intersection. It directs the Georgia Department of Transportation to put up and maintain signs marking the dedication, and it directs the Clerk of the House to send copies of the resolution to Mitchell's family and to the Department of Transportation. ### What it does - Formally dedicates the intersection of State Route 307 and State Route 25 (US-17) in Chatham County as the Reverend Bennie R. Mitchell Jr. Memorial Intersection. - Directs the Georgia Department of Transportation to erect and maintain signs marking the memorial intersection. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to distribute copies of the resolution to Mitchell's family and the Department of Transportation. - Recites Mitchell's biography, ministry, and community honors as the basis for the honorary dedication. ### Who it affects The resolution most directly affects the Georgia Department of Transportation, which must install and maintain signage, and Chatham County residents and travelers who use the intersection of State Route 307 and State Route 25. It also recognizes Reverend Mitchell's family and the Connor's Temple Baptist Church community in Savannah. ### Why it matters The resolution creates a lasting public marker honoring a Savannah religious and civic leader, giving the Department of Transportation a concrete duty to post signage. Beyond the signage requirement, it carries no regulatory or funding effect on Georgians generally. ### Key provisions - The resolution's whereas clauses detail Reverend Mitchell's life, education at Benedict College and the Interdenominational Theological Center, and leadership at Connor's Temple Baptist Church starting in 1974. - The operative dedication clause names the intersection of State Route 307 and State Route 25 (US-17) in Chatham County as the Reverend Bennie R. Mitchell Jr. Memorial Intersection. - A further resolved clause authorizes and directs the Department of Transportation to erect and maintain signs marking the dedication. - A final clause directs the Clerk of the House to distribute copies of the resolution to Mitchell's family and the Department of Transportation. ## Status - Status: Introduced (2026-03-12) - Last action: House Second Readers (2026-03-18) - Sponsors: Carl Gilliard, Ron Stephens - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74049 > The history, votes, and amendments (129 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1671.md?full=1