--- title: HR 1702. General Assembly; protection of constitutional conscience, rule of law, and lawful exercise of conscientious objection; urge collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr1702 cite_as: HR 1702, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1702 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1702.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1702/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74106 date: 2026-03-19 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/hr1701.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1703.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 132 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1702.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 1702 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-16 last_action: House Second Readers sponsors: - Viola Davis - Sandra Scott - Eric Bell - Derrick Jackson - Floyd Griffin text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1702/2025 upstream_id: 2134578 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - conscientious objection - military and veterans - rule of law - constitutional rights --- # HR 1702. General Assembly; protection of constitutional conscience, rule of law, and lawful exercise of conscientious objection; urge ## Text House Resolution 1702 By: Representatives Davis of the 87th, Scott of the 76th, Bell of the 75th, Jackson of the 68th, and Griffin of the 149th A RESOLUTION Urging for the protection of constitutional conscience, the rule of law, and the lawful exercise of conscientious objection; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, this resolution shall be known and may be cited as "The Constitutional Conscience Objectors and Guardians of the Rule of Law Resolution"; and WHEREAS, the United States Constitution establishes the rule of law as the foundation of our democratic republic, ensuring that government actions are accountable to constitutional limits; and WHEREAS, members of the United States Armed Forces swear an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; and WHEREAS, the First Amendment protects freedom of religion, freedom of conscience, and the right of individuals to have deeply held moral, ethical, or religious beliefs; and WHEREAS, the longstanding American tradition of conscientious objection recognizes that individuals may lawfully decline participation in war when their deeply held beliefs prohibit them from bearing arms or participating in armed conflict; and WHEREAS, historically, conscientious objection has been recognized for individuals whose beliefs arise from religious traditions promoting peace, including but not limited to the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), Mennonites, and the Church of the Brethren; and WHEREAS, modern interpretations of conscientious objection within the United States recognize that such objections may also arise from ethical, moral, or philosophical beliefs, even when those beliefs are not tied to a specific religious doctrine; and WHEREAS, federal law provides a process for individuals to apply for conscientious objector status through the Selective Service System, allowing eligible individuals to perform alternative service in support of public health, safety, or national welfare rather than combat roles; and WHEREAS, transparency, accountability, and adherence to the rule of law are essential to maintaining public trust in the decisions that lead a nation into armed conflict; and WHEREAS, the American people have the right to expect that decisions regarding war and military engagement will be conducted in accordance with the Constitution, federal law, and principles of justice; and WHEREAS, questions regarding transparency, sealed records, delayed accountability, and potential violations of constitutional principles raise serious concerns regarding adherence to the rule of law; and WHEREAS, the United States military exists to defend the Constitution and the freedoms of the American people—not to shield wrongdoing or circumvent constitutional protections; and WHEREAS, a healthy democracy requires vigilance, transparency, and adherence to lawful procedures when matters of war and peace are considered. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body urge for the protection of constitutional conscience, recognizing the lawful right of individuals to seek conscientious objector status when their deeply held moral, ethical, or religious beliefs prohibit participation in armed conflict. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of this body recognize that individuals exercising conscientious objection should do so through lawful channels and established procedures under federal law; the rule of law must be followed in all matters related to war authorization, military engagement, and the protection of constitutional rights; and that transparency and accountability must guide the actions of public officials responsible for decisions that affect the lives of service members and the security of the nation. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of this body affirm their support for members of the United States Armed Forces and veterans who have faithfully served under their constitutional oath. 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 public and the press. ## 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 urges support for constitutional conscience protections, the rule of law, and the lawful right of conscientious objectors to decline military combat roles. ### Plain-language summary This resolution, titled 'The Constitutional Conscience Objectors and Guardians of the Rule of Law Resolution,' does not change any Georgia law. Instead, it states the Georgia House of Representatives' position on a set of national issues: the constitutional right to freedom of conscience and religion, the historical and legal tradition of conscientious objection to military combat, and the importance of transparency and rule of law in decisions about war and military engagement. The resolution recognizes that individuals whose deeply held moral, ethical, or religious beliefs prohibit them from participating in armed conflict may lawfully seek conscientious objector status through the federal Selective Service System. It also affirms support for members of the U.S. Armed Forces and veterans, and directs the Clerk of the House to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press. ### What it does - States the Georgia House's position urging protection of the constitutional right to conscientious objection to military combat. - Recognizes that conscientious objection should be pursued through lawful federal channels such as the Selective Service System, not outside established procedures. - Calls for transparency and accountability from public officials in decisions about war authorization and military engagement. - Affirms support for U.S. service members and veterans who served under their constitutional oath. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press. ### Who it affects This resolution primarily addresses members of the United States Armed Forces, veterans, and individuals who might seek conscientious objector status. It also speaks to federal officials involved in decisions about war and military engagement, though it creates no legal obligations for them. ### Why it matters Because this is a resolution rather than a bill, it does not create, change, or repeal any Georgia law or federal policy. Its practical effect is limited to publicly recording the Georgia House's stance on conscientious objection and government transparency in military matters. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses lay out the constitutional and historical basis for conscientious objection, citing groups like the Quakers, Mennonites, and Church of the Brethren. - The first resolving clause urges protection of constitutional conscience and recognizes the lawful right to seek conscientious objector status. - The second resolving clause calls for lawful procedures, rule of law adherence, and transparency in decisions about war authorization and military engagement. - The third resolving clause affirms support for the U.S. Armed Forces and veterans. - The final clause directs the Clerk of the House to make copies of the resolution available to the public and press. ## Status - Status: Introduced (2026-03-16) - Last action: House Second Readers (2026-03-19) - Sponsors: Viola Davis, Sandra Scott, Eric Bell, Derrick Jackson, Floyd Griffin - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74106 > The history, votes, and amendments (132 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1702.md?full=1