---
title: HR 178. Baker, Antonio Cornelius; condolences
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr178
cite_as: HR 178, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr178
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr178.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr178/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69991
date: 2025-02-05
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/hr177.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr179.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 131
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr178.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 178
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2025-02-05
last_action: House Read and Adopted
sponsors:
  - Park Cannon
  - Karla Drenner
  - Imani Barnes
  - Samuel Park
  - Doreen Carter
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR178/2025
upstream_id: 1958383
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - condolence resolution
  - HIV/AIDS advocacy
  - public health
  - Georgia House of Representatives
---

# HR 178. Baker, Antonio Cornelius; condolences

## Text

House Resolution 178
By: Representatives Cannon of the 58th, Drenner of the 85th, Barnes of the 86th, Park of the
107th, and Carter of the 93rd
A RESOLUTION
Honoring the life and memory of Antonio Cornelius Baker; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens
with the passing of Antonio Cornelius Baker on November 8, 2024; and
WHEREAS, born on September 30, 1961, Antonio Cornelius Baker was a distinguished
public health advocate and policy expert whose career was dedicated to HIV/AIDS
prevention, care, and advocacy; and
WHEREAS, he spent part of his early childhood in Apopka, Florida, before moving to
Syracuse, New York, where he was raised by his mother, Shirley Baker, a social worker and
family services coordinator; and
WHEREAS, in 1983, he began his professional career as an arts editor for Washington City
Paper and became involved in LGBTQ+ advocacy and fundraising for community
organizations such as Brother, Help Thyself; and
WHEREAS, he served as an executive assistant to D.C. City Council Member Carol
Schwartz in 1985, during which time he developed the skills that would serve as the
foundation for his future leadership in health advocacy; and
WHEREAS, diagnosed as HIV-positive during the early years of the AIDS epidemic, he
dedicated innumerable hours of his time and energy toward advocating for those affected by
the disease; and
WHEREAS, he joined the White House Presidential Personnel Office in 1989 under
President George H. W. Bush and later served as Confidential Assistant to the Assistant
Secretary for Health at the United States Department of Health and Human Services from
1989 to 1992; and
WHEREAS, Antonio Cornelius Baker played a pivotal role in the National Association of
People with AIDS, where he served as policy director and later as executive director, leading
efforts to establish National HIV Testing Day on June 27 to promote routine testing and
reduce stigma; and
WHEREAS, from 1999 to 2004, he served as executive director of the Whitman-Walker
Clinic, where he worked to expand access to HIV/AIDS care while addressing the clinic's
financial challenges; and
WHEREAS, his later contributions included serving as an adviser to the National Black Gay
Men's Advocacy Coalition and contributing to PEPFAR initiatives to combat the global
HIV/AIDS epidemic; and
WHEREAS, he further collaborated with the National Institutes of Health's Office of AIDS
Research, participated in the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS, and held board
positions with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS
Foundation; and
WHEREAS, he was united in companionship with Gregory Nevins, a senior counsel at
Lambda Legal, with whom he shared a 20-year-long bond of love; and
WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous man, Antonio Cornelius Baker will long be
remembered for his love of family, friendship, and community and will be missed by all who
had the great fortune of knowing him.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body join in honoring the life and memory of Antonio Cornelius Baker
and express their deepest and most sincere regret at his passing.
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 the
family of Antonio Cornelius Baker.

## 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 the life of Antonio Cornelius Baker, a public health advocate and HIV/AIDS policy expert who died on November 8, 2024.

### Plain-language summary

This resolution is a ceremonial measure passed by the Georgia House of Representatives to honor Antonio Cornelius Baker, who died on November 8, 2024. The text recounts his life story, including his childhood, his career in HIV/AIDS advocacy and public health policy, his work with the National Association of People with AIDS, the Whitman-Walker Clinic, and other health organizations, and his personal relationships.
The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It formally expresses the House's regret at his passing and directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for delivery to Baker's family.

### What it does

- Formally honors the life and memory of Antonio Cornelius Baker on behalf of the Georgia House of Representatives.
- Expresses the House's sincere regret at his passing.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to Baker's family.
- Does not create, amend, or repeal any Georgia statute or appropriate any state funding.

### Who it affects

This resolution most directly affects the family of Antonio Cornelius Baker, who will receive a copy of it. It also reflects the Georgia House of Representatives' formal recognition of his career in HIV/AIDS advocacy and public health policy.

### Why it matters

As a ceremonial resolution, this measure carries symbolic rather than legal weight. It provides official state recognition of Baker's decades of work in HIV/AIDS prevention and advocacy, and gives his family a formal memorial document from the Georgia General Assembly.

### Key provisions

- The whereas clauses detail Baker's biography, including his birth, career in HIV/AIDS advocacy, government service, and personal life.
- The resolving clause has the House of Representatives join in honoring his life and memory and express regret at his passing.
- The final clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make a copy available for distribution to his family.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2025-02-05)
- Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-02-05)
- Sponsors: Park Cannon, Karla Drenner, Imani Barnes, Samuel Park, Doreen Carter
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69991

> The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr178.md?full=1