--- title: HR 1784. Veterans Support Services Awareness Day; 04/30/26; James "Jim" Dunn; lifelong service to veterans; recognize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr1784 cite_as: HR 1784, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1784 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1784.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1784/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74247 date: 2026-03-18 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/hr1783.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1785.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 134 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1784.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 1784 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-18 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Noelle Kahaian - Josh Bonner - Derrick McCollum - Charlice Byrd - Mary Ann Santos text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1784/2025 upstream_id: 2135884 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - veterans - Henry County - ceremonial resolution - military service --- # HR 1784. Veterans Support Services Awareness Day; 04/30/26; James "Jim" Dunn; lifelong service to veterans; recognize ## Text House Resolution 1784 By: Representatives Kahaian of the 81st, Bonner of the 73rd, McCollum of the 30th, Byrd of the 20th, and Santos of the 117th A RESOLUTION Recognizing April 30, 2026, as Veterans Support Services Awareness Day and honoring James "Jim" Dunn for his lifelong service to veterans; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the State of Georgia is home to hundreds of thousands of military veterans who have honorably served this nation and who deserve timely access to the benefits, resources, and support earned through their service; and WHEREAS, many veterans face significant barriers after leaving military service, including lack of awareness of available benefits, difficulty navigating complex systems, and challenges related to healthcare, employment, transportation, and mental health; and WHEREAS, James "Jim" Dunn exemplifies selfless service and lifelong dedication to veterans, having honorably served in the United States Marine Corps from 1969 to 1973, including overseas service with the 7th Communication Battalion and the 3rd Marine Amphibious Force; and WHEREAS, following his military service, Jim Dunn and his wife, Theresa, raised their family and have three beautiful children, Melanie, Marcie, and Michael, as well as five amazing grandchildren, Christopher, Carley, Maggie, Sydney and Charlotte; and WHEREAS, he devoted nearly 30 years to the automotive industry in finance and sales before retiring, only to continue serving his community by working an additional four years as a school bus driver for Henry County; and WHEREAS, rather than seeking rest in retirement, Jim Dunn chose to serve again, volunteering at the Stockbridge VA Outpatient Clinic, where he assisted veterans at the check-in desk and gained firsthand knowledge of the many obstacles veterans face when seeking care and services; and WHEREAS, motivated by this experience and a deep desire to do more, Jim Dunn founded the Henry County Veterans Support Group, where he serves as CEO and continues to connect veterans across Georgia with resources, guidance, and support, ensuring no veteran is left to navigate the system alone; and WHEREAS, individuals like Jim Dunn play a vital role in bridging the gap between veterans and the services available to them, strengthening communities and honoring the sacrifices made by Georgia's veterans and their families. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body recognize April 30, 2026, as Veterans Support Services Awareness Day and honor James "Jim" Dunn for his exemplary service to veterans, his continued commitment to public service, and his unwavering dedication to ensuring veterans receive the help and respect they have earned. 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 James "Jim" Dunn. ## 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 designates April 30, 2026 as Veterans Support Services Awareness Day and honors James "Jim" Dunn, a Marine Corps veteran and Henry County advocate, for his lifelong work helping fellow veterans. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives rather than a change to state law. It sets aside April 30, 2026 as Veterans Support Services Awareness Day, a symbolic recognition of the barriers veterans face after leaving military service, such as difficulty accessing healthcare, employment help, and benefits information. The resolution also honors James "Jim" Dunn, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1969 to 1973, later worked in the automotive industry and as a Henry County school bus driver, and after retirement began volunteering at the Stockbridge VA Outpatient Clinic. He went on to found the Henry County Veterans Support Group, where he serves as CEO connecting veterans with resources. The resolution directs the Clerk of the House to give Dunn a copy of the document, but it creates no new programs, funding, or legal requirements. ### What it does - Designates April 30, 2026 as Veterans Support Services Awareness Day in Georgia. - Formally honors James "Jim" Dunn for his volunteer work and founding of the Henry County Veterans Support Group. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Dunn. - Creates no new state funding, agency duties, or legal obligations, as resolutions of this type are ceremonial. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names James "Jim" Dunn and references veterans served by the Henry County Veterans Support Group and the Stockbridge VA Outpatient Clinic. More broadly it references Georgia's veteran population, though it imposes no obligations on any agency or individual. ### Why it matters Because this is a commemorative resolution rather than a law, it does not change any veteran's benefits, funding, or services. Its practical effect is limited to an official day of recognition and a printed copy of the resolution given to Dunn. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses describe barriers Georgia veterans face, including navigating benefits systems and access to healthcare and mental health support. - The resolved clause designates April 30, 2026 as Veterans Support Services Awareness Day and honors Jim Dunn by name. - A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House to make a copy of the resolution available to Dunn. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-18) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-03-18) - Sponsors: Noelle Kahaian, Josh Bonner, Derrick McCollum, Charlice Byrd, Mary Ann Santos - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74247 > The history, votes, and amendments (134 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1784.md?full=1