--- title: HR 1882. Observance of Diwali; cultural, spiritual, and community significance; recognize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr1882 cite_as: HR 1882, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1882 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1882.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1882/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74403 date: 2026-03-23 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/hr1881.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1883.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1882.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 1882 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-23 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Akbar Ali - Jasmine Clark - Michelle Au - Ruwa Romman - Long Tran text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1882/2025 upstream_id: 2137395 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - Diwali - cultural recognition - religious observance - Georgia House resolution - South Asian community --- # HR 1882. Observance of Diwali; cultural, spiritual, and community significance; recognize ## Text House Resolution 1882 By: Representatives Ali of the 106th, Clark of the 108th, Au of the 50th, Romman of the 97th, and Tran of the 80th A RESOLUTION Commending and celebrating the observance of Diwali and its cultural, spiritual, and community significance; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in the world, observed by millions of people across diverse faiths including Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists; and WHEREAS, Diwali symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil, values that resonate universally and reflect the highest ideals of humanity; and WHEREAS, families and communities celebrate Diwali by lighting lamps, sharing meals, exchanging gifts, and coming together in a spirit of unity, generosity, and hope; and WHEREAS, the observance of Diwali contributes to the rich cultural diversity of the State of Georgia, fostering greater understanding, respect, and appreciation among all residents; and WHEREAS, the South Asian and broader communities celebrating Diwali have made significant contributions to the economic, cultural, and civic life of this state and nation; and WHEREAS, recognizing cultural and religious observances such as Diwali strengthens the bonds of inclusion and reflects our commitment to honoring the diverse traditions of all people. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body commend and celebrate the observance of Diwali and extend their warmest wishes to all those celebrating this joyous occasion. 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 formally commends and celebrates the observance of Diwali, recognizing its cultural, spiritual, and community significance across the state. ### Plain-language summary This resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives honors Diwali, the Festival of Lights celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, and others around the world. It describes Diwali's symbolism of light overcoming darkness and good overcoming evil, and notes the customs of lighting lamps, sharing meals, and exchanging gifts. The resolution states that the House commends and celebrates Diwali and extends warm wishes to everyone observing it. It also directs the Clerk of the House to prepare copies of the resolution for distribution to the public and the press. Resolutions like this one do not change Georgia law; they express the position or sentiment of the chamber. ### What it does - Formally commends and celebrates the observance of Diwali on behalf of the Georgia House of Representatives. - Extends the House's warm wishes to all Georgians and others celebrating Diwali. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make copies of the resolution available to the public and the press. - Contains no statutory changes, funding, or penalties, since it is a ceremonial resolution rather than a law. ### Who it affects Georgians who observe Diwali, including Hindu, Sikh, Jain, and Buddhist communities and the broader South Asian community in the state, along with the general public and press who may receive copies of the resolution from the Clerk's office. ### Why it matters While the resolution carries no legal force, it is an official statement from the Georgia House of Representatives recognizing Diwali's place in the state's cultural life, which can affect how communities feel acknowledged in official state proceedings and public records. ### Key provisions - The preamble ('WHEREAS' clauses) describes Diwali's religious and cultural meaning and its role in Georgia's diversity, but these are explanatory, not operative. - The resolving clause states that House members commend and celebrate Diwali and extend wishes to those celebrating it. - A further resolving clause directs the Clerk of the House to prepare copies for distribution to the public and the press. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-23) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-03-23) - Sponsors: Akbar Ali, Jasmine Clark, Michelle Au, Ruwa Romman, Long Tran - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74403 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1882.md?full=1