--- title: HR 196. Omega Day at the state capitol; February 11, 2025; recognize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr196 cite_as: HR 196, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr196 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr196.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr196/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70046 date: 2025-02-06 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/hr195.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr197.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr196.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 196 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-02-06 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Omari Crawford - David Sampson - Floyd Griffin - Teddy Reese - Inga Willis - Edna Jackson text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR196/2025 upstream_id: 1961040 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - ceremonial resolution - Omega Psi Phi Fraternity - state capitol recognition - historically Black organizations - Georgia House of Representatives --- # HR 196. Omega Day at the state capitol; February 11, 2025; recognize ## Text House Resolution 196 By: Representatives Crawford of the 89th, Sampson of the 153rd, Griffin of the 149th, Reese of the 140th, Willis of the 55th, and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing February 11, 2025, as Omega Day at the state capitol; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. was founded on November 17, 1911, on the campus of Howard University, making it the first international fraternal organization founded at a Historically Black College or University; and WHEREAS, the fraternity has four founders—three undergraduate students—Edgar Amos Love, Oscar James Cooper, and Frank Coleman, along with their faculty advisor, Ernest Everett Just; and WHEREAS, the fraternity has four cardinal principles, which are Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance, and Uplift; and WHEREAS, the name Omega Psi Phi was derived from the initials of the Greek phrase meaning "friendship is essential to the soul," which was selected as the fraternity's motto; and WHEREAS, there are over 250,000 members globally and over 750 chapters throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Korea, Japan, China, Ghana, United Kingdom, Bahamas, and Dominican Republic; and WHEREAS, the Georgia State Organization was established in 1963 and is composed of over 10,000 members and 46 chapters; it provides service in 40 counties throughout the State of Georgia and 16 colleges and universities including Historically Black Colleges and Universities; and WHEREAS, the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. International Headquarters is located in DeKalb County, Georgia; and WHEREAS, the fraternity has 12 mandated programs consisting of fatherhood training and youth mentoring, supporting STEM, providing scholarships to high schools seniors and college students, conducting talent hunts to showcase their talents through the arts, facilitating career development workshops, promoting medical and health awareness, and other civic programs including voter registration, education, and mobilization; and WHEREAS, there are many Omega men recognized for their leadership in various industries nationally and internationally, including: The Honorable Hank Johnson, congressman of Georgia's 4th Congressional District; Dr. M. Brian Blake, president of Georgia State University; Dr. Kevin James, president of Morris Brown College; Sheriff Gregory D. Countryman, sheriff of Muscogee County; Sheriff Craig Owens, sheriff of Cobb County; Fitz Johnson, public service commissioner for District 3; Scott Hamilton, police chief of Austell, Georgia; Omari Crawford, representative of House District 89; David Sampson, representative of House District 153; and former Dean of the House Calvin Smyre, just to name a few. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body commend the State of Georgia Organization Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., for its continued commitment to public service and recognize February 11, 2025, as Omega Day at the state capitol. 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 members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. ## 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 recognizes February 11, 2025, as Omega Day at the state capitol, honoring the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and its Georgia State Organization. ### Plain-language summary This resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives designates February 11, 2025, as Omega Day at the state capitol. It honors the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., a historically Black fraternal organization founded in 1911 at Howard University, and highlights the fraternity's history, principles, and community service programs. The resolution notes the fraternity's Georgia State Organization, established in 1963, which includes over 10,000 members and 46 chapters across 40 counties and 16 colleges and universities in the state. It also lists notable Omega members in Georgia public life. The resolution directs the Clerk of the House to prepare copies for distribution to fraternity members. It does not change any Georgia law; it is a ceremonial statement by the House. ### What it does - Formally designates February 11, 2025, as Omega Day at the Georgia state capitol. - Commends the Georgia State Organization of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. for its public service work. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare copies of the resolution for distribution to fraternity members. - Does not create any new law, funding, or regulatory requirement; it is a symbolic recognition by the House. ### Who it affects The resolution mainly concerns members of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and its Georgia State Organization, including its chapters and affiliated colleges and universities. It also names specific Georgia public officials who are fraternity members, but it does not impose any legal obligation on the public. ### Why it matters The resolution has no legal effect beyond a ceremonial designation, but it gives official recognition from the Georgia House to the fraternity's history and community service, and marks February 11, 2025, as a day of commemoration at the state capitol. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses recount the fraternity's 1911 founding at Howard University and its four founders and cardinal principles. - The whereas clauses describe the Georgia State Organization's 1963 founding, its membership size, and its reach across 40 counties and 16 colleges and universities. - The resolved clause formally recognizes February 11, 2025, as Omega Day at the state capitol and commends the organization's public service. - The final clause directs the Clerk of the House to make copies of the resolution available for distribution to fraternity members. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-02-06) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-02-06) - Sponsors: Omari Crawford, David Sampson, Floyd Griffin, Teddy Reese, Inga Willis, Edna Jackson - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70046 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr196.md?full=1