--- title: HR 1984. Laremont, Dr. Benjamin; honoring life, legacy, and service; condolences; Dr. Benjamin Laremont Day; designate October18, 2026 collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr1984 cite_as: HR 1984, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1984 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1984.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1984/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74555 date: 2026-03-27 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/hr1983.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1985.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1984.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 1984 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-27 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Eric Bell - Park Cannon - Jasmine Clark - Anissa Jones - Michelle Au text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1984/2025 upstream_id: 2139152 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - commemorative resolution - Georgia House of Representatives - Duluth Georgia - medical history --- # HR 1984. Laremont, Dr. Benjamin; honoring life, legacy, and service; condolences; Dr. Benjamin Laremont Day; designate October18, 2026 ## Text House Resolution 1984 By: Representatives Bell of the 75th, Cannon of the 58th, Clark of the 108th, Jones of the 143rd, and Au of the 50th A RESOLUTION Recognizing and honoring the life, legacy, and service of Dr. Benjamin Laremont and designating October 18, 2026, as Dr. Benjamin Laremont Day; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Dr. Benjamin Laremont was a pioneering physician, devoted family man, and compassionate servant whose life's work embodied excellence, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to the well-being of others; and WHEREAS, born in Panama as one of twelve children, Dr. Laremont was raised in a household rooted in discipline, unity, and perseverance, the son of a father who contributed to the construction of the historic Panama Canal and a mother whose strength and grace sustained their family; and WHEREAS, as an immigrant to the United States, Dr. Laremont pursued higher education with determination, attending Meharry Medical College, an institution renowned for producing physicians dedicated to advancing health equity and serving underserved communities; and WHEREAS, Dr. Laremont made history in Peoria, Illinois, as the first Black doctor at Peoria Methodist Medical Center, breaking barriers and opening doors for future generations of medical professionals through both his excellence and courage; and WHEREAS, he answered the call to serve his country as a physician in the United States military, where he was stationed in Virginia and met his beloved wife and partner in purpose, Dr. Sylvia Laremont, with whom he shared a lifelong commitment to healing and service; and WHEREAS, together, Dr. Benjamin and Dr. Sylvia Laremont exemplified the highest ideals of partnership and dedication, using their medical practice as a ministry to serve countless individuals and families; and WHEREAS, upon relocating to the State of Georgia, Dr. Laremont established a trusted medical practice in Duluth, where he became a physician to thousands, caring for patients across generations and backgrounds, and earning deep respect for his compassion, accessibility, and tireless work ethic; and WHEREAS, Dr. Laremont extended his service across numerous communities, including his work at DeKalb County Jail, nursing homes, hospitals, and clinics throughout Covington, Athens, and beyond, always ensuring that quality care reached those in need; and WHEREAS, even while facing the challenges of Parkinson's disease, Dr. Laremont continued to demonstrate extraordinary strength, dedication, and perseverance until his retirement in 2021, leaving behind a legacy defined not only by medical excellence but by humanity and love; and WHEREAS, a faithful member of Beulah Missionary Baptist Church, Dr. Laremont lived a life grounded in faith, service, and community, touching lives both inside and outside the walls of the church; and WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that the extraordinary life and legacy of Dr. Benjamin Laremont be recognized and commemorated, and that his contributions to medicine, community service, and the State of Georgia be forever remembered. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body honor the remarkable life and legacy of Dr. Benjamin Laremont and commend his enduring contributions to the fields of medicine, public service, and community uplift. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of this body recognize October 18, 2026, as Dr. Benjamin Laremont Day. 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 Dr. Benjamin Laremont. ## 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 and medical career of Dr. Benjamin Laremont, a longtime Duluth physician, and designates October 18, 2026 as Dr. Benjamin Laremont Day. ### Plain-language summary This is a commemorative resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives, not a change to state law. It recounts the life of Dr. Benjamin Laremont, who was born in Panama, trained at Meharry Medical College, became the first Black doctor at Peoria Methodist Medical Center, served as a military physician, and later established a medical practice in Duluth, Georgia, treating patients across DeKalb County jails, nursing homes, hospitals, and clinics until his retirement in 2021. The resolution formally states that the House honors his life and legacy and designates October 18, 2026 as Dr. Benjamin Laremont Day. It also directs the Clerk of the House to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to his family. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and commends the life, medical career, and community service of Dr. Benjamin Laremont. - Designates October 18, 2026 as Dr. Benjamin Laremont Day in Georgia. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Dr. Laremont's family. - Does not create any new law, funding, or ongoing legal obligation, as resolutions of this type are symbolic and do not amend the Georgia Code. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names Dr. Benjamin Laremont and his family, including his wife Dr. Sylvia Laremont. It also references Meharry Medical College, Peoria Methodist Medical Center, DeKalb County Jail, and Beulah Missionary Baptist Church as institutions connected to his life and service. ### Why it matters The resolution has no legal effect on Georgians generally; it is a formal statement of recognition. Its practical effect is limited to designating a commemorative day and providing an official record and keepsake copy for Dr. Laremont's family. ### Key provisions - The resolved clauses honor Dr. Laremont's life and legacy and commend his contributions to medicine, public service, and community uplift. - The resolution designates October 18, 2026 as Dr. Benjamin Laremont Day. - The Clerk of the House is directed to make a copy of the resolution available for distribution to Dr. Laremont's family. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-27) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-03-27) - Sponsors: Eric Bell, Park Cannon, Jasmine Clark, Anissa Jones, Michelle Au - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74555 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1984.md?full=1