--- title: HR 1994. Leonard, Madrean Peoples; honoring the life and memory; condolences collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr1994 cite_as: HR 1994, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1994 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1994.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1994/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74565 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/hr1993.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1995.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1994.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 1994 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: - Karlton Howard - L.C. Myles - Brian Prince text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1994/2025 upstream_id: 2139204 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - memorial resolution - Augusta community - Georgia House of Representatives - public service recognition --- # HR 1994. Leonard, Madrean Peoples; honoring the life and memory; condolences ## Text House Resolution 1994 By: Representatives Howard of the 129th, Myles of the 126th, and Prince of the 132nd A RESOLUTION Honoring the life and memory of Madrean Peoples Leonard; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens with the passing of Madrean Peoples Leonard on March 23, 2026; and WHEREAS, Madrean Peoples Leonard was born in Jonesboro, Louisiana, on January 3, 1929, a beloved daughter of Loyal Lee and Lillie Mae Paul Peoples, both of whom encouraged her to pursue her education as well as her personal and professional development; and WHEREAS, she graduated from Shady Grove High School in Saline, Louisiana, at the age of 16 and attended Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, receiving a bachelor's degree in home economics and teaching high school science for two years thereafter; and WHEREAS, following her marriage to Rev. Lessel Leonard in 1952, she devoted 13 years of service to the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, where she supervised 4-H clubs, summer camps, afterschool and school enrichment programs for African American students in Caddo Parish, Louisiana; and WHEREAS, in 1973, she began her exemplary 20-year-long career as a social service specialist for the Richmond County Division of Family and Children Services in the Adult Protective Services Division, during which time she made a positive impact on hundreds of lives in the Augusta community; and WHEREAS, Madrean Peoples Leonard was blessed with three remarkable children, Bonnie, Lester, and Patrick; six wonderful grandchildren; eight outstanding great-grandchildren; and four beloved great-great-grandchildren; and WHEREAS, she gave inspiration to many through her high ideals, morals, and deep concern for her fellow citizens, and the devotion, patience, and understanding she demonstrated to her family and friends were admired by others; and WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous woman, Madrean Peoples Leonard will long be remembered for her love of family, friendship, and community and will be missed by all who had the great fortune of knowing her. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body join in honoring the life and memory of Madrean Peoples Leonard and express their deepest and most sincere regret at her 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 Madrean Peoples Leonard. ## 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 Madrean Peoples Leonard, an Augusta social services specialist who died on March 23, 2026, and offers condolences to her family. ### Plain-language summary This is a memorial resolution passed by the Georgia House of Representatives to recognize the life of Madrean Peoples Leonard, who died on March 23, 2026. The resolution recounts her biography: her birth in Louisiana in 1929, her education at Wiley College, her career teaching high school science, her 13 years supervising 4-H clubs and youth programs for the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, and her 20-year career as a social service specialist in Augusta's Richmond County Division of Family and Children Services. The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It formally expresses the House's regret at her passing and directs the Clerk of the House to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to her family. ### What it does - Formally expresses the Georgia House of Representatives' regret over the death of Madrean Peoples Leonard. - Recites her biography, career, and family as an official tribute entered into the legislative record. - Directs the Clerk of the House to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to her family. - Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory change; it is a ceremonial resolution only. ### Who it affects This resolution directly concerns the family of Madrean Peoples Leonard, including her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren, who will receive the official copy. It has no effect on the general public or Georgia agencies. ### Why it matters The resolution carries no legal or policy effect on Georgians generally. Its significance is symbolic and personal, giving the Leonard family a formal, public acknowledgment from the state legislature of her decades of community and public service work in Augusta. ### Key provisions - The resolving clause states the House joins in honoring her life and memory and expresses regret at her passing. - A further resolving clause directs the Clerk of the House to make a copy available for distribution to her family. - The whereas clauses detail her birth, education, career history, and surviving family members but carry no legal force. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-27) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-03-27) - Sponsors: Karlton Howard, L.C. Myles, Brian Prince - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74565 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1994.md?full=1