--- title: HR 2056. Melton, Sheriff Mark; commend collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr2056 cite_as: HR 2056, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2056 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2056.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2056/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74641 date: 2026-03-31 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/hr2055.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2057.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 134 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2056.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 2056 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-31 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - William Werkheiser - Steven Meeks text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR2056/2025 upstream_id: 2140234 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - law enforcement recognition - Appling County - sheriffs - ceremonial resolution --- # HR 2056. Melton, Sheriff Mark; commend ## Text House Resolution 2056 By: Representatives Werkheiser of the 157th and Meeks of the 178th A RESOLUTION Commending Sheriff Mark Melton; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Sheriff Mark Melton has served with honor and distinction as Sheriff of Appling County, Georgia, since January 1, 2017; and WHEREAS, Sheriff Melton graduated from Valdosta State University in 1985 with a degree in Criminal Justice and began his law enforcement career with the Department of Corrections as a State Probation Officer; and WHEREAS, throughout his career he held prestigious roles such as Office Manager, Compliance and Training Coordinator, Field Training Officer, Statewide Program Coordinator for all Specialized Probation Supervision, and Investigator; and WHEREAS, Sheriff Melton was also a team leader in an undercover capacity during the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games held in Atlanta as well as was on the security detail for the G8 Presidential Summit in Savannah, Georgia; and WHEREAS, he is an honest and dedicated public servant who strives for excellence in all of his endeavors and whose primary concern is the welfare and safety of the citizens of Appling County; and WHEREAS, Sheriff Melton selflessly devotes innumerable hours of his time and talents to educating future generations of law enforcement officials; and WHEREAS, he has taught thousands of hours for various law enforcement agencies across the state as well as serves as a Criminal Justice Instructor for Altamaha Technical College and an instructor with the District Attorney's Office; and WHEREAS, he is highly regarded by the citizens of his community and by state and local government officials as a man of unquestioned integrity and dedication to the administration of justice and sound principles of law enforcement; and WHEREAS, this spirited law enforcement professional has exhibited extraordinary devotion to duty, outstanding loyalty, fine leadership, and meticulous attention to detail in all of his duties; and WHEREAS, his inspiring commitment to the welfare of others is an outstanding example of the positive effect law enforcement professionals have on the lives and well-being of others; and WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that gratitude is expressed for the unique and often unheralded contributions of local law enforcement professionals on behalf of the citizens of this state. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body commend the care, courage, sympathy, and selfless dedication exhibited by Sheriff Mark Melton in carrying out the difficult duties of his vocation and express their utmost appreciation for having so purely and truly defined for others the meaning of public servant. 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 Sheriff Mark Melton. ## 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 Appling County Sheriff Mark Melton for his decades of service in law enforcement and public safety. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives honoring Sheriff Mark Melton of Appling County. It recounts his background, including his 1985 criminal justice degree from Valdosta State University, his early career as a state probation officer, and various roles he held afterward. It also notes his service during the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games security operations and the G8 Presidential Summit in Savannah, as well as his work training future law enforcement officers. The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It simply states the House's appreciation for Melton's service and directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to him. ### What it does - Formally commends Sheriff Mark Melton of Appling County for his service in law enforcement since 2017. - Recounts his career history, education, and notable law enforcement assignments as part of the official record. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Sheriff Melton. - Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement; it is a symbolic honor only. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names and honors Sheriff Mark Melton of Appling County, Georgia. It has no regulatory effect on other individuals, agencies, or the public, since it is a ceremonial statement rather than a change in law. ### Why it matters This resolution has no practical legal effect on Georgians; it does not create rules, spend money, or change any statute. Its significance is purely ceremonial, recognizing an individual public servant's career in the official record of the Georgia House of Representatives. ### Key provisions - The resolution's preamble ('WHEREAS' clauses) recounts Sheriff Melton's education, career history, and notable law enforcement service. - The resolved clause has the House of Representatives commend Melton's dedication and service as sheriff. - A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to provide a copy of the resolution to Sheriff Melton. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-31) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-03-31) - Sponsors: William Werkheiser, Steven Meeks - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74641 > The history, votes, and amendments (134 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2056.md?full=1