--- title: HR 2097. Center for Employment Opportunities Atlanta; commend collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr2097 cite_as: HR 2097, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2097 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2097.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2097/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74710 date: 2026-04-02 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/hr2096.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2098.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 134 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2097.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 2097 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-04-02 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Patty Stinson - Phil Olaleye - Derrick Jackson - Robert Dawson - Robert Flournoy text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR2097/2025 upstream_id: 2140994 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - reentry programs - workforce development - criminal justice - Atlanta nonprofits --- # HR 2097. Center for Employment Opportunities Atlanta; commend ## Text House Resolution 2097 By: Representatives Stinson of the 150th, Olaleye of the 59th, Jackson of the 68th, Dawson of the 65th, and Flournoy of the 74th A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending the Center for Employment Opportunities Atlanta; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, established in August 2021 through partnerships with the GreenLight Fund and Georgia's Department of Human Services, the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) Atlanta provides comprehensive workforce development services to individuals returning home from incarceration; and WHEREAS, CEO Atlanta ensures that returning citizens have access to economic and social mobility through job readiness training, transitional employment, advanced training and certificates, job coaching and placement, and retention services; and WHEREAS, the 143 individuals who CEO served in Fiscal Year 2025 participated in immediate work experience and daily pay, with CEO paying out more than $325,000 in transitional job wages and helping 61 individuals secure full time employment upon completing the program at an average wage of $18.56 an hour; and WHEREAS, CEO's program model has been evaluated to increase both public safety and employment outcomes, with findings showing a 22 percent reduction in recidivism and 48 percent increase in employment after three years; and WHEREAS, CEO Atlanta works closely with community partners at the local and state levels, including the Department of Community Services, the Fulton County Jail, the Gateway Center, the Atlanta Hawks, the Atlanta Department of Public Works, and more; and WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that this exemplary organization be appropriately honored during this special time. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body recognize and commend the Center for Employment Opportunities Atlanta for its many outstanding contributions on behalf of the citizens of this state and extend best wishes for continued success. 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 Center for Employment Opportunities Atlanta. ## 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 the Center for Employment Opportunities Atlanta for its work helping people returning from incarceration find jobs and rebuild their lives. ### Plain-language summary This resolution does not change any Georgia law. It is a ceremonial statement from the House of Representatives recognizing the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) Atlanta, an organization launched in August 2021 through partnerships with the GreenLight Fund and Georgia's Department of Human Services that helps people leaving incarceration find work. The resolution cites the group's results, including transitional job wages paid to participants, people placed in full time jobs, and studies showing reduced repeat offending and increased employment among people who complete the program. The House resolves to commend CEO Atlanta and directs the Clerk of the House to send the organization an official copy of the resolution as a form of recognition. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and commends the Center for Employment Opportunities Atlanta for its workforce development work with returning citizens. - States the House's support and best wishes for the organization's continued success, without creating any new law or funding. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute an official copy of the resolution to the organization. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names the Center for Employment Opportunities Atlanta, which receives the formal recognition. It also references people returning from incarceration who use the organization's job training and placement services, along with partner groups like Fulton County Jail, the Gateway Center, and the Atlanta Hawks. ### Why it matters The resolution carries no legal or funding effect but serves as an official public acknowledgment from the Georgia House of Representatives of an organization's work helping formerly incarcerated Georgians find stable employment, which can raise the group's public profile. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses describe CEO Atlanta's founding in 2021 and its services, including job readiness training, transitional employment, and job placement for returning citizens. - The whereas clauses cite Fiscal Year 2025 outcomes: 143 individuals served, more than $325,000 paid in transitional job wages, and 61 people placed in full time jobs averaging $18.56 an hour. - The resolution notes program evaluations showing a 22 percent reduction in recidivism and a 48 percent increase in employment after three years. - The resolving clause formally commends CEO Atlanta on behalf of the House of Representatives. - The final clause directs the Clerk of the House to distribute a copy of the resolution to the organization. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-04-02) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2026-04-02) - Sponsors: Patty Stinson, Phil Olaleye, Derrick Jackson, Robert Dawson, Robert Flournoy - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74710 > The history, votes, and amendments (134 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr2097.md?full=1