Georgia CommonsHR 226: Arnold, Essie Frankie Mae Stegall; condolences
Last action February 10, 2025 · House Read and Adopted
A Georgia House resolution honors the life of Essie Frankie Mae Stegall Arnold, Fairburn's first African American city councilwoman, who died on January 26, 2025.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
This resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives is a formal tribute rather than a change to state law. It recognizes Essie Frankie Mae Stegall Arnold of Fairburn, Georgia, who died on January 26, 2025, and recounts her life: her birth in Newnan in 1930, her decades of church and community service, and her historic role as the first African American city councilwoman of Fairburn, where she served 12 years. The resolution directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy for delivery to her family. It carries no funding, penalties, or changes to the Official Code of Georgia; its only effect is the formal expression of the House's condolences and the distribution of the document to her survivors.
What the bill does
- Formally honors the life and memory of Essie Frankie Mae Stegall Arnold on behalf of the Georgia House of Representatives.
- Expresses the House's sincere regret at her passing.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to her family.
- Creates no new law, funding, or penalties, since it is a commemorative resolution rather than a bill amending the Georgia Code.
Who it affects
The resolution directly names the family of Essie Frankie Mae Stegall Arnold, including her husband, seven children, 22 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. It also reflects recognition of the City of Fairburn and the churches and organizations she served.
Why it matters
The resolution has no legal or financial effect on Georgians generally. Its practical significance is symbolic: it gives Arnold's family an official record of the state legislature's recognition of her decades of civic and community service in Fairburn.
Key provisions
- The whereas clauses recount her biography, including her birth in Newnan in 1930, her church service, and her 12 years on the Fairburn City Council as its first African American councilwoman.
- The resolving clause states that House members join in honoring her life and express regret at her passing.
- A further resolving clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make a copy available to her family.
From the bill
“she made history as the first African American city councilwoman of Fairburn, serving with distinction for 12 years”
“the members of this body join in honoring the life and memory of Essie Frankie Mae Stegall Arnold and express their deepest and most sincere regret at her passing”
Status timeline
- House Read and Adopted (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Lydia Glaize (D, HD-067)
- Derrick Jackson (D, HD-068)
Topics
- Fairburn Georgia
- condolence resolution
- local government history
- House of Representatives tributes