--- title: HR 310. Veal, Judge Holly W.; outstanding public service; commend collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr310 cite_as: HR 310, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr310 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr310.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr310/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70535 date: 2025-02-19 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/hr309.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr311.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr310.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 310 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-02-19 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Mary Ann Santos - El-Mahdi Holly - Demetrius Douglas - Robert Flournoy - Noelle Kahaian - Clint Crowe text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR310/2025 upstream_id: 1976263 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - judicial recognition - Henry County courts - commendation resolution - Georgia legal system --- # HR 310. Veal, Judge Holly W.; outstanding public service; commend ## Text House Resolution 310 By: Representatives Santos of the 117th, Holly of the 116th, Douglas of the 78th, Flournoy of the 74th, Kahaian of the 81st, and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending Judge Holly W. Veal on her outstanding public service; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Judge Holly W. Veal has long been recognized by the citizens of this state for the vital role that she has played in leadership and her deep personal commitment to the welfare of the citizens of Georgia; and WHEREAS, she has diligently and conscientiously devoted innumerable hours of her time, talents, and energy toward the betterment of her community and state, as evidenced dramatically by her superlative service with the Superior Court of Henry County; and WHEREAS, Judge Veal is a trailblazer in the legal profession, serving as the first Guyanese/African American as well as the first woman to hold a judgeship in the Superior Court of Henry County; and WHEREAS, throughout her distinguished career, she has been recognized by her peers and colleagues for her exemplary advocacy, having argued cases before the Supreme Court of Georgia, and her dedication to ethical standards in the legal profession is reflected in her service on the Formal Advisory Opinion Board through the State Bar of Georgia; and WHEREAS, Judge Veal has further demonstrated a steadfast commitment to reform and rehabilitation through her oversight of the Henry County Adult Felony Drug Court Program, championing initiatives that provide opportunities for drug offenders to reintegrate into society and pursue paths to recovery; and WHEREAS, outside the courtroom, she remains deeply engaged in her community and serves on the Board of Directors for the Hands of Hope Clinic; and WHEREAS, as additional testament to her excellent service, she was previously honored by the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers for her leadership as chair of the Debra Blum Mental Health Committee; and WHEREAS, with her steadfast dedication to justice and the proper administration of the law, Judge Holly W. Veal continues to inspire and lead, and it is abundantly fitting and proper that she be appropriately honored. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body recognize and commend Judge Holly W. Veal for her efficient, effective, unselfish, and dedicated public service to the State of Georgia and extend their most sincere best wishes for continued health and happiness. 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 Judge Holly W. Veal. ## 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 Judge Holly W. Veal of the Superior Court of Henry County for her public service and legal career achievements. ### Plain-language summary This resolution is a ceremonial statement from the Georgia House of Representatives honoring Judge Holly W. Veal. It recounts her career on the Superior Court of Henry County, where she became the first Guyanese/African American and the first woman to serve as a judge on that court. It notes her advocacy before the Supreme Court of Georgia, her service on the State Bar of Georgia's Formal Advisory Opinion Board, and her oversight of the Henry County Adult Felony Drug Court Program. The resolution also mentions her community involvement, including service on the Board of Directors for the Hands of Hope Clinic and past recognition from the Georgia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. It does not change any law; it directs the Clerk of the House to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to Judge Veal. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and commends Judge Holly W. Veal for her public service to the State of Georgia. - States factual claims about her career, including being the first Guyanese/African American and first woman judge on the Superior Court of Henry County. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to Judge Veal. - Creates no new law, funding, or penalty; it is a ceremonial statement of the House's position. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names Judge Holly W. Veal of the Superior Court of Henry County. It has no legal effect on other Georgians, agencies, or businesses; it is a symbolic honor passed by the House of Representatives. ### Why it matters This resolution carries no legal or financial consequence for Georgians. Its significance is symbolic: it is an official public record of the House of Representatives recognizing a sitting judge's career and community contributions. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses describe Judge Veal's service on the Superior Court of Henry County and her status as the first Guyanese/African American and first woman judge there. - The whereas clauses note her advocacy before the Supreme Court of Georgia and service on the State Bar of Georgia's Formal Advisory Opinion Board. - The whereas clauses cite her oversight of the Henry County Adult Felony Drug Court Program and her community service with the Hands of Hope Clinic. - The resolved clause has the House commend Judge Veal and extend well wishes. - The final clause directs the Clerk of the House to make a copy available for distribution to Judge Veal. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-02-19) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-02-19) - Sponsors: Mary Ann Santos, El-Mahdi Holly, Demetrius Douglas, Robert Flournoy, Noelle Kahaian, Clint Crowe - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70535 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr310.md?full=1