--- title: HR 316. Effingham County Day at the capitol; 2/10/25; Effingham County Chamber of Commerce; recognize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr316 cite_as: HR 316, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr316 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr316.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr316/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70542 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/hr315.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr317.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr316.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 316 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: - Bill Hitchens - Jon Burns text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR316/2025 upstream_id: 1976298 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - Effingham County - chamber of commerce - legislative recognition - economic development --- # HR 316. Effingham County Day at the capitol; 2/10/25; Effingham County Chamber of Commerce; recognize ## Text House Resolution 316 By: Representatives Hitchens of the 161st and Burns of the 159th A RESOLUTION Recognizing February 10, 2025, as Effingham County Day at the capitol and saluting the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Effingham County borders on the Savannah River; includes three incorporated municipalities: Rincon, Springfield, and Guyton; has several smaller communities, including Meldrim, Faulkville, Pineora, Stillwell, Egypt, Clyo, Ebenezer, and Shawnee; and is widely recognized for its outstanding quality of life; and WHEREAS, with a shared vision for growth and prosperity, Effingham County has greatly increased collaboration among its municipalities, the County Commission, and key community stakeholders in order to position itself as the future of the Coastal Empire; and WHEREAS, Effingham County has further partnered with local schools, Savannah Technical College, and other educational institutions to enhance workforce development and provide students with opportunities to engage with growing industries; and WHEREAS, entities such as the Effingham County Health System ensure that access to high quality health care remains a cornerstone of the community, and the county's investments in vital infrastructure serve to bolster its growth and resilience; and WHEREAS, founded in 1986 to support existing businesses and attract new industry, the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce has long worked to ensure the county's economic strength and well-being through its mission of operating as a member-driven organization "focused on business advocacy and sustainable economic growth" in the region; and WHEREAS, for a number of years, the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority, has sponsored Effingham Day at the Georgia State Capitol, providing a platform for engagement with state leaders and legislators; and WHEREAS, through their tireless efforts and steadfast commitment, Speaker Jon Burns, Senator Billy Hickman, and Representative Bill Hitchens have played a vital role in advancing Effingham County's legislative priorities, ensuring its continued economic and infrastructural development; and WHEREAS, Effingham County Day will once again be observed on February 10, 2025, continuing its tradition of strengthening ties between county leadership and the State of Georgia under the leadership of its CEO, Susan Kraut, and Chair, Kim Iler. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body recognize February 10, 2025, as Effingham County Day at the capitol and extend to the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce their commendation for the chamber's many important contributions to the Effingham County community and the State of Georgia. 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 Susan Kraut, CEO of the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce. ## 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 recognizes February 10, 2025 as Effingham County Day at the capitol and commends the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce for its work in the community. ### Plain-language summary This resolution is a ceremonial statement from the Georgia House of Representatives rather than a change to state law. It recognizes February 10, 2025 as Effingham County Day at the capitol, an annual event sponsored by the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce and the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority that brings county leaders to meet with state legislators. The resolution praises Effingham County's growth, its partnerships with local schools and Savannah Technical College on workforce development, its health care system, and infrastructure investments. It also thanks Speaker Jon Burns, Senator Billy Hickman, and Representative Bill Hitchens for supporting the county's legislative priorities. The House directs its Clerk to send a copy of the resolution to Susan Kraut, the chamber's CEO. ### What it does - Formally designates February 10, 2025 as Effingham County Day at the capitol in the Georgia House of Representatives. - Commends the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce for its role in the county's economic development and community life. - Directs the Clerk of the House to prepare and send a copy of the resolution to the chamber's CEO, Susan Kraut. - Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement; it is a symbolic statement rather than a binding policy change. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce, its CEO Susan Kraut and Chair Kim Iler, and local elected officials including Speaker Jon Burns, Senator Billy Hickman, and Representative Bill Hitchens. It has no legal effect on the general public. ### Why it matters Because this is a ceremonial resolution, it does not change any Georgia law, create funding, or impose requirements. Its main effect is a public, official acknowledgment of Effingham County's chamber of commerce and its annual advocacy day at the state capitol. ### Key provisions - The resolving clause recognizes February 10, 2025 as Effingham County Day at the capitol and commends the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce. - A further resolution directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to send a copy of the document to Susan Kraut, the chamber's CEO. - The whereas clauses describe the county's geography, municipalities, economic partnerships, health care system, and the chamber's history since its 1986 founding, but carry no legal force. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-02-19) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-02-19) - Sponsors: Bill Hitchens, Jon Burns - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70542 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr316.md?full=1