---
title: HR 319. Reach Out and Read Day at the state capitol; February 19, 2025; recognize the power of reading to young children every day; recognize
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr319
cite_as: HR 319, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr319
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr319.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr319/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70545
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/hr318.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr320.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 131
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr319.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 319
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:
  - Kim Schofield
  - Matt Dubnik
  - Carmen Rice
  - Viola Davis
  - Sandra Scott
  - Rhonda Burnough
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR319/2025
upstream_id: 1976304
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - early literacy
  - pediatric health
  - children's books
  - state capitol recognition
---

# HR 319. Reach Out and Read Day at the state capitol; February 19, 2025; recognize the power of reading to young children every day; recognize

## Text

House Resolution 319
By: Representatives Schofield of the 63rd, Dubnik of the 29th, Rice of the 139th, Davis of the
87th, Scott of the 76th, and others
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing February 19, 2025, as Reach Out and Read Day at the state capitol to recognize
the power of reading to young children every day; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, Reach Out and Read's early literacy intervention began in 1989 at Boston
Medical Center and has expanded to 50 states, serving 5.7 million families today. Georgia's
affiliate office launched in 2012 and now serves 194,258 children and families in 81 counties
at 208 hospitals, pediatric practices, clinics, and home visiting program sites with 108
medical sites that have applications in progress to become Reach Out and Read sites; and
WHEREAS, over 1,000 medical providers and staff have been trained in the evidence based
early literacy intervention program of Reach Out and Read Georgia, offering each child an
opportunity to be read to and to learn to read; and
WHEREAS, Reach Out and Read has trained 36,000 pediatricians and medical providers
who prescribe reading as a daily activity during wellness checkups; and
WHEREAS, over the past 12 months, 388,516 well child checkups (engaging approximately
194,258 children and families) were conducted across Georgia with pediatricians and
providers implementing the Reach Out and Read program; and
WHEREAS, in that same time, 289,422 new children's books were distributed through the
program's pediatric network to children aged five years old and younger; and
WHEREAS, since the program's inception, over 2.7 million new children's books have been
given to young children in Georgia by pediatric providers beginning at the very first newborn
visit through a child's fifth birthday, and children in the program demonstrate a six-month
developmental edge compared to children not enrolled in the program when arriving at
kindergarten; and
WHEREAS, Reach Out and Read is the only early literacy intervention endorsed by the
American Academy of Pediatrics and has the most extensive body of research supporting the
efficacy of the program model with 26 studies supporting its work; and
WHEREAS, pediatricians prescribe reading as a daily activity and parents take these
prescriptions to heart, increasing social and emotional bonds with their children while
increasing their exposure to positive interactions and creating special, meaningful moments;
and
WHEREAS, positive emotional bonding between a parent and child has been demonstrated
to help mitigate the damaging effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES); and
WHEREAS, pediatric offices implementing Reach Out and Read have cited an increase in
wellness visit compliance during the earliest years of life, a time when most immunizations
occur; and
WHEREAS, Reach Out and Read has the ability to serve as the intersection of education and
healthcare, offering unprecedented access to the pediatric community, children, and families;
and
WHEREAS, Reach Out and Read Georgia will provide quality, diverse, and developmentally
and linguistically appropriate books in 30 languages to medical sites across Georgia; and
WHEREAS, 1,500 medical providers and staff implement the Reach Out and Read Georgia
program every day across the state, offering each child an opportunity to be read to and to
learn to read; and
WHEREAS, medical providers prescribe reading at every wellness visit beginning at birth
through age five.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body commend the efforts of Reach Out and Read to give young
children a foundation for success by incorporating books into the existing pediatric care
infrastructure, encourage families in Georgia to read aloud together each and every day, and
recognize February 19, 2025, as Reach Out and Read Day at the state capitol.
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 Reach
Out and Read Georgia.

## 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 19, 2025 as Reach Out and Read Day at the state capitol, honoring a pediatric early literacy program that distributes books to young children statewide.

### Plain-language summary

This resolution does not change any Georgia law. It is a ceremonial statement from the House of Representatives honoring Reach Out and Read Georgia, a program that trains pediatricians and medical staff to give books to children and encourage parents to read aloud during wellness checkups from birth through age five.
The resolution cites the program's reach, including service to over 194,000 children and families across 81 counties and distribution of hundreds of thousands of books each year, and notes research suggesting children in the program show a developmental edge entering kindergarten. It commends the program's efforts, encourages Georgia families to read together daily, and designates February 19, 2025 as Reach Out and Read Day at the state capitol. It also directs the Clerk of the House to send a copy of the resolution to Reach Out and Read Georgia.

### What it does

- Declares February 19, 2025 as Reach Out and Read Day at the Georgia state capitol.
- Commends Reach Out and Read Georgia for integrating book distribution into pediatric care visits.
- Encourages Georgia families to read aloud together every day.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to send a copy of the resolution to Reach Out and Read Georgia.

### Who it affects

The resolution primarily recognizes Reach Out and Read Georgia, its network of pediatricians and medical providers, and the families and young children who take part in the program at hospitals, clinics, and pediatric practices across the state.

### Why it matters

While the resolution creates no new funding, requirement, or legal change, it gives formal legislative recognition to a pediatric literacy program, which can raise public awareness of early reading and the program's work with families and medical providers across Georgia.

### Key provisions

- The resolution's whereas clauses describe the program's scope, including 194,258 children and families served in 81 counties and over 2.7 million books distributed since its 2012 Georgia launch.
- The operative resolving clause commends Reach Out and Read, encourages daily family reading, and designates February 19, 2025 as Reach Out and Read Day at the capitol.
- A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House to provide a copy of the resolution to Reach Out and Read Georgia.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2025-02-19)
- Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-02-19)
- Sponsors: Kim Schofield, Matt Dubnik, Carmen Rice, Viola Davis, Sandra Scott, Rhonda Burnough
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70545

> The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr319.md?full=1