--- title: HR 423. Hunter, Ernestine; commend collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr423 cite_as: HR 423, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr423 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr423.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr423/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70887 date: 2025-02-26 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/hr422.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr424.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr423.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 423 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-02-26 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Jon Burns - Bill Hitchens text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR423/2025 upstream_id: 1986206 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - commendation resolution - education history - Effingham County - Georgia centenarians --- # HR 423. Hunter, Ernestine; commend ## Text House Resolution 423 By: Representatives Burns of the 159th and Hitchens of the 161st A RESOLUTION Congratulating Ernestine Hunter; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, this year, Ernestine Hunter will enjoy the rare distinction of celebrating her 100th birthday, entering the exclusive club of Georgia's centenarians; and WHEREAS, Ernestine Hunter began her remarkable 42 year teaching career in 1942 at just 17 years old, serving as the only teacher in a one-room schoolhouse that educated children aged 5 to 17; and WHEREAS, she played a vital role in the education of Black students in Effingham County during a time when high school education was largely inaccessible to them as they were required to travel to Savannah or Statesboro until the establishment of Springfield Central High School and Elementary School in 1956; and WHEREAS, Ernestine Hunter demonstrated steadfast dedication to her students, adhering to a regimented class schedule that included math, reading, English, spelling, and health while also providing needed guidance and discipline; and WHEREAS, she taught thousands of students across many schools in Effingham County, including Union Springs and Clyo, before concluding her distinguished career at Marlow Elementary School in 1984; and WHEREAS, Ernestine Hunter possesses the vast wisdom which only comes through experience and the strength of character which is achieved through overcoming the many challenges of life; and WHEREAS, she has witnessed a dramatic change in the world over the course of her lifetime, and we salute her contribution to its progress by her own hard work, good citizenship, and commitment to the youth of this state; and WHEREAS, by the example Ernestine Hunter has made of her life, she makes this world a better place in which to live, and it is only fitting and proper that she be appropriately recognized during this very special and memorable time. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body congratulate Ernestine Hunter upon the remarkable occasion of her 100th birthday and extend the 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 Ernestine Hunter. ## 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 congratulates Effingham County educator Ernestine Hunter on her 100th birthday and her 42 year teaching career. ### Plain-language summary This is a commendation resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives honoring Ernestine Hunter as she turns 100 years old. It recounts her 42 year career as a teacher, which began in 1942 when she was 17 and taught alone in a one room schoolhouse for children ages 5 to 17 in Effingham County. The resolution notes she taught Black students at a time when local high school education was hard to reach, and that she worked at schools including Union Springs, Clyo, and Marlow Elementary School, where she retired in 1984. The resolution does not change any Georgia law; it formally congratulates Hunter and directs the Clerk of the House to prepare a copy of the resolution for her. ### What it does - Formally congratulates Ernestine Hunter on turning 100 years old and recounts her 42 year teaching career in Effingham County. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute an official copy of the resolution to Hunter. - Creates no new law, funding, or penalty since it is a ceremonial commendation resolution. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names and honors Ernestine Hunter, a retired Effingham County teacher. It also involves the Clerk of the House of Representatives, who is tasked with preparing a copy of the resolution for her. ### Why it matters The resolution has no legal or financial effect on Georgians; it is a formal, symbolic honor. Its significance is personal and civic, recognizing a longtime educator's decades of service to students in Effingham County as she reaches her 100th birthday. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses describe Hunter's 42 year teaching career, starting in 1942 in a one room schoolhouse and ending at Marlow Elementary School in 1984. - The resolved clause has the House of Representatives congratulate Hunter on her 100th birthday and wish her continued health and happiness. - The final clause directs the Clerk of the House to make a copy of the resolution available for distribution to Hunter. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-02-26) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-02-26) - Sponsors: Jon Burns, Bill Hitchens - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70887 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr423.md?full=1