--- title: HR 48. Great Dane; 125th anniversary of its founding; recognize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr48 cite_as: HR 48, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr48 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr48.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr48/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69486 date: 2025-01-17 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/hr47.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr49.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr48.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 48 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-01-17 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Ron Stephens - Bill Hitchens - Anne Westbrook - Jesse Petrea - Edna Jackson text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR48/2025 upstream_id: 1929298 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - Great Dane - Savannah businesses - commemorative resolutions - trucking industry - Georgia manufacturing --- # HR 48. Great Dane; 125th anniversary of its founding; recognize ## Text House Resolution 48 By: Representatives Stephens of the 164th, Hitchens of the 161st, Westbrook of the 163rd, Petrea of the 166th, and Jackson of the 165th A RESOLUTION Congratulating Great Dane upon the 125th anniversary of its founding; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, this year, Great Dane is celebrating a milestone anniversary that represents over a century of groundbreaking contributions to the transportation sector; and WHEREAS, founded in 1900 as the Savannah Blow Pipe Company, Great Dane adapted to the growing American steel industry and began building flatbed trailers out of necessity to help move products; and WHEREAS, located in Savannah, Georgia, the company was pivotal in the development of the first refrigerated trailers to transport fresh produce from Florida to the Northeastern states; and WHEREAS, Great Dane trailers serve as the backbone of countless industries, reliably moving everything from life-saving medicine to intricate equipment for concerts; and WHEREAS, as additional testament to its dedication to excellence, the company responded to our country's call by providing scores of heavy-duty trailers during World War II, earning the prestigious Army Navy E For Excellence; and WHEREAS, whether introducing industry-first technologies or supporting its customers through innovative, sustainable solutions, Great Dane's teams have met the challenge of each decade with tenacity and innovation, continually shaping the way goods are transported across America and beyond; and WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that the outstanding accomplishments of this extraordinary company be appropriately recognized. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body congratulate Great Dane upon the grand occasion of the 125th anniversary of its founding and extend best wishes for its continued growth, development, and success. 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 Great Dane. ## 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 Great Dane, the Savannah trailer manufacturer, on the 125th anniversary of its founding and celebrates its role in the trucking and transportation industry. ### Plain-language summary This resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives honors Great Dane, a Savannah-based trailer manufacturer, on the 125th anniversary of its founding. The text recounts the company's history, noting it began in 1900 as the Savannah Blow Pipe Company before moving into building flatbed and refrigerated trailers, and highlights its wartime contributions during World War II, when it built heavy-duty trailers and earned the Army Navy E For Excellence award. The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It simply states the House's congratulations to Great Dane and its wishes for the company's continued growth and success, and directs the Clerk of the House to prepare a copy of the resolution for delivery to the company. ### What it does - Formally congratulates Great Dane on the 125th anniversary of its founding on behalf of the Georgia House of Representatives. - Recites the company's history, including its founding in Savannah in 1900 and its wartime production of trailers during World War II. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Great Dane. - Does not create, amend, or repeal any Georgia statute; it has no regulatory or funding effect. ### Who it affects This resolution directly names Great Dane, the Savannah trailer manufacturer, and its employees. It has no legal effect on other businesses, residents, or state agencies beyond the ceremonial recognition and the Clerk's task of delivering a copy. ### Why it matters The resolution carries no legal or regulatory weight and changes nothing about how Great Dane or any other business operates in Georgia. Its significance is purely ceremonial, offering public recognition from the state legislature of a long-running Georgia employer's history and milestones. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses recount Great Dane's founding in 1900 as the Savannah Blow Pipe Company and its shift into building flatbed and refrigerated trailers. - The whereas clauses note the company's contribution of heavy-duty trailers during World War II and its receipt of the Army Navy E For Excellence award. - The resolving clause has the House congratulate Great Dane on its 125th anniversary and wish it continued success. - A final clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make a copy available for distribution to Great Dane. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-01-17) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-01-17) - Sponsors: Ron Stephens, Bill Hitchens, Anne Westbrook, Jesse Petrea, Edna Jackson - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69486 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr48.md?full=1