--- title: HR 510. Rathbun, Bob; induction into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame; commend collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr510 cite_as: HR 510, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr510 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr510.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr510/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71178 date: 2025-03-04 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-12 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/hr509.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr511.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr510.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 510 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-03-04 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Long Tran - Shea Roberts - Karen Lupton - Esther Panitch - Phil Olaleye text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR510/2025 upstream_id: 1991489 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - Georgia Sports Hall of Fame - Atlanta Hawks - sports broadcasting - legislative commendation --- # HR 510. Rathbun, Bob; induction into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame; commend ## Text House Resolution 510 By: Representatives Tran of the 80th, Roberts of the 52nd, Lupton of the 83rd, Panitch of the 51st, and Olaleye of the 59th A RESOLUTION Congratulating Bob Rathbun upon his induction into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Bob Rathbun, a veteran sportscaster and one of the most distinguished voices in basketball broadcasting, has been inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of his remarkable career and lasting impact on sports media; and WHEREAS, entering his 28th season as the play-by-play announcer for the Atlanta Hawks, he holds the distinction of being the longest-tenured television play-by-play announcer in the franchise's history; and WHEREAS, throughout his exemplary career, he has provided outstanding play-by-play commentary for collegiate sports on CBS, ABC, and ESPN as well as NBA coverage on TNT and NBA TV; and WHEREAS, his versatility and experience extends to the WNBA, where he served as the play-by-play announcer for the Atlanta Dream for ten seasons; and WHEREAS, his excellence in sports broadcasting has been recognized with numerous accolades, including 12 Regional Emmy Awards and eight Sportscaster of the Year honors, and in 2012, he was named the Georgia Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association; and WHEREAS, he has further earned a Distinguished Service Award from the ACC, induction into the Hampton Roads Sports Media Hall of Fame, and enshrinement in the Catawba College Sports Hall of Fame; and WHEREAS, the induction of Bob Rathbun into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame serves as a well-deserved tribute to his professionalism, expertise, and enduring influence on the world of sports broadcasting. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body congratulate Bob Rathbun upon his induction into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame and extend best wishes for future health, happiness, 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 Bob Rathbun. ## 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 longtime Atlanta Hawks announcer Bob Rathbun on his induction into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. ### Plain-language summary This resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives honors sportscaster Bob Rathbun after his induction into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. It lists his career highlights, including nearly three decades as the Atlanta Hawks play-by-play announcer, national broadcasting work for CBS, ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV, and a decade calling games for the WNBA's Atlanta Dream. The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It simply states the House's congratulations and best wishes to Rathbun, and directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for him. ### What it does - Formally congratulates Bob Rathbun on his induction into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame on behalf of the Georgia House of Representatives. - Recites his broadcasting career, including 28 seasons with the Atlanta Hawks and ten seasons with the Atlanta Dream. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and send a copy of the resolution to Bob Rathbun. - Extends best wishes for his future health, happiness, and success but creates no legal obligations or funding. ### Who it affects This resolution primarily affects Bob Rathbun, who is honored by name, and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, who is directed to prepare a copy for him. It has no broader effect on Georgia residents, agencies, or businesses. ### Why it matters The resolution is a ceremonial gesture with no practical legal effect on Georgians. Its significance is symbolic: it formally records the Georgia House's recognition of a well-known sports broadcaster's career achievements. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses detail Rathbun's career, including his tenure with the Atlanta Hawks, national broadcasting credits, and awards such as 12 Regional Emmy Awards. - The resolving clause formally congratulates Rathbun on his Hall of Fame induction and wishes him future success. - A further resolution clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to provide a copy of the resolution to Rathbun. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-03-04) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-03-04) - Sponsors: Long Tran, Shea Roberts, Karen Lupton, Esther Panitch, Phil Olaleye - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71178 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr510.md?full=1