--- title: HR 52. Simmons, Marvin Gary; condolences collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr52 cite_as: HR 52, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr52 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr52.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr52/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69512 date: 2025-01-27 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/hr51.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr53.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr52.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 52 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-01-27 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Trey Kelley - Mitchell Scoggins - Eddie Lumsden - Katie Dempsey - Matthew Gambill text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR52/2025 upstream_id: 1943199 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - memorial resolution - law enforcement - Polk County - Georgia House of Representatives --- # HR 52. Simmons, Marvin Gary; condolences ## Text House Resolution 52 By: Representatives Kelley of the 16th, Scoggins of the 14th, Lumsden of the 12th, Dempsey of the 13th, and Gambill of the 15th A RESOLUTION Honoring the life and memory of Marvin Gary Simmons; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens with the passing of Marvin Gary Simmons on December 22, 2024; and WHEREAS, Marvin Gary Simmons was born on December 19, 1950, in LaFayette, Georgia, a beloved son of Marshall C. and Evie Denson Simmons; and WHEREAS, during his distinguished career in law enforcement, he served as part of the Floyd County Police Department, Rockmart Police Department, and Polk County Police Department, retiring from the Polk County Sheriff's Department as a captain after 44 years of exemplary service; and WHEREAS, he further served as a veteran of the United States National Guard, honorably and courageously protecting this nation's freedom and liberty as well as ensuring the well-being of his fellow citizens; and WHEREAS, he was a person of magnanimous strengths with an unimpeachable reputation for integrity, intelligence, fairness, and kindness, and by the example he made of his life, he made this world a better place in which to live; and WHEREAS, a man of deep and abiding faith, Marvin Gary Simmons was an active member of Pleasant Valley South Baptist Church; and WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous man, Marvin Gary Simmons will long be remembered for his love of family, friendship, and community and will be missed by all who had the great fortune of knowing him. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body join in honoring the life and memory of Marvin Gary Simmons and express their deepest and most sincere regret at his passing. 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 the family of Marvin Gary Simmons. ## 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 honors the life of Marvin Gary Simmons, a longtime Polk County law enforcement officer and National Guard veteran who died in December 2024. ### Plain-language summary This House resolution is a memorial tribute rather than a change to Georgia law. It recognizes the life of Marvin Gary Simmons, who was born in LaFayette, Georgia in 1950 and died on December 22, 2024. The resolution recounts his 44-year law enforcement career with the Floyd County Police Department, Rockmart Police Department, and Polk County Police Department, retiring as a captain from the Polk County Sheriff's Department. It also notes his service in the United States National Guard and his membership in Pleasant Valley South Baptist Church. The resolution formally expresses the House's condolences to his family and directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to them. It does not create, amend, or repeal any Georgia statute. ### What it does - Formally honors the life and memory of Marvin Gary Simmons on behalf of the Georgia House of Representatives. - Expresses the House's sincere regret over his passing to his family and community. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to his family. - Documents his career history in law enforcement and military service as part of the official House record. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names the family of Marvin Gary Simmons, who will receive a copy of it. It also reflects on the law enforcement agencies he served, including the Floyd County Police Department, Rockmart Police Department, Polk County Police Department, and Polk County Sheriff's Department. ### Why it matters This is a ceremonial resolution with no legal or regulatory effect on Georgians generally. Its practical impact is limited to creating an official record of tribute and providing Simmons's family with a formal copy recognizing his service and passing. ### Key provisions - The resolution's whereas clauses recount Simmons's birth in LaFayette, Georgia, his family background, and his December 22, 2024 death. - It details his 44-year law enforcement career across three departments, ending as a captain in the Polk County Sheriff's Department. - It notes his service in the United States National Guard and his membership in Pleasant Valley South Baptist Church. - The resolving clause formally expresses the House's regret and honors his memory. - A further resolving clause directs the Clerk of the House to distribute a copy of the resolution to his family. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-01-27) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-01-27) - Sponsors: Trey Kelley, Mitchell Scoggins, Eddie Lumsden, Katie Dempsey, Matthew Gambill - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69512 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr52.md?full=1