---
title: HR 54. Honoring several cities upon their designation as Georgia PlanFirst communities; commend
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr54
cite_as: HR 54, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr54
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr54.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr54/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69514
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.
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 131
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr54.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 54
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:
  - Lisa Campbell
  - Bethany Ballard
  - Karen Mathiak
  - Chris Erwin
  - Bruce Williamson
  - Ginny Ehrhart
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR54/2025
upstream_id: 1943312
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - community planning
  - local government recognition
  - Georgia PlanFirst program
  - Georgia Planning Act
---

# HR 54. Honoring several cities upon their designation as Georgia PlanFirst communities; commend

## Text

House Resolution 54
By: Representatives Campbell of the 35th, Ballard of the 147th, Mathiak of the 82nd, Erwin of
the 32nd, Williamson of the 112th, and others
A RESOLUTION
Honoring several cities upon their designation as Georgia PlanFirst communities; and for
other purposes.
WHEREAS, the year 2025 marks the 35th anniversary of the implementation of the Georgia
Planning Act, which established that the State of Georgia must maintain an essential public
interest in protecting and preserving the natural resources, the environment, and the vital
areas of the state as well as serve these interests through coordinated and comprehensive
planning by all local governments; and
WHEREAS, local governments throughout our state have undertaken the tasks necessary to
implement comprehensive plans to protect and enhance the quality of life within their
respective communities; and
WHEREAS, the State of Georgia recognizes the important role communities play in
fostering the state's role as an attractive, inclusive place to invest, conduct business, learn,
live, engage in recreation, and raise a family; moreover, planning helps to create a
sustainable environment of predictability for economic development, property owners, and
all Georgians; and
WHEREAS, it is the wish of this legislative body to recognize and honor those communities
that have dedicated their purposeful work to establishing a vision for their future growth and
development and have taken the steps necessary to set a path needed to achieve this vision;
and
WHEREAS, the Georgia Department of Community Affairs acknowledges the importance
of coordinated and comprehensive planning to the state; therefore, the PlanFirst program has
been created to recognize those communities in Georgia that have shown an exemplary
history of comprehensive plan development and implementation; and
WHEREAS, this legislative body is justly proud to honor the City of Acworth, the City of
Alma, the City of Augusta, the City of Camilla, the City of Griffin, the City of Monroe, the
City of Toccoa, and the City of Warner Robins for their outstanding and commendable
community planning efforts and accomplishments, which hereby designate them as Georgia
PlanFirst communities; and
WHEREAS, it is the sense of this legislative body that those local governments that enhance
the well-being and vitality of their communities and have shown a long and sustained
commitment to excellence in planning and plan implementation certainly have earned the
recognition and applause of all the citizens of this great state.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body honor the City of Acworth, the City of Alma, the City of Augusta,
the City of Camilla, the City of Griffin, the City of Monroe, the City of Toccoa, and the City
of Warner Robins for their many community planning accomplishments in conjunction with
the 35th anniversary of the Georgia Planning Act.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the
public and the press.

## 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 eight cities, including Acworth, Alma, Augusta, Camilla, Griffin, Monroe, Toccoa, and Warner Robins, for earning the state's PlanFirst community planning designation.

### Plain-language summary

This resolution is a ceremonial statement from the Georgia House of Representatives rather than a change to state law. It marks the 35th anniversary of the Georgia Planning Act, which requires local governments to engage in coordinated, comprehensive planning to protect the state's natural resources and quality of life.
The resolution recognizes eight cities (Acworth, Alma, Augusta, Camilla, Griffin, Monroe, Toccoa, and Warner Robins) that the Georgia Department of Community Affairs designated as Georgia PlanFirst communities for their strong record of developing and carrying out comprehensive plans. The House formally honors these cities for their planning accomplishments and directs the Clerk of the House to prepare copies of the resolution for distribution to the public and the press.

### What it does

- Formally honors eight named Georgia cities for being designated Georgia PlanFirst communities by the Department of Community Affairs.
- States the legislature's recognition of the 35th anniversary of the Georgia Planning Act, which requires local comprehensive planning.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make copies of the resolution available to the public and the press.
- Creates no new legal requirements, funding, or penalties, since it is a commendation rather than a law change.

### Who it affects

The resolution directly names and honors the City of Acworth, Alma, Augusta, Camilla, Griffin, Monroe, Toccoa, and Warner Robins. It also references the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, which runs the PlanFirst program, and local governments generally that engage in comprehensive planning.

### Why it matters

The resolution carries no legal force and changes no rules, funding, or penalties. Its practical effect is symbolic: it gives the eight named cities public, official recognition from the Georgia House for their community planning work.

### Key provisions

- The preamble explains the Georgia Planning Act's 35th anniversary and its requirement that local governments engage in comprehensive planning.
- The preamble describes the Georgia Department of Community Affairs' PlanFirst program, which recognizes cities with strong comprehensive planning records.
- The resolving clause names eight cities and formally honors them for their planning accomplishments.
- A final clause directs the Clerk of the House to prepare and distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press.

## Status

- Status: Passed (2025-01-27)
- Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-01-27)
- Sponsors: Lisa Campbell, Bethany Ballard, Karen Mathiak, Chris Erwin, Bruce Williamson, Ginny Ehrhart
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69514

> The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr54.md?full=1