--- title: HR 545. Mensch, Steve; condolences collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr545 cite_as: HR 545, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr545 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr545.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr545/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71236 date: 2025-03-06 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/hr544.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr546.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr545.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 545 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-03-06 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Ron Stephens - Butch Parrish - Al Williams - Kasey Carpenter - Mary Oliver text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR545/2025 upstream_id: 1994267 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - condolence resolution - Georgia film industry - Fayette County - Georgia House of Representatives --- # HR 545. Mensch, Steve; condolences ## Text House Resolution 545 By: Representatives Stephens of the 164th, Parrish of the 158th, Williams of the 168th, Carpenter of the 4th, and Oliver of the 84th A RESOLUTION Honoring the life and memory of Steve Mensch; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens with the passing of Steve Mensch on December 6, 2024; and WHEREAS, Steve Mensch was raised in Goshen, New York, where he demonstrated early determination and skill as a member of the Boy Scouts as well as claimed victory in the Pinewood Derby, a celebrated Cub Scouts racing event; and WHEREAS, he cultivated a lifelong passion for tennis and hockey from a young age, continuing to play and excel at both sports well into adulthood, and he had a deep love for scuba diving and the ocean; and WHEREAS, he further pursued his love of aviation, earning his pilot's license on September 18, 2020, after completing his second first solo flight at Falcon Field in Fayette County; and WHEREAS, he custom-built an RV-12 two-seat, single-engine plane, incorporating special markings to honor his children and assigning it the tail number 702DP in tribute to his beloved wife, Danila Pirochta Mensch, whom he affectionately called "DP"; and WHEREAS, he additionally dedicated time to volunteering with the Young Eagles, a nonprofit program that has provided free flights to youth ages 8–17 for 30 years, inspiring the next generation of aviation enthusiasts; and WHEREAS, as a pivotal figure in Georgia's film and television industry, he played a vital role in advocating for the tax credits that established the state as a premier destination for film production, significantly contributing to Georgia's economic growth; and WHEREAS, during his remarkable career, he oversaw the creation and development of multiple studios, including Turner Studios, Third Rail Studios, and Qingdao Oriental Movie Industrial Park, culminating in his final role as president and general manager of studio operations at Tyler Perry Studios; and WHEREAS, he further served the film industry as a member of the Governor's Advisory Committee on Film, Music & Digital Entertainment; chair of the Georgia Screen Entertainment Coalition; board member of both ArtsNow Inc. and the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival; and president of the Georgia Production Partnership; and WHEREAS, he graduated with the 2020 Class of Leadership Atlanta, forging a strong and lasting bond with his cohort members; and WHEREAS, Steve Mensch actively participated in the lives of his children, Charles, Adelayna, and Josephine, by encouraging their interests and volunteering at their schools in Fayette County; and WHEREAS, he gave inspiration to many through his high ideals, morals, and deep concern for his fellow citizens, and the devotion, patience, and understanding he demonstrated to his family and friends were admired by others; and WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous man, Steve Mensch 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 Steve Mensch 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 Steve Mensch. ## 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 Steve Mensch, a longtime figure in the state's film and television industry who died in December 2024. ### Plain-language summary This resolution is a ceremonial tribute from the Georgia House of Representatives. It does not change any law. Instead, it recounts the life of Steve Mensch, a Fayette County resident who helped shape Georgia's film and television industry, including advocating for the tax credits that made Georgia a major film production hub and overseeing studios such as Turner Studios, Third Rail Studios, and Tyler Perry Studios. The resolution formally states that the House joins in honoring his memory and expresses its regret at his passing. It also directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for delivery to Mensch's family. ### What it does - Formally expresses the House of Representatives' regret at the death of Steve Mensch and honors his life and memory. - Recounts his personal history, aviation pursuits, and volunteer work, including with the Young Eagles youth flight program. - Documents his career in Georgia's film industry, including his role in advocating for the state's film tax credits. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to his family. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names Steve Mensch's family, including his wife Danila Pirochta Mensch and children Charles, Adelayna, and Josephine, as well as colleagues in Georgia's film and television industry and organizations he served, such as the Georgia Production Partnership. ### Why it matters The resolution carries no legal or financial effect and changes no Georgia law. Its practical significance is symbolic: it creates an official House record recognizing Mensch's contributions to Georgia's film industry and provides his family a formal keepsake from the legislature. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses detail Mensch's early life, hobbies, and career, including his role in establishing Georgia's film production tax credits. - The resolved clause has the House of Representatives join in honoring his memory and expressing regret at his passing. - A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for his family. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-03-06) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-03-06) - Sponsors: Ron Stephens, Butch Parrish, Al Williams, Kasey Carpenter, Mary Oliver - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71236 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr545.md?full=1