--- title: HR 689. Culpepper, Judge Bryant, Jr.; outstanding public service to the State of Georgia, the Judicial Branch specifically, and the community at large as well as for his dedication to upholding the principles of justice and fairness; commend collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr689 cite_as: HR 689, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr689 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr689.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr689/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71574 date: 2025-03-21 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-08-28 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/hr688.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr690.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr689.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 689 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-03-21 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Mary Oliver - Omari Crawford - Dale Washburn - Stacey Evans - Trey Kelley - Saira Draper text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR689/2025 upstream_id: 2012790 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - judicial branch - juvenile courts - legislative honors - Bibb County --- # HR 689. Culpepper, Judge Bryant, Jr.; outstanding public service to the State of Georgia, the Judicial Branch specifically, and the community at large as well as for his dedication to upholding the principles of justice and fairness; commend ## Text 25 LC 112 3442 House Resolution 689 By: Representatives Oliver of the 84th, Crawford of the 89th, Washburn of the 144th, Evans of the 57th, Kelley of the 16th, and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending Judge Bryant Culpepper Jr. for his outstanding public service1 to the State of Georgia, the Judicial Branch specifically, and the community at large as well2 as for his dedication to upholding the principles of justice an d fairness; and for other3 purposes.4 WHEREAS, Judge Bryant Culpepper Jr. previously served as a Geor gia legislator from5 Macon and later as the Superior Court Judge of Bibb County; and6 WHEREAS, now a senior judge as well as a litigator, Judge Culpe pper served with7 distinction 25 years ago as Chair of the Supreme Court Child Placement Project, now known8 as the Supreme Court of Georgia Committee on Justice for Childr en, consistently9 demonstrating a deep commitment to the legal system that serves our state's most vulnerable10 children and families; and11 WHEREAS, during Judge Culpepper's tenure as Chair of the Child Placement Project from12 1996 to 2000, House Bill 182 emerged from extensive discussions and advocacy, leading to13 the establishment of the first state funding for juvenile court judges in Georgia; and14 H. R. 689 - 1 - 25 LC 112 3442 WHEREAS, prior to the passage of House Bill 182, 14 judicial circuits lacked a dedicated15 Juvenile Court Judge and were served by Superior Court Judges; today, that funding ensures16 that every circuit has at least one Juvenile Court Judge, with the state now supporting 7517 full-time judges and 27 part-time judges; and18 WHEREAS, on the 25th anniversary of the passage of this landmar k funding bill, which19 would not have succeeded without Judge Culpepper's leadership, it is fitting to celebrate his20 efforts in strengthening Georgia's judicial branch.21 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that22 the members of this body recognize and commend Judge Bryant Cul pepper Jr. for his23 outstanding public service and dedication to the administration of justice.24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized25 and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to Judge26 Bryant Culpepper Jr.27 H. R. 689 - 2 - ## 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 commends Judge Bryant Culpepper Jr. for his public service in the Judicial Branch, including his role in securing the first state funding for juvenile court judges. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives honoring Judge Bryant Culpepper Jr. It recounts his career as a state legislator from Macon, later as Superior Court Judge of Bibb County, and his service as Chair of the Supreme Court Child Placement Project (now the Supreme Court of Georgia Committee on Justice for Children) from 1996 to 2000. The resolution credits his leadership with helping pass House Bill 182, which created the first state funding for juvenile court judges in Georgia. Before that bill, 14 judicial circuits had no dedicated Juvenile Court Judge. The resolution formally commends Culpepper and directs the Clerk of the House to prepare a copy for him, marking the 25th anniversary of that funding law. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and commends Judge Bryant Culpepper Jr. for his public service to Georgia's Judicial Branch. - States the House's recollection that Culpepper's leadership as Chair of the Supreme Court Child Placement Project helped lead to House Bill 182, which created the first state funding for juvenile court judges. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Judge Culpepper. - Does not change any Georgia law, create funding, or impose any new requirement; it is a symbolic honor. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names Judge Bryant Culpepper Jr. It has no legal effect on other Georgians, though it references the broader system of juvenile court judges across Georgia's judicial circuits that resulted from the funding law it describes. ### Why it matters The resolution carries no legal or funding effect itself; it is a formal statement of appreciation from the Georgia House. Its practical significance is limited to publicly honoring Culpepper's past role in establishing juvenile court judge funding statewide. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses recount Culpepper's career as a legislator, Superior Court Judge of Bibb County, and Chair of the Supreme Court Child Placement Project from 1996 to 2000. - The whereas clauses state that his leadership contributed to House Bill 182, creating the first state funding for juvenile court judges, now supporting 75 full-time and 27 part-time judges. - The resolving clause commends Culpepper for his public service and dedication to the administration of justice. - The final clause directs the Clerk of the House to make a copy of the resolution available for distribution to Culpepper. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-03-21) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-03-21) - Sponsors: Mary Oliver, Omari Crawford, Dale Washburn, Stacey Evans, Trey Kelley, Saira Draper - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71574 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr689.md?full=1