--- title: HR 796. Victims of communism; honor collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr796 cite_as: HR 796, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr796 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr796.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr796/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71773 date: 2025-03-27 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/hr795.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr797.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr796.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 796 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-03-27 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Reynaldo Martinez - Matt Reeves - Rob Clifton - Sandy Donatucci - Johnny Chastain - Steven Sainz text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR796/2025 upstream_id: 2016188 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - communism history - House resolution - human rights - Georgia legislature --- # HR 796. Victims of communism; honor ## Text 25 LC 112 3493 House Resolution 796 By: Representatives Martinez of the 111th, Reeves of the 99th, Clifton of the 131st, Donatucci of the 105th, Chastain of the 7th, and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing and honoring the victims of communism; and for other purposes.1 WHEREAS, over 100 years have passed since the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia and the2 formation of the first communist government under Vladimir Lenin, leading to decades of3 oppression and violence under communist regimes throughout the world; and4 WHEREAS, based on the economic philosophies of Karl Marx, commu nism has proven5 incompatible with the ideals of liberty, prosperity, and dignity of human life and has given6 rise to such infamous totalitarian dictators as Joseph Stalin, Vladimir Lenin, Mao Zedong,7 János Kádár, Fidel Castro, Hugo Chávez, Daniel Ortega, Ho Chi Minh, Wojciech Jaruzelski,8 and Pol Pot; and9 WHEREAS, more than 100 million people have fallen victim to com munist regimes10 worldwide, representing many different ethnicities, creeds, and backgrounds; and11 WHEREAS, communist regimes have denied their own citizens of the rights to freedom of12 worship, freedom of speech, and freedom of association; and13 H. R. 796 - 1 - 25 LC 112 3493 WHEREAS, in addition to violating basic human rights, communist regimes have suppressed14 intellectual freedom, cultural life, and self-determination movements in numerous nations;15 and16 WHEREAS, the State of Georgia is home to many of these freedom-loving victims and their17 descendants from around the world who came to this great state in pursuit of the American18 Dream; and19 WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that the members of this body acknowledge20 and recognize the victims of communist regimes.21 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that22 the members of this body recognize and honor the hundreds of millions of people who have23 fallen victim to communist regimes around the world.24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized25 and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution avai lable for distribution to the26 public and the press.27 H. R. 796 - 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 recognizes and honors the more than 100 million people worldwide who have been victims of communist regimes. ### Plain-language summary This resolution does not change any Georgia law. It is a formal statement from the Georgia House of Representatives acknowledging the harms caused by communist governments around the world since the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. The resolution recites the history of communist rule under leaders such as Joseph Stalin, Vladimir Lenin, and others, and states that more than 100 million people have died under communist regimes. It notes that Georgia is home to many people and families who fled such regimes. The resolution formally resolves that House members recognize and honor these victims, and it directs the Clerk of the House to make copies available to the public and the press. ### What it does - Formally states that the House of Representatives recognizes and honors victims of communist regimes worldwide, without creating any new law or program. - Recites historical claims about communist governments, naming leaders such as Stalin, Lenin, Mao Zedong, and Castro, among others. - States that more than 100 million people have died under communist rule around the world. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare copies of the resolution for distribution to the public and press. ### Who it affects This resolution mainly affects the House of Representatives itself and the Clerk of the House, who must prepare and distribute copies. It also speaks to Georgia residents and families who are descendants of people who fled communist countries. ### Why it matters Because this is a resolution rather than a bill that amends Georgia law, it has no direct legal or financial effect on Georgians. Its practical impact is symbolic: it puts the legislature's recognition of communism's victims on the official record and makes that statement publicly available. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses lay out the historical basis for the resolution, including references to the Bolshevik Revolution and named communist leaders. - The first resolving clause has House members formally recognize and honor victims of communist regimes worldwide. - The second resolving clause directs the Clerk of the House to make copies of the resolution available to the public and press. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-03-27) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-03-27) - Sponsors: Reynaldo Martinez, Matt Reeves, Rob Clifton, Sandy Donatucci, Johnny Chastain, Steven Sainz - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71773 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr796.md?full=1