--- title: HR 960. Tarlano, Nancy Nell Spires; honor collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr960 cite_as: HR 960, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr960 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr960.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr960/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72089 date: 2025-04-04 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/hr959.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr961.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr960.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 960 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-04-04 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Karen Mathiak - Josh Bonner text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR960/2025 upstream_id: 2021292 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - ceremonial resolution - Georgia House of Representatives - chemistry - education --- # HR 960. Tarlano, Nancy Nell Spires; honor ## Text 25 LC 112 3665 House Resolution 960 By: Representatives Mathiak of the 82nd and Bonner of the 73rd A RESOLUTION Honoring Nancy Nell Spires Tarlano; and for other purposes.1 WHEREAS, Nancy Nell Spires Tarlano was born on May 31, 1937, to her adoring and2 beloved parents, Harold and Gertrude Spires, as the second chil d after her cherished older3 sister, Sue, and before her beloved late brother, James (Jim); and4 WHEREAS, as a young girl, Nancy experienced issues with her eyesight that required her5 to wear glasses as a baby, which helped shape her studious personal identity; and6 WHEREAS, she graduated from Julianne Catholic High School in Dayton, Ohio, where she7 was recognized for her scholastic abilities, and went on to attend the University of Dayton,8 becoming the second female to graduate with a Bachelor of Scien ce from the prestigious9 Chemistry Department and paving the way for countless other women in science; and10 WHEREAS, while at the University of Dayton, she was selected by her mentor and11 professor, Dr. Carl Michaelis, to be one of two students conducting cutting-edge research to12 develop a technique to separate rare earth metals—a groundbreak ing process that remains13 in use at the university and has been adopted by private indust ries and nations across the14 globe; and15 H. R. 960 - 1 - 25 LC 112 3665 WHEREAS, Nancy is credited as a co-author on the rare earth metal research white paper16 alongside Dr. Michaelis; and17 WHEREAS, she met her husband, John P. Tarlano, at the Universit y of Dayton, where he18 earned a Bachelor of Science in physics before attending Ohio S tate University, earning a19 Master of Science in physics and a Juris Doctor, and the happy couple continues to enjoy a20 high quality of life at age 87 in Fayetteville, Georgia; and21 WHEREAS, Nancy was one of the first working stay-at-home mother s in 1960 at the22 Chemical Abstracts Service, where she identified new chemical compounds, and she is an23 honored participant in the International Union of Pure and Appl ied Chemistry (IUPAC)24 Nomenclature for Chemistry; and25 WHEREAS, while raising her two daughters, Marilyn and Sharon, Nancy contributed to the26 systematic naming of chemical compounds, and she later welcomed her third daughter,27 Karen, after John completed law school, followed by the birth of their son, Anthony (Tony),28 after moving to Oakwood, Ohio; and29 WHEREAS, Nancy and John are now the proud grandparents of six adored grandchildren:30 Patrick and Kelsey Mutchler, Hayes and Elizabeth Pope, and Mia and Dominic (Nico)31 Tarlano; and32 WHEREAS, she later served as a chemistry and math teacher at Lake Braddock Secondary33 School in Burke, Virginia, where she was highly regarded and regularly participated in sports34 activities before retiring from education; and35 H. R. 960 - 2 - 25 LC 112 3665 WHEREAS, Nancy is a proud member of the Fayette-Starr's Mill Ch apter of the National36 Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution under her patriot, Adam Brandt, who37 served under General George Washington in the crossing of the Delaware River and helped38 settle Lancaster, Ohio, with his wife and three other family co uples, who traveled there in39 horse-drawn carriages; and40 WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that this remarkab le individual be41 appropriately honored during this special time.42 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that43 the members of this body honor Nancy Nell Spires Tarlano for her pioneering achievements44 in science and education, her unwavering dedication to her family, and her enduring legacy45 of excellence as well as extend their best wishes for continued health and happiness.46 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized47 and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution ava ilable for distribution to48 Nancy Nell Spires Tarlano.49 H. R. 960 - 3 - ## 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 Nancy Nell Spires Tarlano of Fayetteville for her career in chemistry research and education and for her contributions to her family and community. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives, not a change to any law. It recounts the life of Nancy Nell Spires Tarlano, born in 1937, who studied chemistry at the University of Dayton, contributed to rare earth metal separation research, and later worked in chemical nomenclature and as a science and math teacher in Virginia. The resolution formally states that the House honors her for her achievements in science and education and her dedication to her family, and wishes her continued health and happiness. It directs the Clerk of the House to prepare a copy of the resolution for her. ### What it does - Formally honors Nancy Nell Spires Tarlano for her achievements in chemistry research, education, and family life. - Recounts biographical details including her education, career, marriage, children, and grandchildren. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to her. - Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement, since it is a ceremonial resolution. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names and honors Nancy Nell Spires Tarlano. It also involves the Clerk of the House of Representatives, who is directed to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to her. ### Why it matters This resolution has no legal or regulatory effect on Georgians generally. Its significance is symbolic: it is an official statement by the Georgia House of Representatives recognizing one individual's personal and professional accomplishments. ### Key provisions - The resolution's whereas clauses describe her birth, education at the University of Dayton, and her role in rare earth metal separation research. - It notes her career as a chemist at the Chemical Abstracts Service and later as a chemistry and math teacher in Virginia. - The resolved clause states the House honors her for her scientific, educational, and family achievements and wishes her continued health. - A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House to make a copy of the resolution available for distribution to her. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-04-04) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-04-04) - Sponsors: Karen Mathiak, Josh Bonner - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72089 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr960.md?full=1