SR 100: Fort, Honorable Vincent D.; condolences

This resolution is a formal statement from the Georgia Senate marking the death of Vincent D. Fort, who represented the 39th Senate District from 1996 to 2017 and authored Georgia's first hate crimes law and the Georgia Fair Lending Act. It recounts his career as a historian, professor, and legislator, and his advocacy on civil rights, lending protections, and public education funding. The resolution does not change any Georgia law. It simply expresses the Senate's condolences and grief over his passing, and it directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to his family.

• Formally expresses the Georgia Senate's condolences on the death of former Senator Vincent D. Fort.
• Recounts his legislative record, including authoring Georgia's first hate crimes law and the Georgia Fair Lending Act.
• Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to his family.
• Creates no new statutory requirements, funding, or penalties, since it is a commemorative resolution rather than a law.

This resolution primarily affects the family of Vincent D. Fort, who will receive a copy, and the members of the Georgia Senate who are recording their tribute. It does not impose obligations on the general public, agencies, or businesses.

While the resolution has no legal effect on Georgians generally, it serves as an official public record of the Senate's recognition of a legislator whose work included Georgia's hate crimes law and predatory lending protections, preserving that history in the state's legislative record.

• The resolution recites Vincent D. Fort's biography, career, and family, and states the Senate's regret at his passing.
• The resolving clause has the Senate join in honoring his life and memory.
• A further clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available for distribution to his family.

1. 2025-02-04Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
2. 2025-02-03Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)Primary sponsor
• Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
• Harold Jones (D, SD-022)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• Kim Jackson (D, SD-041)
• David Lucas (D, SD-026)
• Jason Esteves (D, SD-035)
• Larry Walker (R, SD-020)
• Michael Rhett (D, SD-033)
• Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
• Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
• Josh McLaurin (D, SD-014)
• Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)
• Derek Mallow (D, SD-002)
• Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
• Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)
• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-039)
• Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)
• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-027)
• Nabilah Islam Parkes (D, SD-007)
• Nikki Merritt (D, SD-009)
• Freddie Sims (D, SD-012)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Ricky Williams (R, SD-025)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
• Mike Hodges (R, SD-003)
• John Kennedy (R, SD-018)
• Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)
• Elena Parent (D, SD-044)
• Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
• Kenya Wicks (D, SD-034)
• Bill Cowsert (R, SD-046)
• Brandon Beach (R, SD-021)
• Matt Brass (R, SD-006)
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• Ed Harbison (D, SD-015)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)
• Colton Moore (R, SD-053)
• RaShaun Kemp (D, SD-038)
• Steve Gooch (R, SD-051)
• Max Burns (R, SD-023)
• Ed Setzler (R, SD-037)
• Ben Watson (R, SD-001)
• Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
• Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
• Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
• Sally Harrell (D, SD-040)
• Tonya Anderson (D, SD-043)
• Frank Ginn (R, SD-047)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)

• Georgia Senate
• legislative tribute
• Vincent D. Fort
• civil rights history