--- title: SR 149. Shepherd Center; recognize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr149 cite_as: SR 149, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr149 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr149.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr149/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70096 date: 2025-02-11 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 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/sr148.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr150.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr149.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 149 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-02-11 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Sonya Halpern - Kim Jackson - Nikki Merritt - Elena Parent - Nan Orrock - Sheikh Rahman - Billy Hickman - Josh McLaurin - Russ Goodman - Jason Esteves - Sally Harrell - RaShaun Kemp - Lee Anderson - Tonya Anderson - Gail Davenport - Larry Walker - Derek Mallow - Steve Gooch - Marty Harbin - Ed Setzler - Brandon Beach - Max Burns - Kay Kirkpatrick - Jason Anavitarte text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR149/2025 upstream_id: 1964634 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - Shepherd Center - hospital recognition - disability rehabilitation - Atlanta health care --- # SR 149. Shepherd Center; recognize ## Text Senate Resolution 149 By: Senators Halpern of the 39th, Jackson of the 41st, Merritt of the 9th, Parent of the 44th, Orrock of the 36th and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending the Shepherd Center upon its 50th anniversary; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the Shepherd Center was founded in Atlanta, Georgia, as a private not-for-profit hospital on August 18, 1975, and it is celebrating 50 years of service; and WHEREAS, the Shepherd Center's mission is to help individuals with temporary or permanent disabilities caused by injury or disease rebuild their lives with hope, independence, and dignity; advocate for their full inclusion in all aspects of community life; and promote safety and injury prevention; and WHEREAS, the Shepherd Center has made a profound impact on the citizens of Georgia and countless individuals worldwide by providing personalized rehabilitation and medical care for those experiencing brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, and other neurological conditions; and WHEREAS, the Shepherd Center has played a vital role in the community by leading the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games Organizing Committee, founding the wheelchair division of the AJC Peachtree Road Race, advocating for accessible public accommodations and transportation, and bringing honor as a global leader in neuro-rehabilitation research and innovation; and WHEREAS, each year in the United States, approximately 300,000 people are newly diagnosed with spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and multiple sclerosis, underscoring the critical need for specialized care and rehabilitation provided by institutions such as the Shepherd Center; and WHEREAS, the Shepherd Center's culture of hope, humor, and hard work continues to inspire its patients, families, staff, and the broader community. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize and commend the Shepherd Center upon its 50th anniversary and extend sincere best wishes for continued success. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the Shepherd Center. ## 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 Senate resolution recognizes the Shepherd Center, an Atlanta rehabilitation hospital, on its 50th anniversary and commends its work treating brain and spinal cord injuries. ### Plain-language summary This resolution is a ceremonial measure from the Georgia Senate honoring the Shepherd Center, a private not-for-profit hospital in Atlanta founded on August 18, 1975. The resolution recounts the hospital's history, including its role leading the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games Organizing Committee, founding the wheelchair division of the AJC Peachtree Road Race, and its work in neuro-rehabilitation research for people with brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, multiple sclerosis, and chronic pain. The Senate formally resolves to recognize and commend the Shepherd Center for its 50th anniversary and wishes it continued success. It also directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for the Shepherd Center. The resolution does not change any Georgia law, create funding, or impose any new requirements. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and commends the Shepherd Center on its 50th anniversary of service in Georgia. - Extends the Senate's best wishes to the Shepherd Center for continued success. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to the Shepherd Center. - Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement, as a ceremonial resolution. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names the Shepherd Center, its patients, families, and staff. It has no legal effect on other hospitals, patients, or Georgia residents generally beyond this ceremonial recognition. ### Why it matters The resolution carries symbolic weight rather than legal force. It publicly acknowledges the Shepherd Center's decades of rehabilitation care and community leadership, but it does not change funding, regulations, or services for patients or the health care system. ### Key provisions - The resolution's whereas clauses describe the Shepherd Center's founding in 1975 and its mission to help people with disabilities rebuild independence and dignity. - The resolved clause has the Senate recognize and commend the Shepherd Center on its 50th anniversary and wish it continued success. - A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available for distribution to the Shepherd Center. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-02-11) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2025-02-11) - Sponsors: Sonya Halpern, Kim Jackson, Nikki Merritt, Elena Parent, Nan Orrock, Sheikh Rahman, Billy Hickman, Josh McLaurin, Russ Goodman, Jason Esteves, Sally Harrell, RaShaun Kemp, Lee Anderson, Tonya Anderson, Gail Davenport, Larry Walker, Derek Mallow, Steve Gooch, Marty Harbin, Ed Setzler, Brandon Beach, Max Burns, Kay Kirkpatrick, Jason Anavitarte - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70096 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr149.md?full=1