--- title: SR 223. Lamar County School System; congratulate collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr223 cite_as: SR 223, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr223 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr223.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr223/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70564 date: 2025-02-20 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/sr222.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr224.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 96 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr223.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 223 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-02-20 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Billy Hickman - Marty Harbin text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR223/2025 upstream_id: 1976327 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - literacy programs - Lamar County - education recognition - Georgia Senate resolutions --- # SR 223. Lamar County School System; congratulate ## Text Senate Resolution 223 By: Senators Hickman of the 4th and Harbin of the 16th A RESOLUTION Congratulating and commending the Lamar County School System, recipient of the Georgia Reads Community Award, for its dedication to literacy advancement; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the Georgia Council on Literacy is dedicated to improving literacy from birth through adulthood and recognizes that communities play a critical role in addressing low literacy rates; and WHEREAS, the Georgia Reads Community Award was established to recognize communities across Georgia that have formed partnerships of two or more organizations, sustained for at least three years, with a strategic plan and measurable results in literacy improvement; and WHEREAS, the Lamar County School System, utilizing the L4GA process, has strengthened partnerships with local literacy organizations to boost community literacy engagement; and WHEREAS, these meaningful partnerships include the City of Barnesville, Barnesville-Lamar County Library, Milner Library, Ferst Readers of Lamar County, E.P. Roberts Community Center, local daycare centers, and the Lamar County Health Department; and WHEREAS, the Lamar County School System was selected as a Georgia Reads Community Award recipient for its diligent efforts to develop and implement innovative programs that have significantly increased literacy rates within its communities; and WHEREAS, these initiatives have led to measurable improvements in reading proficiency, ensuring greater opportunities for success in education and career development; and WHEREAS, the dedication and hard work of the Lamar County School System and its partners serve as an inspiration to others, demonstrating the power of community-driven solutions to address literacy challenges. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body congratulate and commend the Georgia Reads Community Award winners, particularly the Lamar County School System, for their exemplary service and unwavering commitment to improving literacy in their communities. 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 Lamar County School System. ## 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 Senate resolution congratulates the Lamar County School System for winning the Georgia Reads Community Award for its work boosting local literacy rates. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia Senate rather than a law that changes anyone's rights or responsibilities. It recognizes the Lamar County School System for receiving the Georgia Reads Community Award, which honors communities that build sustained partnerships to improve literacy. The resolution describes how the school system worked with groups like the City of Barnesville, local libraries, Ferst Readers of Lamar County, a community center, daycare centers, and the county health department to raise reading proficiency. The Senate formally commends the school system and its partners, and directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to the Lamar County School System as a keepsake of the honor. ### What it does - Formally congratulates and commends the Lamar County School System for winning the Georgia Reads Community Award. - Recognizes the partnerships between the school system and local organizations that contributed to literacy gains. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and send a copy of the resolution to the Lamar County School System. - Does not create any new law, funding, or ongoing program; it is a one-time honorary statement. ### Who it affects The Lamar County School System and its community partners, including the City of Barnesville, the Barnesville-Lamar County Library, Milner Library, Ferst Readers of Lamar County, the E.P. Roberts Community Center, local daycare centers, and the Lamar County Health Department. ### Why it matters The resolution has no legal effect beyond formal recognition, so it does not change any Georgian's rights, funding, or obligations. Its practical significance is symbolic: it publicly credits a local literacy partnership model that other Georgia communities might look to as an example. ### Key provisions - The preamble explains the Georgia Reads Community Award, which recognizes communities with literacy partnerships of two or more organizations sustained for at least three years. - The resolution names the specific partner organizations that worked with the Lamar County School System on literacy efforts. - The resolved clause has the Senate congratulate and commend the Lamar County School System and other award winners. - A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to provide a copy of the resolution to the Lamar County School System. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-02-20) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2025-02-20) - Sponsors: Billy Hickman, Marty Harbin - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70564 > The history, votes, and amendments (96 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr223.md?full=1