--- title: SR 279. Howard, Anita Reynolds; recognize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr279 cite_as: SR 279, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr279 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr279.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr279/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70903 date: 2025-02-27 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/sr278.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr280.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr279.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 279 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-02-27 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - David Lucas - Freddie Sims - Tonya Anderson - Elena Parent - Harold Jones text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR279/2025 upstream_id: 1986198 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - Senate resolution - district attorney - Macon Judicial Circuit - women's achievement award --- # SR 279. Howard, Anita Reynolds; recognize ## Text Senate Resolution 279 By: Senators Lucas of the 26th, Sims of the 12th, Anderson of the 43rd, Parent of the 44th and Jones II of the 22nd A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending Anita Reynolds Howard, recipient of the 2025 Career Women's Network Women of Achievement Award; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Anita Reynolds Howard has diligently and conscientiously devoted innumerable hours of her time, talents, and energy toward the betterment of her community and state, as evidenced by her superlative service as district attorney for the Macon Judicial Circuit, representing Bibb, Crawford, and Peach counties; and WHEREAS, she made history in 2020 upon her election as the first African American and female district attorney of the Macon Judicial Circuit, securing over 70 percent of the vote in a decisive victory; and WHEREAS, with more than 18 years of service as a career prosecutor, she has implemented transformative measures such as the Intake Investigative Unit, Specialized Prosecution Units, and improved Grand Jury scheduling; and WHEREAS, a firm believer that prosecution alone cannot create a safer community, she has further spearheaded R.I.S.E. (Restoring Inspiration by Success in Education), Genesis Academy, the Anti-Cosleeping Campaign, the summer Junior Justice League, One Safe Place Macon, and Camp Hope America's first Georgia affiliate, all of which provide critical support to youth, families, and victims of crime; and WHEREAS, she has been recognized for her outstanding contributions with numerous accolades, including two consecutive recognitions from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Child Fatality Review Committee, the 2022 Prevention Award, the Law and Justice Woman of the Year Award, and many more; and WHEREAS, Anita Reynolds Howard has served with honor and distinction as district attorney, and her vision and unyielding commitment to justice and public safety have set the standard for exemplary service; and WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that the outstanding accomplishments of this remarkable and distinguished Georgian be appropriately recognized. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize and commend Anita Reynolds Howard upon her receipt of the 2025 Career Women's Network Women of Achievement Award and extend the most 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 Anita Reynolds Howard. ## 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 honors Anita Reynolds Howard, the Macon Judicial Circuit's first African American and female district attorney, for receiving a 2025 statewide women's achievement award. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia Senate, not a change to state law. It recognizes Anita Reynolds Howard, district attorney for the Macon Judicial Circuit covering Bibb, Crawford, and Peach counties, for winning the 2025 Career Women's Network Women of Achievement Award. The resolution recounts her career, including making history in 2020 as the circuit's first African American and female district attorney, her programs like R.I.S.E., Genesis Academy, and One Safe Place Macon, and past honors from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and others. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for her. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and commends Anita Reynolds Howard for receiving the 2025 Career Women's Network Women of Achievement Award. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Howard. - Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement; it is purely a ceremonial statement by the Senate. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names Anita Reynolds Howard, the district attorney for the Macon Judicial Circuit serving Bibb, Crawford, and Peach counties, and the Secretary of the Senate, who must produce a copy for her. ### Why it matters The resolution has no legal effect on Georgians generally; it is a formal, symbolic honor. Its main real-world consequence is that the Senate produces an official document recognizing Howard's career and community programs for her. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses describe Howard's history as the first African American and female district attorney of the Macon Judicial Circuit, elected in 2020 with over 70 percent of the vote. - The resolved clause formally recognizes and commends her for the 2025 Career Women's Network Women of Achievement Award and wishes her continued success. - The final clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy of the resolution available for distribution to her. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-02-27) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2025-02-27) - Sponsors: David Lucas, Freddie Sims, Tonya Anderson, Elena Parent, Harold Jones - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/70903 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr279.md?full=1