--- title: SR 44. Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week; recognize March 9 to 15, 2025 collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr44 cite_as: SR 44, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr44 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr44.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr44/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69536 date: 2025-01-29 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/sr43.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr45.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr44.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 44 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-01-29 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Matt Brass - Frank Ginn - Jason Anavitarte - Ben Watson - Lee Anderson - Carden Summers - Billy Hickman - Ed Harbison - Randy Robertson - Blake Tillery - Kay Kirkpatrick - John Albers - Bill Cowsert - Chuck Payne - Mike Hodges - Drew Echols - Sam Watson - Brian Strickland - Timothy Bearden - Brandon Beach - Max Burns - Ricky Williams - Ed Setzler - Larry Walker - Marty Harbin - Nabilah Islam Parkes - Nikki Merritt - Sheikh Rahman - Jason Esteves - Harold Jones - Clint Dixon - Derek Mallow - Michael Rhett - Freddie Sims - Josh McLaurin - Nan Orrock - Randal Mangham - Kim Jackson - Kenya Wicks - Sally Harrell - RaShaun Kemp - Gail Davenport text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR44/2025 upstream_id: 1943183 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - multiple sclerosis - health awareness - Georgia Senate resolution - state capitol recognition --- # SR 44. Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week; recognize March 9 to 15, 2025 ## Text Senate Resolution 44 By: Senators Brass of the 6th, Ginn of the 47th, Anavitarte of the 31st, Watson of the 1st, Anderson of the 24th and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing March 9 to 15, 2025, as Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week at the state capitol; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease of the central nervous system, affecting nearly 1 million people in the United States alone; and WHEREAS, MS generally strikes people in the prime of their life, between the ages of 20 to 50; the cause and course of the often debilitating symptoms of MS remain unknown; and no cure currently exists; and WHEREAS, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is committed to a world free of MS, heightening public knowledge about and insight into the disease; and WHEREAS, together we have transformed what it means to live with MS and provided global leadership to help achieve our vision of a world free of MS; and WHEREAS, since 1946, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society has been a driving force of MS research, relentlessly pursuing prevention, treatments, and a cure, and it has invested more than $1 billion in groundbreaking research; and WHEREAS, funds raised through the National Multiple Sclerosis Society fuel research on pathways to MS cures and invest in the MS research workforce at the best medical centers, universities, and other institutions throughout the United States and abroad, leading to many breakthroughs in the treatment of MS; and WHEREAS, the mission of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is to cure MS while empowering people affected by MS to live their best lives, a goal that all Americans and Georgians should support; and WHEREAS, the State of Georgia recognizes the importance of finding the cause and cure of MS and expresses its appreciation for the dedication that the National Multiple Sclerosis Society - Georgia Chapter has shown toward creating a world free of MS. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize March 9 to 15, 2025, as Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week at the state capitol and encourage all citizens to learn more about the disease and what actions they can take to support individuals with multiple sclerosis as well as their families. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the public and the press. ## 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 designates March 9 to 15, 2025 as Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week at the state capitol, honoring efforts to research and treat the disease. ### Plain-language summary This resolution does not change any Georgia law. Instead, the Senate uses it to formally recognize March 9 to 15, 2025 as Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week at the state capitol. The text explains that multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease affecting nearly 1 million people in the United States, often striking people between ages 20 and 50, with no known cause or cure. The resolution highlights the work of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, active since 1946, which has invested more than $1 billion in research toward treatments and a cure. It thanks the National Multiple Sclerosis Society's Georgia Chapter for its work and encourages Georgians to learn about MS and how to support people living with it. The Secretary of the Senate is directed to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press. ### What it does - Formally recognizes March 9 to 15, 2025 as Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week at the Georgia state capitol. - Encourages Georgia citizens to learn more about multiple sclerosis and how to support people affected by it. - Expresses the Senate's appreciation for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society - Georgia Chapter's work. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to make copies of the resolution available to the public and press. ### Who it affects This mostly affects people living with multiple sclerosis and their families in Georgia, along with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society and its Georgia Chapter, whose work the resolution acknowledges. It does not impose any new duties on state agencies, businesses, or the general public. ### Why it matters The resolution carries symbolic weight rather than legal effect. It raises public awareness of multiple sclerosis in Georgia and publicly credits the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for research and support efforts, but it creates no funding, programs, or legal requirements. ### Key provisions - The resolving clause recognizes March 9 to 15, 2025 as Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Week at the state capitol. - The Senate encourages citizens to learn about MS and ways to support affected individuals and families. - A further resolution directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-01-29) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2025-01-29) - Sponsors: Matt Brass, Frank Ginn, Jason Anavitarte, Ben Watson, Lee Anderson, Carden Summers, Billy Hickman, Ed Harbison, Randy Robertson, Blake Tillery, Kay Kirkpatrick, John Albers, Bill Cowsert, Chuck Payne, Mike Hodges, Drew Echols, Sam Watson, Brian Strickland, Timothy Bearden, Brandon Beach, Max Burns, Ricky Williams, Ed Setzler, Larry Walker, Marty Harbin, Nabilah Islam Parkes, Nikki Merritt, Sheikh Rahman, Jason Esteves, Harold Jones, Clint Dixon, Derek Mallow, Michael Rhett, Freddie Sims, Josh McLaurin, Nan Orrock, Randal Mangham, Kim Jackson, Kenya Wicks, Sally Harrell, RaShaun Kemp, Gail Davenport - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69536 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr44.md?full=1