Georgia CommonsSenate · Passed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
SR 496: Haynes, Norma; condolences
Last action March 31, 2025 · Senate Read and Adopted
A Georgia Senate resolution honors the life of Norma Haynes, Coweta County's first female bailiff and founder of the Newnan Coweta Public Safety Foundation, following her death on March 10, 2025.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
This resolution is a formal tribute from the Georgia Senate marking the death of Norma Haynes, a longtime Newnan and Coweta County resident. It recounts her career, including becoming Coweta County's first female bailiff in 1980 and founding the Newnan Coweta Public Safety Foundation, a nonprofit that supported local first responders. It also notes her creation of the annual Public Safety Appreciation Lunch and her role in organizing Coweta County's part in the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay. The resolution states that the Senate honors her memory and expresses regret at her passing. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to provide a copy of the resolution to her family. The document has no regulatory or funding effect; it is a ceremonial statement rather than a change to Georgia law.
What the bill does
- Formally honors the life and memory of Norma Haynes on behalf of the Georgia Senate.
- Recounts her history as Coweta County's first female bailiff and founder of the Newnan Coweta Public Safety Foundation.
- Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to her family.
- Expresses the Senate's regret at her passing without creating any new law, funding, or regulation.
Who it affects
The resolution directly names Norma Haynes' family, who will receive a copy, and the Coweta County Sheriff's Office and public safety community she supported. It has no regulatory effect on the broader public or any state agency.
Why it matters
This is a ceremonial resolution rather than a policy change. Its practical effect is limited to the Senate's formal record and providing her family with a keepsake copy; it does not alter any Georgia statute, program, or funding.
Key provisions
- The resolution recites Norma Haynes' biography and civic contributions in Coweta County, including her 1980 appointment as the county's first female bailiff.
- It formally resolves that the Senate honors her memory and expresses regret at her passing.
- It directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available for distribution to her family.
From the bill
“Norma Haynes made history in 1980 as Coweta County's first female bailiff, breaking barriers for women in law enforcement”
“affectionately known as the "Mother of Public Safety" in Coweta County”
Status timeline
- Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Matt Brass (R, SD-6)
- John F. Kennedy (R, SD-18)
- Steve Gooch (R, SD-51)
- Randy Robertson (R, SD-29)
- Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-31)
- Larry Walker, III (R, SD-20)
Topics
- Senate resolution
- Coweta County
- public safety
- memorial tribute