--- title: SR 496. Haynes, Norma; condolences collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr496 cite_as: SR 496, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr496 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr496.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr496/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71853 date: 2025-03-31 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-08-28 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/sr495.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr497.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr496.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 496 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-03-31 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Matt Brass - John Kennedy - Steve Gooch - Randy Robertson - Jason Anavitarte - Larry Walker text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR496/2025 upstream_id: 2016607 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - Senate resolution - Coweta County - public safety - condolences --- # SR 496. Haynes, Norma; condolences ## Text 25 LC 112 3568 Senate Resolution 496 By: Senators Brass of the 6th, Kennedy of the 18th, Gooch of the 51st, Robertson of the 29th, Anavitarte of the 31st and others A RESOLUTION Honoring the life and memory of Norma Haynes; and for other purposes.1 WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens2 with the passing of Norma Haynes on March 10, 2025; and3 WHEREAS, Norma Haynes made history in 1980 as Coweta County's first female bailiff,4 breaking barriers for women in law enforcement, and she founded the Newnan Coweta5 Public Safety Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provided resources and recognition6 for first responders throughout the county; and7 WHEREAS, among her most well-known contributions was the establishment of the annual8 Public Safety Appreciation Lunch, which grew into a cherished c ommunity tradition9 honoring the service and sacrifice of local emergency personnel; and10 WHEREAS, a lifelong resident of Newnan, she played a central ro le in numerous civic11 efforts over the years, including the coordination of Coweta County's celebration of the 199612 Olympic Torch Relay; and13 S. R. 496 - 1 - 25 LC 112 3568 WHEREAS, in recognition of her decades of service, she received the Georgia Sheriffs'14 Association Meritorious Award in 2005 and was named the Coweta County Citizen of the15 Year in 2022; and16 WHEREAS, affectionately known as the "Mother of Public Safety" in Coweta County,17 Norma Haynes was considered family by the Coweta County Sheriff's Office and was dearly18 beloved by the community she served so faithfully; and19 WHEREAS, she gave inspiration to many through her high ideals, morals, and deep concern20 for her fellow citizens, and the devotion, patience, and unders tanding she demonstrated to21 her family and friends were admired by others; and22 WHEREAS, she was a person of magnanimous strengths with an unimpeachable reputation23 for integrity, intelligence, fairness, and kindness, and by the example she made of her life,24 she made this world a better place in which to live; and25 WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous woman, Norma Haynes will long be remembered26 for her love of family, friendship, and community and will be m issed by all who had the27 great fortune of knowing her.28 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body29 join in honoring the life and memory of Norma Haynes and express their deepest and most30 sincere regret at her passing.31 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed32 to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for di stribution to the family of33 Norma Haynes.34 S. R. 496 - 2 - ## 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 honors the life of Norma Haynes, Coweta County's first female bailiff and founder of a public safety nonprofit, who died on March 10, 2025. ### Plain-language summary 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 accomplishments, including becoming Coweta County's first female bailiff in 1980 and founding the Newnan Coweta Public Safety Foundation, which supported local first responders. The resolution notes her creation of the annual Public Safety Appreciation Lunch, her role in coordinating Coweta County's part in the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay, and awards she received, including the Georgia Sheriffs' Association Meritorious Award in 2005 and Coweta County Citizen of the Year in 2022. The Senate formally expresses regret at her passing and directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to her family. ### What it does - Formally honors the life and memory of Norma Haynes and expresses the Senate's regret at her death. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and send a copy of the resolution to Haynes's family. - Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory change; it is a ceremonial statement by the Senate. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names Norma Haynes's family, who will receive a copy, and honors the Coweta County Sheriff's Office and public safety community she supported through her nonprofit and events. ### Why it matters The resolution has no legal or regulatory effect on Georgians generally; its significance is symbolic, formally recording the Georgia Senate's recognition of Haynes's community service and providing her family an official memorial document. ### Key provisions - The resolution states the Senate's resolution to honor Norma Haynes and express regret at her passing. - A second resolving clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available for distribution to her family. - The preamble (whereas clauses) details her civic contributions, including founding the Newnan Coweta Public Safety Foundation and the annual Public Safety Appreciation Lunch. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-03-31) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2025-03-31) - Sponsors: Matt Brass, John Kennedy, Steve Gooch, Randy Robertson, Jason Anavitarte, Larry Walker - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71853 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr496.md?full=1