--- title: SR 499. Independent Order of Odd Fellows Week; recognize April 20-26, 2025 collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr499 cite_as: SR 499, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr499 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr499.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr499/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71870 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/sr498.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr500.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr499.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 499 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: - Jason Esteves - Sonya Halpern - RaShaun Kemp text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR499/2025 upstream_id: 2016614 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - ceremonial resolution - Independent Order of Odd Fellows - Georgia Senate - fraternal organizations --- # SR 499. Independent Order of Odd Fellows Week; recognize April 20-26, 2025 ## Text 25 LC 112 3553 Senate Resolution 499 By: Senators Esteves of the 35th, Halpern of the 39th and Kemp of the 38th A RESOLUTION Recognizing April 20-26, 2025, as Independent Order of Odd Fellows Week; and for other1 purposes.2 WHEREAS, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Georgia has long dedicated itself to3 promoting goodwill among individuals and to advancing the welfa re of humanity in the4 many cities and communities it serves; and5 WHEREAS, this year, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows is cel ebrating its 206th6 anniversary on the North American continent and its 180th anniv ersary in the State of7 Georgia; and8 WHEREAS, the officers and members of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Georgia9 have requested that the week of April 20 through April 26, 2025 , be recognized as10 Independent Order of Odd Fellows Week, with April 26 marking the founding date of this11 distinguished fraternity 206 years ago.12 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body13 recognize April 20-26, 2025, as Independent Order of Odd Fellows Week.14 S. R. 499 - 1 - 25 LC 112 3553 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed15 to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the Independent16 Order of Odd Fellows of Georgia.17 S. R. 499 - 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 recognizes April 20-26, 2025, as Independent Order of Odd Fellows Week, honoring the fraternal organization's history in the state. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia Senate rather than a law that changes anyone's rights or duties. It recognizes April 20-26, 2025, as Independent Order of Odd Fellows Week, marking the organization's 206th anniversary in North America and its 180th anniversary in Georgia. The resolution notes that April 26 marks the 206th founding anniversary of the fraternity. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Georgia. It does not amend any Georgia statute or create any new legal requirement. ### What it does - Formally recognizes April 20-26, 2025, as Independent Order of Odd Fellows Week in Georgia. - States the historical basis for the recognition, including the organization's 206th anniversary in North America and 180th in Georgia. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to the organization. - Creates no new law, funding, or enforceable requirement; it is a symbolic statement by the Senate. ### Who it affects The Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Georgia, a fraternal and charitable organization, is the group named and honored in the resolution. No other Georgians, businesses, or government agencies have any obligations under it. ### Why it matters The resolution has no practical legal effect on Georgians' daily lives. Its significance is purely ceremonial: it gives official Senate recognition to a fraternal organization's anniversary and history in the state. ### Key provisions - The resolved clause designates April 20-26, 2025, as Independent Order of Odd Fellows Week. - A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy of the resolution available for distribution to the organization. - The whereas clauses recite the organization's mission and anniversary milestones but create no binding obligations. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-03-31) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2025-03-31) - Sponsors: Jason Esteves, Sonya Halpern, RaShaun Kemp - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71870 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr499.md?full=1