--- title: SR 559. Stone, Kenny; recognize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr559 cite_as: SR 559, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr559 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr559.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr559/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72163 date: 2026-01-13 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/sr558.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr560.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr559.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 559 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-01-13 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Billy Hickman - Larry Walker - Jason Anavitarte - Max Burns - Ben Watson text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR559/2025 upstream_id: 2071990 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - healthcare - ceremonial resolution - hospital recognition - Georgia Senate --- # SR 559. Stone, Kenny; recognize ## Text Senate Resolution 559 By: Senators Hickman of the 4th, Walker III of the 20th, Anavitarte of the 31st, Burns of the 23rd and Watson of the 1st A RESOLUTION Recognizing Kenny Stone for his outstanding legacy of leadership and congratulating East Georgia Regional Medical Center upon 25 years of service; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, East Georgia Regional Medical Center’s (EGRMC) success is inseparable from the exceptional leadership of Kenny Stone, Chairman of the EGRMC Board of Trustees; and WHEREAS, every major milestone, from the vision of a new regional hospital to its growth into one of Southeast Georgia’s most vital healthcare institutions, has unfolded under Kenny Stone’s steady guidance, strategic foresight, and unwavering commitment to community; and WHEREAS, through decades of change in healthcare, economic cycles, and community growth, Kenny Stone’s leadership has helped shape a hospital that delivers advanced care, economic strength, and compassionate service to the citizens of Georgia; and WHEREAS, during his tenure, EGRMC has grown into a regional healthcare leader, serving over 300,000 patients annually, supporting over $214 million in economic impact, and providing $100 million in charity and uncompensated care, ensuring access to healthcare regardless of a patient’s ability to pay; and WHEREAS, reflecting his unwavering dedication to building stronger, more sustainable communities, Kenny Stone has guided EGRMC to becoming one of the region’s largest employers, championed a collaboration with Georgia Southern University, Ogeechee Technical College, as well as numerous other educational institutions to educate more than 300 healthcare students each semester, and ensured the development and investment into new technologies allowing patients to receive life-saving care close to home; and WHEREAS, additionally, Kenny Stone’s leadership has supported the expansion of EGRMC beyond its hospital walls, creating a network of specialty and primary care services designed to meet the growing needs of Southeast Georgia; and WHEREAS, for 25 years, the success of EGRMC has been the result of collective effort of physicians, nurses, staff, volunteers, community partners, and trustees, working under steady, principled leadership, like that of Kenny Stone; and WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that the outstanding leadership, unwavering dedication to community, and distinguished service of EGRMC Board of Trustees Chairman Kenny Stone is appropriately honored. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize the exemplary leadership demonstrated by Kenny Stone and congratulate East Georgia Regional Medical Center for 25 years of dedicated service to the citizens of the State of Georgia. 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 Kenny Stone and East Georgia Regional Medical Center. ## 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 Kenny Stone, chairman of the East Georgia Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees, and congratulates the hospital on 25 years of service. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia Senate rather than a bill that changes state law. It recognizes Kenny Stone for his leadership as chairman of the Board of Trustees at East Georgia Regional Medical Center (EGRMC) and congratulates the hospital on reaching 25 years of operation. The resolution describes EGRMC's growth under Stone's leadership, citing figures like serving over 300,000 patients annually, supporting more than $214 million in economic impact, and providing $100 million in charity and uncompensated care. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare copies of the resolution for distribution to Stone and the hospital. It does not create any new law, funding, or regulation. ### What it does - Formally recognizes Kenny Stone's leadership as chairman of the East Georgia Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees. - Congratulates East Georgia Regional Medical Center on 25 years of service to Southeast Georgia. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare copies of the resolution for distribution to Stone and the hospital. - Creates no new statutes, funding, or regulatory requirements, as it is a ceremonial resolution rather than a law. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names Kenny Stone and East Georgia Regional Medical Center. It has no binding effect on other Georgians, businesses, or government agencies since it is a ceremonial statement rather than a change to law. ### Why it matters Because this is a ceremonial resolution, it has no practical legal effect on Georgians. Its significance is symbolic: it puts the Senate's formal recognition of Stone's leadership and the hospital's community role on the public record. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses describe Stone's tenure and EGRMC's growth, including patient volume, economic impact, and charity care figures. - The resolved clause formally recognizes Stone's leadership and congratulates EGRMC on 25 years of service. - A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to Stone and the hospital. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-01-13) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-01-13) - Sponsors: Billy Hickman, Larry Walker, Jason Anavitarte, Max Burns, Ben Watson - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72163 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr559.md?full=1