--- title: SR 569. Ballinger, Mandi L.; condolences collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr569 cite_as: SR 569, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr569 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr569.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr569/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72199 date: 2026-01-14 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/sr568.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr570.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr569.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 569 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-01-14 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Jason T. Dickerson - Kay Kirkpatrick - John Albers - Ricky Williams - Chuck Payne - Chuck Hufstetler - Ben Watson - Max Burns - Bo Hatchett - Jason Anavitarte - Shawn Still - Larry Walker - Randy Robertson - Greg Dolezal - Lee Anderson - Blake Tillery - Clint Dixon - Marty Harbin - Billy Hickman - Mike Hodges - Drew Echols - Timothy Bearden - Brian Strickland - Steve Gooch - Matt Brass - Sam Watson - Carden Summers text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR569/2025 upstream_id: 2073978 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - legislative condolences - Cherokee County - foster care advocacy - Georgia House of Representatives --- # SR 569. Ballinger, Mandi L.; condolences ## Text Senate Resolution 569 By: Senators Dickerson of the 21st, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Albers of the 56th, Williams of the 25th, Payne of the 54th and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing and honoring the life, service, and legacy of Representative Mandi L. Ballinger, devoted public servant, faithful advocate, and cherished resident of Cherokee County; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of Representative Mandi L. Ballinger, esteemed member of the Georgia House of Representatives for District 23, who passed away after a courageous battle with cancer; and WHEREAS, Representative Ballinger faithfully served the people of Cherokee County with integrity, dedication, and unwavering commitment throughout her tenure in the General Assembly; and WHEREAS, Representative Ballinger earned the deep respect of colleagues on both sides of the aisle for her tireless work ethic, thoughtful leadership, and steadfast devotion to advancing policies that improved the lives of Georgia families; and WHEREAS, Representative Ballinger was especially recognized for her passionate advocacy on behalf of foster children, championing reforms that strengthened protections for the most vulnerable and ensuring that the voices of those without guardians were heard in the halls of power; and WHEREAS, her diligence and compassion were evident in every committee room and floor debate she entered, as she consistently sought to build a safer, stronger, and more just future for the citizens she represented; and WHEREAS, a beloved member of the Cherokee County community, Representative Ballinger was known not only for her legislative accomplishments but also for her kindness, her humility, and her genuine care for the people she served; and WHEREAS, Representative Ballinger leaves behind a legacy of service, courage, and devotion that will continue to inspire lawmakers, advocates, and families throughout the State of Georgia for years to come; and WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that the outstanding life and achievements of this remarkable public servant be recognized and honored by the Georgia State Senate. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body honor the life, service, and memory of Representative Mandi L. Ballinger, express their profound appreciation for her many contributions to the State of Georgia, and extend their deepest condolences to her family, friends, colleagues, and the citizens of Cherokee County. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the family of Representative Mandi L. Ballinger. ## 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 and public service of Representative Mandi L. Ballinger of Cherokee County, who died after battling cancer, and offers condolences to her family. ### Plain-language summary This resolution is a formal statement from the Georgia State Senate marking the death of Representative Mandi L. Ballinger, who represented District 23 in Cherokee County in the Georgia House of Representatives. It does not change any law. Instead, it recounts her service in the General Assembly, praises her advocacy for foster children, and describes her as respected by colleagues from both political parties. The resolution formally states that the Senate honors her life and service, expresses appreciation for her contributions to Georgia, and extends condolences to her family, friends, colleagues, and the people of Cherokee County. It also directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for her family. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and honors the life, service, and legacy of Representative Mandi L. Ballinger of Cherokee County. - States the Senate's appreciation for her legislative work, including advocacy for foster children. - Extends official condolences from the Senate to her family, friends, colleagues, and Cherokee County residents. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to her family. ### Who it affects This resolution directly concerns the family, friends, and colleagues of the late Representative Mandi L. Ballinger, residents of Cherokee County she represented, and members of the Georgia House of Representatives and Senate who worked alongside her. ### Why it matters While the resolution carries no legal or funding effect, it is the Senate's official, permanent record acknowledging a sitting lawmaker's death and public service, and it provides her family with a formal document of recognition from the state legislature. ### Key provisions - The resolution's whereas clauses describe Ballinger's tenure representing District 23 and her advocacy for foster children and vulnerable Georgians. - The resolved clause formally has the Senate honor her life and service and extend condolences to her family and Cherokee County. - A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available for distribution to her family. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-01-14) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-01-14) - Sponsors: Jason T. Dickerson, Kay Kirkpatrick, John Albers, Ricky Williams, Chuck Payne, Chuck Hufstetler, Ben Watson, Max Burns, Bo Hatchett, Jason Anavitarte, Shawn Still, Larry Walker, Randy Robertson, Greg Dolezal, Lee Anderson, Blake Tillery, Clint Dixon, Marty Harbin, Billy Hickman, Mike Hodges, Drew Echols, Timothy Bearden, Brian Strickland, Steve Gooch, Matt Brass, Sam Watson, Carden Summers - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72199 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr569.md?full=1