--- title: SR 604. Busbin, James Edwin; condolences collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr604 cite_as: SR 604, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr604 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr604.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr604/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72399 date: 2026-01-28 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/sr603.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr605.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr604.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 604 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-01-28 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Timothy Bearden - Matt Brass - Jason Anavitarte text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR604/2025 upstream_id: 2095091 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - Georgia Senate resolution - condolence resolution - Villa Rica - funeral industry --- # SR 604. Busbin, James Edwin; condolences ## Text Senate Resolution 604 By: Senators Bearden of the 30th, Brass of the 6th and Anavitarte of the 31st A RESOLUTION Honoring the life and memory of James Edwin Busbin; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens with the passing of James Edwin Busbin on January 19, 2026; and WHEREAS, James Edwin Busbin was born on August 15, 1931,during the Great Depression in the Bill Arp Community, and was raised in a hardworking family and developed a lifelong work ethic shaped by perseverance and responsibility; and WHEREAS, he served as a guardian of this nation's freedom and liberty with the United States Navy, valiantly and courageously protecting his fellow Americans; and WHEREAS, he was the proud father to Brenda Jane Busbin, and was a devoted grandfather and great-grandfather; and WHEREAS, James Edwin Busbin discovered his calling in funeral service, earning his Georgia Funeral Director License in 1964, and opening J. E. Busbin Funeral Home & Ambulance Service in 1966; and WHEREAS, he also enjoyed a distinguished 30-year career with Sears & Roebuck, earning Top Salesman of the Year for the Southeast Territory multiple times, and later owned Busbin’s Flooring, conducting business with integrity and trust; and WHEREAS, in 2002, he helped found J. Collins Funeral Home alongside his grandson and served selflessly as the funeral home’s first full-time unpaid employee, caring for families during times of loss; and WHEREAS, James Edwin Busbin served the public through civic leadership as a member of the Villa Rica Planning and Zoning Board and later as a Villa Rica City Councilman, as well as was a longtime member of American Legion Post #70 and was actively involved in many local churches; and WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous man, James Edwin Busbin will long be remembered as a man who never met a stranger and whose life exemplified service to others, and he will be missed by all who had the great fortune of knowing him. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body join in honoring the life and memory of James Edwin Busbin and express their deepest and most sincere regret at his passing. 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 James Edwin Busbin. ## 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 James Edwin Busbin, a Villa Rica funeral director, Navy veteran, and civic leader who died on January 19, 2026. ### Plain-language summary This is a memorial resolution from the Georgia Senate, not a change to state law. It recognizes James Edwin Busbin of the Bill Arp Community, who died on January 19, 2026, and recounts his life: his Navy service, his 30 year career with Sears & Roebuck, his founding of J. E. Busbin Funeral Home & Ambulance Service in 1966, his later co-founding of J. Collins Funeral Home with his grandson, and his civic work on the Villa Rica Planning and Zoning Board and City Council. The resolution formally expresses the Senate's regret at his passing and directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to his family. It has no regulatory or funding effect and creates no new law. ### What it does - Formally expresses the Georgia Senate's regret over the death of James Edwin Busbin and honors his life and memory. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Busbin's family. - Creates no new law, requirement, or funding since it is a ceremonial resolution rather than legislation. ### Who it affects This resolution directly names the family of James Edwin Busbin, who will receive a copy, and reflects recognition by the Georgia Senate. It does not impose obligations on any other Georgians or institutions. ### Why it matters The resolution has no legal or financial effect on Georgians generally; its practical result is a formal Senate record honoring Busbin's life and a keepsake copy delivered to his family, common practice for the legislature to mark a constituent's passing. ### Key provisions - The preamble ('whereas' clauses) recounts Busbin's birth in 1931, Navy service, funeral industry career, business career, and civic roles in Villa Rica. - The first resolving clause has the Senate join in honoring his life and expressing regret at his passing. - The second resolving clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute a copy of the resolution to his family. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-01-28) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-01-28) - Sponsors: Timothy Bearden, Matt Brass, Jason Anavitarte - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72399 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr604.md?full=1