--- title: SR 647. Bacote, Dr. Veronica; recognize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr647 cite_as: SR 647, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr647 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr647.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr647/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72587 date: 2026-02-02 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/sr646.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr648.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr647.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 647 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-02-02 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Tonya Anderson - Ed Harbison - Randal Mangham - Freddie Sims - Donzella James - Jaha Howard - RaShaun Kemp - Kenya Wicks - Michael Rhett - Derek Mallow - Harold Jones text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR647/2025 upstream_id: 2102317 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - education honors - Newton County Schools - school principals - Georgia Senate resolutions --- # SR 647. Bacote, Dr. Veronica; recognize ## Text Senate Resolution 647 By: Senators Anderson of the 43rd, Harbison of the 15th, Mangham of the 55th, Sims of the 12th, James of the 28th and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing and congratulating Dr. Veronica Bacote upon her appointment as Principal of Clements Middle School; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Dr. Veronica Bacote has recently been appointed Principal of Clements Middle School, bringing more than three decades of experience and expertise; and WHEREAS, she began her career in 1987 as a mathematics and social studies teacher in Newton County Schools and later served as an assistant principal in Jasper County Schools and Gwinnett County Schools, before returning to Newton County in 2005 to serve in the same capacity at Newton High School; and WHEREAS, Dr. Veronica Bacote is dedicated to partnering with educators, students, families, and community stakeholders to continue creating a safe, inclusive, and high-achieving learning environment at Clements Middle School; and WHEREAS, this distinguished gentlewoman has given inspiration to many through her high ideals, morals, and deep concern for her fellow citizens, and she possesses the vast wisdom which only comes through experience and the strength of character which is achieved through overcoming the many challenges of life; and WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that the outstanding accomplishments of this remarkable and distinguished Georgian be appropriately recognized. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize and congratulate Dr. Veronica Bacote upon her appointment as Principal of Clements Middle School and extend their sincere best wishes for continued health, happiness, and success. 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 Dr. Veronica Bacote. ## 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 Senate resolution formally recognizes Dr. Veronica Bacote of Newton County on her appointment as Principal of Clements Middle School, honoring her decades in Georgia education. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia Senate, not a change to state law. It recognizes Dr. Veronica Bacote, who began her career in 1987 as a mathematics and social studies teacher in Newton County Schools and later worked as an assistant principal in Jasper County Schools and Gwinnett County Schools before returning to Newton County in 2005. The resolution congratulates her on her recent appointment as Principal of Clements Middle School and expresses the Senate's best wishes for her continued health and success. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for her, which is standard practice for these commemorative measures. It does not create, amend, or repeal any Georgia statute. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and congratulates Dr. Veronica Bacote on her appointment as Principal of Clements Middle School. - Summarizes her educational career, including roles in Newton County, Jasper County, and Gwinnett County Schools. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to Dr. Bacote. - Extends the Senate's best wishes for her continued health, happiness, and success, without changing any Georgia law. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names Dr. Veronica Bacote, the newly appointed Principal of Clements Middle School, and references Newton County Schools, Jasper County Schools, and Gwinnett County Schools, where she previously worked. ### Why it matters This resolution carries no legal or funding consequences; it is a symbolic honor. Its practical effect is limited to producing an official commemorative copy for Dr. Bacote, marking her professional achievement in Georgia public education. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses recount Dr. Bacote's career history since 1987, including her prior assistant principal roles. - The first resolving clause has the Senate recognize and congratulate her on becoming Principal of Clements Middle School. - The final resolving clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for her. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-02-02) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-02-02) - Sponsors: Tonya Anderson, Ed Harbison, Randal Mangham, Freddie Sims, Donzella James, Jaha Howard, RaShaun Kemp, Kenya Wicks, Michael Rhett, Derek Mallow, Harold Jones - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72587 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr647.md?full=1