Georgia CommonsSR 652: Physician's Day; recognize February 4, 2026
Last action February 2, 2026 · Senate Read and Adopted
A Georgia Senate resolution designates February 4, 2026 as Physician's Day at the state capitol, honoring the roughly 27,750 physicians who practice in Georgia.
The summaries below were written by an AI model (claude-sonnet-5) from the text of the resolution and are not part of it. Quote the text, not the summary. The stored text is the Enrolled version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia Senate rather than a law that changes any statute. It states that the practice of medicine is a moral activity built on trust between patients and physicians, and it cites 2023 data showing 27,750 physicians practice in Georgia. The resolution names the Medical Association of Georgia and numerous specialty medical societies for their contributions to the state's health care environment. Its operative effect is to formally recognize February 4, 2026 as Physician's Day at the state capitol and to direct the Secretary of the Senate to prepare copies of the resolution for distribution to the public and the press.
What the bill does
- Formally recognizes February 4, 2026 as Physician's Day at the Georgia state capitol.
- States the Senate's appreciation for the roughly 27,750 physicians practicing in Georgia as of 2023.
- Names the Medical Association of Georgia and more than a dozen specialty medical societies for their contributions.
- Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press.
Who it affects
The resolution names Georgia's physicians broadly, along with organizations such as the Medical Association of Georgia, the Medical Association of Atlanta, various specialty physician societies, and the Secretary of the Senate, who must prepare and distribute copies.
Why it matters
The resolution has no legal effect on medical practice, licensing, or funding. It is a symbolic gesture of recognition, so its main real-world consequence is a ceremonial designation and public acknowledgment of physicians' role in Georgia rather than any change to daily practice or policy.
Key provisions
- The whereas clauses describe medicine as a moral activity grounded in trust between patient and physician.
- Cites a 2023 figure of 27,750 physicians practicing in Georgia.
- Names the Medical Association of Georgia and numerous specialty societies for their contributions to the state's practice environment.
- The resolving clause designates February 4, 2026 as Physician's Day at the state capitol.
- A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make copies available to the public and press.
From the bill
“the practice of medicine, and its embodiment in the clinical encounter between a patient and a physician, is fundamentally a moral activity that arises from the imperative to care for patients and to alleviate suffering”
“recognize February 4, 2026, as Physician's Day at the state capitol and saluting the physicians of Georgia”
Status timeline
- Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Ben Watson (R, SD-001)
- Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
- Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
- Ed Setzler (R, SD-037)
- Mike Hodges (R, SD-003)
Topics
- physicians
- health care
- ceremonial resolution
- Georgia Senate
- medical associations