Georgia CommonsSR 671: YMCA; recognize
Last action February 3, 2026 · Senate Read and Adopted
A Georgia Senate resolution recognizes the YMCA's 175th anniversary, honoring its history, its 16 Georgia locations, and its staff and volunteers across the state.
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, not a change to state law. It marks the YMCA's 175th anniversary in 2026, recounting the organization's founding in Boston in 1851 and its long history of programs like youth sports, swim lessons, childcare, and civic engagement through its Youth and Government program. The resolution highlights Georgia's connection to the YMCA, noting the first Georgia YMCA opened in Savannah in 1855 and that 16 YMCAs now operate across the state with thousands of staff and volunteers. The Senate formally recognizes the YMCA's community role, commends its staff and volunteers, and congratulates the organization on 175 years of service. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy of the resolution to the YMCA.
What the bill does
- Formally recognizes the YMCA's 175th anniversary and its history of community programs and services.
- Commends YMCA staff and volunteers nationwide and in Georgia for their work building connected communities.
- Encourages continued support for YMCA efforts addressing social isolation and loneliness.
- Directs the Secretary of the Senate to provide a copy of the resolution to the YMCA for distribution.
Who it affects
This resolution primarily affects the YMCA as an organization, including its national leadership and Georgia's 16 local YMCA branches, along with the thousands of staff and volunteers who run its programs. It has no direct legal or financial effect on other Georgians.
Why it matters
Because this is a ceremonial resolution rather than a law, it does not change any rights, funding, or requirements. Its main effect is a formal, public statement from the Georgia Senate honoring the YMCA's history and ongoing community work in the state.
Key provisions
- The whereas clauses recount YMCA history, including its 1851 founding, invention of basketball, and creation of the Youth and Government civic program in 1936.
- The whereas clauses note Georgia's first YMCA opened in Savannah in 1855 and that 16 YMCAs now operate in Georgia with over 8,300 staff and 8,600 volunteers.
- The resolution formally commends YMCA staff and volunteers and congratulates the organization on 175 years of service to the nation.
- The resolution directs the Secretary of the Senate to send a copy to the YMCA for distribution.
From the bill
“Thomas Valentine Sullivan founded the YMCA at the Old South Church in Boston on December 29, 1851”
“the first YMCA in Georgia opened in 1855 in Savannah and today, 16 YMCAs serve communities in Georgia”
Status timeline
- Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Bo Hatchett (R, SD-050)
- Matt Brass (R, SD-006)
- Drew Echols (R, SD-049)
- Jason T. Dickerson (R, SD-021)
- Mike Hodges (R, SD-003)
- Billy Hickman (R, SD-004)
- Ed Setzler (R, SD-037)
- Brian Strickland (R, SD-042)
- Timothy Bearden (R, SD-030)
- Sam Watson (R, SD-011)
- Russ Goodman (R, SD-008)
- Marty Harbin (R, SD-016)
- Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)
- Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
- Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-052)
- Frank Ginn (R, SD-047)
- Carden Summers (R, SD-013)
- John Albers (R, SD-056)
- Larry Walker (R, SD-020)
- Shawn Still (R, SD-048)
- Greg Dolezal (R, SD-027)
- Blake Tillery (R, SD-019)
- Lee Anderson (R, SD-024)
- Bill Cowsert (R, SD-046)
- Ben Watson (R, SD-001)
- Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
- Randy Robertson (R, SD-029)
Topics
- YMCA
- community organizations
- Georgia Senate resolutions
- nonprofit recognition