--- title: SR 671. YMCA; recognize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr671 cite_as: SR 671, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr671 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr671.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr671/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72696 date: 2026-02-03 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/sr670.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr672.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr671.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 671 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-02-03 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Bo Hatchett - Matt Brass - Drew Echols - Jason T. Dickerson - Mike Hodges - Billy Hickman - Ed Setzler - Brian Strickland - Timothy Bearden - Sam Watson - Russ Goodman - Marty Harbin - Clint Dixon - Chuck Payne - Chuck Hufstetler - Frank Ginn - Carden Summers - John Albers - Larry Walker - Shawn Still - Greg Dolezal - Blake Tillery - Lee Anderson - Bill Cowsert - Ben Watson - Kay Kirkpatrick - Randy Robertson text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR671/2025 upstream_id: 2104402 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - YMCA - community organizations - Georgia Senate resolutions - nonprofit recognition --- # SR 671. YMCA; recognize ## Text Senate Resolution 671 By: Senators Hatchett of the 50th, Brass of the 6th, Echols of the 49th, Dickerson of the 21st, Hodges of the 3rd and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing the YMCA upon its 175th anniversary; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, in 2026, the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) is celebrating its 175th anniversary; and WHEREAS, inspired by the YMCA movement in England and with a mission to put Christian principles into practice by building a healthy spirit, mind, and body for all, Thomas Valentine Sullivan founded the YMCA at the Old South Church in Boston on December 29, 1851; and WHEREAS, the YMCA has continually adapted to meet evolving needs of American communities, strengthening society by bringing people together, fostering relationships, and creating a sense of belonging; and WHEREAS, the YMCA's legacy includes: providing safe housing during the Industrial Revolution; pioneering the first night school and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes; inventing basketball; delivering the first group swim lessons; leading humanitarian efforts during wartime, including the work of YMCA leader and President Wilson's General Secretary for the National War Work Council, John R. Mott, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1946 for the undertaking; establishing the Youth and Government program in 1936, a premier civic engagement initiative that continues today; serving as the birthplace of Father's Day, with the first celebration held at the Spokane YMCA in 1910; becoming the nation's leading nonprofit provider of child care and afterschool programs since the 1970s and 1980s supporting working families; and serving as the leading provider of emergency child care for front line workers and a significant provider of food during the pandemic; and WHEREAS, today 2,600 YMCAs serve more than 10,000 communities in every state and territory, with more than 300,000 staff and 350,00 volunteers delivering essential programs to over 17 million people annually, including almost 11 million adults and 6.5 million children and youth; and WHEREAS, the first YMCA in Georgia opened in 1855 in Savannah and today, 16 YMCAs serve communities in Georgia through the collective impact of more than 8,300 staff and 8,600 volunteers providing essential programs and services; and WHEREAS, the YMCA is a leader in providing swim lessons, camping, youth sports, meal programs, lifestyle health, fitness and well-being programs, and is the largest provider of fitness programs for older adults; and WHEREAS, the YMCA is the nation's largest nonprofit provider of childcare and afterschool programs; and WHEREAS, the YMCA serves people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities, creating spaces where all people feel welcome, are treated with respect and find opportunities to connect with their neighbors; and WHEREAS, YMCAs across the nation are working to build stronger, more connected communities through intentional experiences that help people achieve their goals, foster connection and promote well-being in order to build relationships and thrive; and WHEREAS, in 2026, YMCAs nationwide will host special events that celebrate the moments, programs, and people who've shaped their story. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize the YMCA's role in responding to community needs, connecting people, fostering support, building relationships and a sense of belonging; commend the hundreds of thousands of staff and volunteers who create connected communities and advance the Y's mission to build healthy spirits, minds, and bodies for all; encourage continued support for the efforts to address social isolation and loneliness by creating places and spaces that promote achievement, well-being, and connection and help people build relationships and thrive; and congratulate the YMCA for 175 years of service to the nation. 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 YMCA. ## 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 recognizes the YMCA's 175th anniversary, honoring its history, its 16 Georgia locations, and its staff and volunteers across the state. ### Plain-language summary 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 it 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. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-02-03) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-02-03) - Sponsors: Bo Hatchett, Matt Brass, Drew Echols, Jason T. Dickerson, Mike Hodges, Billy Hickman, Ed Setzler, Brian Strickland, Timothy Bearden, Sam Watson, Russ Goodman, Marty Harbin, Clint Dixon, Chuck Payne, Chuck Hufstetler, Frank Ginn, Carden Summers, John Albers, Larry Walker, Shawn Still, Greg Dolezal, Blake Tillery, Lee Anderson, Bill Cowsert, Ben Watson, Kay Kirkpatrick, Randy Robertson - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72696 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr671.md?full=1