--- title: SR 697. Colbert, Jason; recognize collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr697 cite_as: SR 697, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr697 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr697.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr697/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72846 date: 2026-03-16 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/sr696.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr698.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 433 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr697.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 697 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-16 last_action: Senate Passed/Adopted sponsors: - Max Burns - Ricky Williams - Chuck Payne - Jaha Howard - Sally Harrell - Chuck Hufstetler - Billy Hickman - Carden Summers - Clint Dixon - Nan Orrock text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR697/2025 upstream_id: 2108052 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - technical education - legislative honors - Georgia Senate resolution - workforce development --- # SR 697. Colbert, Jason; recognize ## Text Senate Resolution 697 By: Senators Burns of the 23rd, Williams of the 25th, Payne of the 54th, Howard of the 35th, Harrell of the 40th and others ADOPTED SENATE A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending Jason Colbert and inviting him to appear before the Georgia Senate; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Jason Colbert is the state recipient of the Technical College System of Georgia's (TCSG) 2025 Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL), the first program of its kind in the nation established to recognize outstanding technical college students; and WHEREAS, the GOAL program brings together Georgia's business, government, and industry leaders with the state's technical colleges to highlight the vital role technical education plays in Georgia's workforce development, economic prosperity and future; and WHEREAS, for more than five decades, the GOAL program has exemplified a strong partnership among business, industry and higher education; and WHEREAS, Mr. Colbert was selected from among 22 TCSG college GOAL winners who demonstrated exceptional academic achievement and leadership at their respective technical colleges; and WHEREAS, Mr. Colbert, a nursing student from Southeastern Technical College, enrolled with a commitment to obtaining the high-quality education and training necessary to acquire the knowledge and skills required for success in his chosen profession; and WHEREAS, Mr. Colbert will serve as an ambassador for technical education in Georgia, representing more than 149,000 TCSG students who benefit from technical education programs offered at 22 colleges throughout the state; and WHEREAS, Mr. Colbert has brought honor to himself, his family, Southeastern Technical College, and the entire Technical College System of Georgia and stands as Georgia's outstanding technical college student for 2025. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body commend and congratulate Jason Colbert for his technical college achievements and his efforts to promote technical education in the State of Georgia. 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 Jason Colbert. ## 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 formally recognizes Jason Colbert, a Southeastern Technical College nursing student, as the 2025 state winner of the Technical College System of Georgia's GOAL award. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia Senate rather than a change to state law. It honors Jason Colbert, a nursing student at Southeastern Technical College, for being named the 2025 state recipient of the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL), a program run by the Technical College System of Georgia that recognizes outstanding technical college students. The resolution explains that Colbert was chosen from among 22 college-level GOAL winners across the state's technical college system, which serves more than 149,000 students. The Senate commends and congratulates him for his achievements and for promoting technical education in Georgia, and directs the Secretary of the Senate to provide him with an official copy of the resolution. ### What it does - Formally commends and congratulates Jason Colbert for winning the 2025 statewide GOAL award from the Technical College System of Georgia. - States the facts behind the award, including that Colbert was selected from 22 college-level GOAL winners and studies nursing at Southeastern Technical College. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute an official copy of the resolution to Colbert. - Does not create, amend, or repeal any Georgia statute; it has no regulatory or budgetary effect. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names and honors Jason Colbert. It also references Southeastern Technical College, the Technical College System of Georgia, and the roughly 149,000 students enrolled across the system's 22 colleges, though it imposes no obligations on them. ### Why it matters This resolution has no legal or practical effect on Georgia residents; it is a public honor recognizing one student's achievement. Its main real-world consequence is a ceremonial Senate invitation and an official copy of the resolution given to Colbert. ### Key provisions - The resolved clause has the Senate commend and congratulate Jason Colbert for his technical college achievements and advocacy for technical education. - A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy of the resolution available for distribution to Colbert. - The preamble (whereas clauses) documents the background of the GOAL award and Colbert's selection but carries no operative legal force. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-16) - Last action: Senate Passed/Adopted (2026-03-16) - Sponsors: Max Burns, Ricky Williams, Chuck Payne, Jaha Howard, Sally Harrell, Chuck Hufstetler, Billy Hickman, Carden Summers, Clint Dixon, Nan Orrock - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/72846 > The history, votes, and amendments (433 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr697.md?full=1