Georgia CommonsSenate · Passed · 2025-2026 Regular Session
SR 701: National Guard Day; recognize February 11, 2026
Last action February 5, 2026 · Senate Read and Adopted
A Georgia Senate resolution recognizes February 11, 2026, as National Guard Day at the state capitol, honoring the service members of the Georgia National Guard and Georgia State Defense Force.
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 the General Assembly's website lists.
In plain language
This resolution is a ceremonial measure passed by the Georgia Senate. It does not change any law. Instead, it designates February 11, 2026, as National Guard Day at the state capitol, marking the occasion with formal recognition of the Georgia Department of Defense, which includes the Georgia Army National Guard, the Georgia Air National Guard, and the Georgia State Defense Force. The resolution lists the size and structure of these forces, describes recent deployments including missions in 2025 supporting the Department of Homeland Security at the southern border and in Washington, D.C., and commends service members for their strength, leadership, courage, and service. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to make copies available to the public and press.
What the bill does
- Formally designates February 11, 2026, as National Guard Day at the Georgia state capitol.
- Commends the men and women of the Georgia National Guard for their service, without creating any new law, funding, or program.
- Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press.
- Documents background information about the size, structure, and recent deployments of the Georgia Department of Defense's military components.
Who it affects
This resolution primarily affects members of the Georgia Army National Guard, Georgia Air National Guard, and Georgia State Defense Force, as well as the Georgia Department of Defense, which is publicly recognized. It has no direct legal or financial effect on other Georgians.
Why it matters
While the resolution carries no legal force or funding, it provides formal state recognition of the Georgia National Guard's service, including recent deployments to the southern border and Washington, D.C., which may raise public awareness of the Guard's role and history.
Key provisions
- The resolving clause recognizes February 11, 2026, as National Guard Day at the state capitol and commends Guard members for their service.
- A further resolving clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make copies available for distribution to the public and press.
- The whereas clauses detail the Georgia Department of Defense's structure, including roughly 11,600 Army National Guard soldiers, 2,900 Air National Guard airmen, and 500 State Defense Force volunteers.
- The whereas clauses note 2025 deployments supporting the Department of Homeland Security at the southern border and in Washington, D.C. as part of Joint Task Force-DC.
From the bill
“the members of this body recognize February 11, 2026, as National Guard Day at the state capitol and commend the men and women of the Georgia National Guard for their strength, leadership, courage and selfless service”
Discussed in meetings (1)
The House and Senate meetings that took this bill up, from their machine transcripts. Each account was written by Georgia Commons with AI and is not part of the record; the video is what was said.
Senate floor session, February 11, 2026 (legislative day 17)
From 1:08:29 · Watch on the General Assembly's Vimeo channel
Summary by Georgia Commons: The Senate adopted SR 701, recognizing February 11, 2026, as National Guard Day at the Capitol, without objection. The sponsor honored the Georgia Army National Guard, Air National Guard and State Defense Force, saying more than 35,000 soldiers and airmen had deployed since September 11, 2001. A National Guard leader described overseas deployments, domestic security assignments and responses to Winter Storm Fern and recent hurricanes. The leader reported that the Guard was fully staffed, that the Army National Guard reached almost 140% of its 2025 recruiting goal, and that the Air National Guard had its strongest recruiting year in 25 years. The leader also described national awards, new units and modernization efforts, and said renovations to 30 armories would be completed by the end of 2026 using state and federal funding.
Status timeline
- Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Chuck Payne (R, SD-54)
- Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-32)
- Bill Cowsert (R, SD-46)
- Ben Watson (R, SD-1)
- Lee Anderson (R, SD-24)
- Blake Tillery (R, SD-19)
- Ed Harbison (D, SD-15)
- Randy Robertson (R, SD-29)
- Shawn Still (R, SD-48)
- Larry Walker, III (R, SD-20)
- Carden Summers (R, SD-13)
- Frank Ginn (R, SD-47)
- Bo Hatchett (R, SD-50)
- Chuck Hufstetler (R, SD-52)
- Matt Brass (R, SD-6)
- Billy Hickman (R, SD-4)
- Rick Williams (R, SD-25)
- Marty Harbin (R, SD-16)
- Max Burns (R, SD-23)
- Jason T. Dickerson (R, SD-21)
- Drew Echols (R, SD-49)
- Russ Goodman (R, SD-8)
- Michael 'Doc' Rhett (D, SD-33)
Topics
- National Guard
- military recognition
- state capitol events
- Georgia Department of Defense