--- title: SR 779. Georgia Building Authority, Garbutt Construction, SG Contracting, Balfour Beatty, and Nelson Architecture Engineers; commend collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr779 cite_as: SR 779, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr779 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr779.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr779/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73239 date: 2026-02-17 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/sr778.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr780.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr779.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 779 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-02-17 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Larry Walker - Jason Anavitarte - Harold Jones text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR779/2025 upstream_id: 2117908 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - Georgia Capitol - Senate Chamber restoration - state buildings - legislative commendation --- # SR 779. Georgia Building Authority, Garbutt Construction, SG Contracting, Balfour Beatty, and Nelson Architecture Engineers; commend ## Text Senate Resolution 779 By: Senators Walker III of the 20th, Anavitarte of the 31st and Jones II of the 22nd A RESOLUTION Commending the Georgia Building Authority, Garbutt Construction, SG Contracting, Balfour Beatty, and Nelson Architecture Engineers for their exemplary work on the restoration and remodeling of the historic Georgia Senate Chamber; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the Georgia Senate Chamber serves as the historic heart of legislative deliberation in the State of Georgia, embodying the dignity, tradition, and democratic values of our great state; and WHEREAS, the preservation of this hallowed space required a meticulous balance of historic rehabilitation and the integration of 21st-century infrastructure to better serve the citizens of Georgia; and WHEREAS, the Georgia Building Authority, under dedicated leadership, provided the vision and oversight necessary to ensure this complex project was executed with the highest standards of stewardship for public resources; and WHEREAS, the joint venture of Garbutt Construction, SG Contracting, and Balfour Beatty demonstrated unparalleled technical expertise and craftsmanship, navigating the unique challenges of a historic landmark to deliver a project of lasting quality; and WHEREAS, Nelson Architecture Engineers provided the essential design and engineering brilliance required to restore the Chamber's original aesthetic splendor while modernizing its functional capabilities for future generations; and WHEREAS, the collaborative efforts of these firms have resulted in a Senate Chamber that honors its past while providing a state-of-the-art environment for the legislative process, ensuring the Capitol remains a vibrant "working museum" for all Georgians. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body commend the Georgia Building Authority, Garbutt Construction, SG Contracting, Balfour Beatty, and Nelson Architecture Engineers for their extraordinary contributions to the restoration of the Georgia Senate Chamber and convey their heartiest regards for a job well done. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the Georgia Building Authority, Garbutt Construction, SG Contracting, Balfour Beatty, and Nelson Architecture Engineers. ## 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 commends the Georgia Building Authority and several construction and design firms for restoring and remodeling the historic Georgia Senate Chamber. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia Senate, not a change to state law. It praises the Georgia Building Authority, along with Garbutt Construction, SG Contracting, Balfour Beatty, and Nelson Architecture Engineers, for their work restoring and modernizing the historic Georgia Senate Chamber at the State Capitol. The resolution states that the project balanced historic preservation with updated infrastructure, and credits the Georgia Building Authority with overseeing the work while the construction joint venture and architecture firm handled the design and building. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to each of the named organizations as a formal thank-you. ### What it does - Formally commends the Georgia Building Authority, Garbutt Construction, SG Contracting, Balfour Beatty, and Nelson Architecture Engineers for restoring the Georgia Senate Chamber. - States the Senate's view that the restoration balanced historic preservation with modern infrastructure upgrades. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute copies of the resolution to the named organizations. - Does not create, change, fund, or repeal any Georgia law; it is a statement of praise rather than a policy action. ### Who it affects This resolution directly names the Georgia Building Authority, Garbutt Construction, SG Contracting, Balfour Beatty, and Nelson Architecture Engineers, the entities involved in the Senate Chamber restoration project, who receive formal recognition and copies of the resolution. ### Why it matters The resolution has no legal or financial effect on Georgians; it is a public expression of appreciation from the Senate. Its main real-world effect is providing the named firms and the Georgia Building Authority with an official record of recognition for their work on the Capitol. ### Key provisions - The resolution's whereas clauses describe the Georgia Senate Chamber's historic significance and the challenges of restoring it while adding modern infrastructure. - The resolved clause formally commends the Georgia Building Authority, Garbutt Construction, SG Contracting, Balfour Beatty, and Nelson Architecture Engineers for the project. - A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to each named organization. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-02-17) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-02-17) - Sponsors: Larry Walker, Jason Anavitarte, Harold Jones - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73239 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr779.md?full=1