--- title: SR 884. Cooper, Jr., Aurelius; Art in The Paint founder; recognize and commend collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr884 cite_as: SR 884, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr884 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr884.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr884/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73759 date: 2026-03-03 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/sr883.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr885.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr884.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 884 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-03 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Sonya Halpern - John Albers - Jaha Howard - Kim Jackson - Kenya Wicks text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR884/2025 upstream_id: 2125943 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - community recognition - youth programs - public art - Atlanta basketball --- # SR 884. Cooper, Jr., Aurelius; Art in The Paint founder; recognize and commend ## Text Senate Resolution 884 By: Senators Halpern of the 39th, Albers of the 56th, Howard of the 35th, Jackson of the 41st and Wicks of the 34th A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending Art in The Paint and its founder, Aurelius Cooper, Jr., for their outstanding community impact and service through art, athletics, and youth engagement; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Arelious Cooper, Jr., is a native of southwest Atlanta who has built a distinguished career in basketball, including work in the NBA and playing and coaching professional basketball in multiple countries, including the Dominican Republic, Spain, France, and Taiwan; and WHEREAS, Arelious Cooper, Jr., has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to youth and community development, including service as a former Fulton County Youth Commissioner and as the current owner of two developmental basketball franchises, both named Metro Ballers, competing in the Women's United Basketball Association and the United Basketball Association; and WHEREAS, Arelious Cooper, Jr., has expanded the impact of athletics beyond competition by hosting basketball clinics for underserved athletes in countries such as Australia, Germany, Lagos, and Nigeria; and WHEREAS, Arelious Cooper, Jr., is the author of a children's book, Cooper Shapes Up, that encourages healthy food choices and physical activity, and has donated more than 1,000 copies of the book to children in the United States, Ghana, and the Dominican Republic; and WHEREAS, Art In The Paint has completed more than 70 public art and infrastructure projects, transforming over one million square feet of space, and has empowered communities by incorporating resident input into design decisions, fostering pride, ownership, and contributing to reductions in reported crime in surrounding areas; and WHEREAS, Art In The Paint has supported economic opportunity by collaborating with more than 20 small businesses and over 10 entrepreneurs through initiatives such as partnerships with Michelob Ultra, and has expanded its work beyond Atlanta to international projects, including in Zambia, with continued growth into additional cities. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize and commend Art In The Paint and Arelious Cooper, Jr., for their innovative use of art and athletics to enhance public health, strengthen communities, and create meaningful opportunities for youth and families. 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 Art In The Paint and Arelious Cooper, Jr. ## 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 Arelious Cooper, Jr. and his organization Art In The Paint for community work combining art, basketball, and youth programs in Atlanta and abroad. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution passed by the Georgia Senate honoring Arelious Cooper, Jr., a southwest Atlanta native with a career in professional and international basketball, and his organization Art In The Paint. The resolution recounts his background, including work as a Fulton County Youth Commissioner, ownership of two Metro Ballers basketball franchises, international basketball clinics for underserved youth, and a children's book promoting healthy habits. It also describes Art In The Paint's public art and infrastructure projects, community engagement efforts, and partnerships with small businesses. The resolution does not create any new law, funding, or requirement. It simply states the Senate's recognition and commendation, and directs the Secretary of the Senate to send copies of the resolution to Cooper and his organization. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and commends Arelious Cooper, Jr. and Art In The Paint for community, art, and athletics work. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute copies of the resolution to Cooper and Art In The Paint. - Creates no new law, funding, program, or legal obligation; it is a ceremonial statement only. ### Who it affects This resolution directly names and honors Arelious Cooper, Jr. and his organization Art In The Paint. It has no legal effect on the general public, businesses, or government agencies beyond the Senate's own administrative act of distributing copies. ### Why it matters Because this is a commendatory resolution rather than a law, it does not change any rights, funding, or requirements for Georgians. Its main real-world effect is a formal public acknowledgment from the Georgia Senate of one individual's and one organization's community work. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses describe Cooper's basketball career and youth-focused public service, including as a former Fulton County Youth Commissioner. - The resolution notes Art In The Paint has completed more than 70 public art and infrastructure projects covering over one million square feet. - The resolved clause states the Senate recognizes and commends Cooper and Art In The Paint for their work in art, athletics, and community building. - The final clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make copies available to Cooper and Art In The Paint. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-03) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-03-03) - Sponsors: Sonya Halpern, John Albers, Jaha Howard, Kim Jackson, Kenya Wicks - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73759 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr884.md?full=1