--- title: SR 899. Shia Ismaili Muslim Community and the month of Ramadan and Navroz; commemorate collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr899 cite_as: SR 899, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr899 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr899.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr899/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73829 date: 2026-03-04 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/sr898.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr900.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr899.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 899 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-04 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Nabilah Islam Parkes - Sheikh Rahman - Nikki Merritt - Randal Mangham - Kenya Wicks - Gail Davenport - Tonya Anderson - Sally Harrell - RaShaun Kemp - Harold Jones - Donzella James - Elena Parent - Derek Mallow - Ed Harbison - Emanuel Jones - Shawn Still - Sonya Halpern text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR899/2025 upstream_id: 2128671 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - Shia Ismaili Muslim Community - Ramadan - Navroz - Georgia Senate resolution - religious and cultural recognition --- # SR 899. Shia Ismaili Muslim Community and the month of Ramadan and Navroz; commemorate ## Text Senate Resolution 899 By: Senators Parkes of the 7th, Rahman of the 5th, Merritt of the 9th, Mangham of the 55th, Wicks of the 34th and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending the Shia Ismaili Muslim Community and commemorating the month of Ramadan and Navroz; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Georgia's strength lies in the contributions of various communities that call our state home, enriching our economy, culture, and civic life; and WHEREAS, on March 21, 2026, constituents across Georgia, including the local Ismaili Muslim Community, will join communities worldwide in celebrating Navroz, marking the Persian New Year, the spring equinox, and a celebration of renewal, hope, and new beginnings that reflects the optimism and forward-looking spirit of our great state; and WHEREAS, the global Muslim community is currently observing the sacred month of Ramadan, a time of reflection and spiritual growth during which the Holy Quran was first revealed; and WHEREAS, Ramadan's emphasis on charity, service, self-discipline, and care for the less fortunate mirrors the values of compassion and community service that have long defined the character of Georgia and its people; and WHEREAS, the Shia Ismaili Muslim community comprises approximately 15 million individuals across 35 countries under the spiritual leadership of His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan V, the 50th hereditary Imam of the global Ismaili community, whose Imamat continues an unbroken chain of spiritual leadership spanning over 1,400 years, now carried forward into a new and promising chapter; and WHEREAS, Georgia is home to a thriving Ismaili community whose members are our neighbors, business owners, educators, healthcare providers, professionals, students, and engaged citizens who strengthen our workforce, support economic development, spur innovation, create jobs, celebrate the arts, serve as leaders on various nonprofit boards, and invest in Georgia's future prosperity; and WHEREAS, Ismaili CIVIC, the community's voluntary service organization, partners with Georgia institutions, including the American Red Cross of Georgia, the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Lions Lighthouse Foundation, United Way of Greater Atlanta, Hands on Atlanta, Georgia Interfaith Power & Light, and many more. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize and commend the Shia Ismaili Muslim Community for their contributions to the State of Georgia and the global community as well as commemorate the month of Ramadan and Navroz. 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 public and the press. ## 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 Senate resolution recognizes the Shia Ismaili Muslim Community in Georgia and commemorates the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Persian New Year holiday of Navroz. ### Plain-language summary This resolution is a ceremonial statement from the Georgia Senate rather than a change to state law. It commends the Shia Ismaili Muslim Community for its contributions to Georgia, noting its members' roles as business owners, educators, healthcare providers, and civic volunteers, and highlights the community service organization Ismaili CIVIC's partnerships with groups like the American Red Cross of Georgia and the Atlanta Community Food Bank. The resolution also marks two occasions: the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, described as a time of reflection and charity, and Navroz, the Persian New Year and spring equinox celebration observed on March 21, 2026. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to make copies available to the public and press, but it does not create any new legal requirements, funding, or penalties. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and commends the Shia Ismaili Muslim Community for its contributions to Georgia and the global community. - Commemorates the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and the Persian New Year holiday of Navroz, observed on March 21, 2026. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare copies of the resolution for distribution to the public and press. - Does not create, amend, or repeal any Georgia statute, and carries no funding, penalties, or enforcement mechanism. ### Who it affects The resolution names the Shia Ismaili Muslim Community in Georgia, including its members who work as business owners, educators, healthcare providers, and professionals, as well as the Georgia Senate and Secretary of the Senate, who are directed to distribute copies of the resolution. ### Why it matters As a ceremonial resolution, it has no direct legal or financial effect on Georgians. Its significance is symbolic: it publicly acknowledges a specific religious and cultural community's contributions to the state and marks two of its important observances in the official Senate record. ### Key provisions - Whereas clauses describe the Shia Ismaili Muslim Community's global scope, spiritual leadership, and presence in Georgia. - Whereas clauses describe the community service organization Ismaili CIVIC's partnerships with Georgia nonprofits such as the American Red Cross of Georgia and United Way of Greater Atlanta. - The resolving clause states the Senate's recognition and commendation of the community and commemoration of Ramadan and Navroz. - A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make copies available to the public and press. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-04) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-03-04) - Sponsors: Nabilah Islam Parkes, Sheikh Rahman, Nikki Merritt, Randal Mangham, Kenya Wicks, Gail Davenport, Tonya Anderson, Sally Harrell, RaShaun Kemp, Harold Jones, Donzella James, Elena Parent, Derek Mallow, Ed Harbison, Emanuel Jones, Shawn Still, Sonya Halpern - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/73829 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr899.md?full=1