Georgia CommonsSR 975: March of Dimes; commend; March of Dimes March for Change; recognize March 10, 2026
Last action March 19, 2026 · Senate Read and Adopted
A Georgia Senate resolution commends the March of Dimes and recognizes March 10, 2026 as March of Dimes March for Change at the state capitol.
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 LegiScan holds.
In plain language
This is a ceremonial resolution passed by the Georgia Senate. It does not change any Georgia law. Instead, it praises the March of Dimes Foundation for its work preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant and maternal mortality, tracing the organization's history from fighting polio in 1938 to its later focus on preterm birth. The resolution cites Georgia-specific statistics, including that more than 14,907 preterm births occurred in the state in 2024 and that 141 maternal deaths from 2020 to 2022 were pregnancy-related, 87 percent of which were deemed preventable. It formally recognizes March 10, 2026 as March of Dimes March for Change at the capitol, when volunteers and staff plan to meet with legislators, and directs the Secretary of the Senate to provide a copy of the resolution to the March of Dimes in Georgia.
What the bill does
- Formally commends the March of Dimes Foundation for its work on infant and maternal health in Georgia and beyond.
- Designates March 10, 2026 as March of Dimes March for Change at the state capitol.
- Directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute a copy of the resolution to the March of Dimes in Georgia.
- Cites Georgia statistics on preterm births and pregnancy-related maternal deaths as context for the recognition.
Who it affects
The March of Dimes Foundation and its Georgia volunteers and staff, who are honored by the resolution and will visit the capitol on the designated day. It has no direct legal effect on other Georgians, agencies, or businesses.
Why it matters
The resolution carries no legal force or funding, but it gives the March of Dimes an official platform to raise legislator awareness about preterm birth and maternal mortality in Georgia, potentially informing future public health policy discussions.
Key provisions
- The resolution recites the March of Dimes' history since 1938 and its shift in focus from polio to preterm birth in 1958.
- It states that over 14,907 preterm births occurred in Georgia in 2024, about one in nine babies born in the state.
- It notes that of maternal deaths reviewed from 2020 to 2022, 141 were pregnancy-related and 87 percent of those were deemed preventable.
- The resolving clause commends the March of Dimes and designates March 10, 2026 as March of Dimes March for Change at the capitol.
- A further clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to provide a copy of the resolution to the March of Dimes in Georgia.
From the bill
“over 14,907 preterm births occurred in Georgia in 2024, a figure which represents one in every nine babies born in this state”
“87 percent of those pregnancy-related deaths were deemed preventable”
Status timeline
- Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
- Senate Hopper (Senate)
Sponsors
- Sally Harrell (D, SD-040)
- Ben Watson (R, SD-001)
- Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
- Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
- Drew Echols (R, SD-049)
- Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)
Topics
- maternal health
- infant mortality
- preterm birth
- public health awareness
- March of Dimes