--- title: SR 984. James Warren Spires Day; recognize March 15, 2026 collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr984 cite_as: SR 984, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr984 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr984.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr984/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74193 date: 2026-03-19 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/sr983.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr985.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr984.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 984 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-03-19 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Carden Summers - Blake Tillery - Ed Harbison - Michael Rhett - Russ Goodman - Freddie Sims - Kenya Wicks - Timothy Bearden - Jason T. Dickerson - Steven McNeel - Jaha Howard - Clint Dixon - Nikki Merritt - Derek Mallow - Drew Echols - Tonya Anderson - Gail Davenport - Brian Strickland - Billy Hickman - Mike Hodges - Randy Robertson - Bo Hatchett - Frank Ginn - Steve Gooch - Randal Mangham text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR984/2025 upstream_id: 2135876 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - ceremonial resolution - religious leaders - Georgia Senate - community recognition --- # SR 984. James Warren Spires Day; recognize March 15, 2026 ## Text Senate Resolution 984 By: Senators Summers of the 13th, Tillery of the 19th, Harbison of the 15th, Rhett of the 33rd, Goodman of the 8th and others A RESOLUTION Recognizing March 15, 2026, as James Warren Spires Day; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, James Warren Spires heard God clearly and answered that call to ministry in 1976; and WHEREAS, James Warren Spires has shared the gospel message "that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved," as stated in his favorite scripture, Romans 10:9, as a pastor and teacher; and WHEREAS, James Warren Spires has pastored numerous churches, including his current pastorate of over 29 years, Hatley Baptist Church; and WHEREAS, friends and relatives will honor and celebrate James Warren Spires' 50 years of ministry on the 15th day of March in the year of our Lord 2026. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize March 15, 2026, as James Warren Spires Day. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to James Warren Spires. ## 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 recognizes March 15, 2026, as James Warren Spires Day, honoring his 50 years of ministry and his current pastorate at Hatley Baptist Church. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution passed by the Georgia Senate rather than a change to state law. It recognizes March 15, 2026, as James Warren Spires Day, marking 50 years since Spires answered a call to ministry in 1976. The resolution describes his career as a pastor and teacher, including his current pastorate of more than 29 years at Hatley Baptist Church. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare a copy of the resolution for distribution to Spires, but it creates no new rights, duties, or funding. ### What it does - Formally designates March 15, 2026, as James Warren Spires Day in recognition of his 50 years of ministry. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute an official copy of the resolution to James Warren Spires. - Creates no changes to Georgia law, funding, or regulations since it is a ceremonial recognition. ### Who it affects This resolution primarily affects James Warren Spires, a pastor, and the congregation of Hatley Baptist Church, along with his friends and family who plan to celebrate the occasion. It has no broader effect on other Georgians. ### Why it matters The resolution has no practical legal effect on Georgians generally. Its significance is symbolic, giving official state recognition to a local religious leader's 50-year ministry and providing a keepsake document for the honoree and his community. ### Key provisions - The resolution recites Spires' background, including his call to ministry in 1976 and his more than 29 years pastoring Hatley Baptist Church. - The operative resolving clause designates March 15, 2026, as James Warren Spires Day. - A further clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available for distribution to Spires. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-03-19) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-03-19) - Sponsors: Carden Summers, Blake Tillery, Ed Harbison, Michael Rhett, Russ Goodman, Freddie Sims, Kenya Wicks, Timothy Bearden, Jason T. Dickerson, Steven McNeel, Jaha Howard, Clint Dixon, Nikki Merritt, Derek Mallow, Drew Echols, Tonya Anderson, Gail Davenport, Brian Strickland, Billy Hickman, Mike Hodges, Randy Robertson, Bo Hatchett, Frank Ginn, Steve Gooch, Randal Mangham - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74193 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr984.md?full=1