Georgia CommonsHR 37: Jackson, Bishop Reginald Thomas; condolences
Last action June 22, 2026 · House Read and Adopted
A Georgia House resolution honors the life and legacy of Bishop Reginald Thomas Jackson, a longtime African Methodist Episcopal Church leader and voting rights advocate who died in November 2025.
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 Introduced version, the latest LegiScan holds.
In plain language
This resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives is a memorial tribute rather than a change to state law. It recounts the life of Bishop Reginald Thomas Jackson, who led the Sixth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Georgia from 2016 to 2024, oversaw the restoration of Morris Brown College's accreditation, pushed for Georgia's 2020 hate crimes law, and organized voter registration and turnout efforts through Operation Voter Turnout and Faith Works. The resolution formally recognizes Bishop Jackson, who died on November 25, 2025 at age 71, as a defender of democracy and a major figure in Georgia's civic and religious history. It directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to send a copy of the resolution to his family, Regina Victoria Jackson and Seth Joshua Jackson.
What the bill does
- Formally honors Bishop Reginald Thomas Jackson's life, ministry, and civic advocacy on behalf of the Georgia House of Representatives.
- Recounts his role in Georgia's 2020 hate crimes law and his opposition to Senate Bill 202, the Georgia Election Integrity Act of 2021.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and send a copy of the resolution to his surviving children.
- Creates no new statute, funding, or penalty; the resolution is a commemorative statement rather than a change to Georgia law.
Who it affects
The resolution directly names Bishop Jackson's family, the African Methodist Episcopal Church's Sixth Episcopal District, Morris Brown College, and the Clerk of the House of Representatives, who must distribute the document. It has no regulatory effect on the broader public.
Why it matters
The resolution carries no legal or financial consequence, but it places the Georgia House of Representatives' formal recognition on the record for a figure tied to major civic events in the state, including the 2020 hate crimes law and litigation over the 2021 election law.
Key provisions
- The whereas clauses detail Bishop Jackson's ordination in 1977, his 2012 elevation to bishop, and his 2016-2024 leadership of the Sixth Episcopal District covering more than 500 Georgia churches.
- The resolution credits him with helping secure passage of Georgia's hate crimes legislation in 2020 following the murder of Ahmaud Arbery.
- It notes his opposition to Senate Bill 202 and his founding of Operation Voter Turnout and Faith Works, voter mobilization efforts spanning more than 1,000 churches.
- The resolving clause has the House of Representatives recognize him as 'a defender of democracy, a guardian of the sacred right to vote, and a towering figure' in Georgia history.
- A further resolved clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to send a copy of the resolution to his family.
From the bill
“his leadership during the fight against voter suppression helped protect the fundamental right to vote for countless Black Georgians”
“school ought not to be the pipeline to prison”
“Faith without works is dead”
Status timeline
- House Read and Adopted (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Venola Mason (D, HD-094)
- Mekyah McQueen (D, HD-061)
- Arlene Beckles (D, HD-096)
- Robert Flournoy (D, HD-074)
- Doreen Carter (D, HD-093)
- Jasmine Clark (D, HD-108)
Topics
- Bishop Reginald Thomas Jackson
- memorial resolution
- African Methodist Episcopal Church
- voting rights history
- Georgia hate crimes law