Georgia CommonsHR 53: Abrams, Reverend Robert Lee; condolences
Last action June 23, 2026 · House Read and Adopted
A Georgia House resolution honors the life of Reverend Robert Lee Abrams, a civil rights activist and minister who died on June 17, 2026, and directs a copy be sent to his family.
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 is a formal statement from the Georgia House of Representatives honoring Reverend Robert Lee Abrams after his death on June 17, 2026. It recounts his life story: born in Mississippi in 1949, arrested at 14 for registering Black voters, a graduate of Tougaloo College despite undiagnosed dyslexia, a shipyard worker who later became a pastor serving churches in Mississippi and Atlanta, and the father of six children including former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. The resolution does not change any Georgia law. Its operative effect is symbolic: the House formally expresses its regret at his passing and honors his legacy of activism and ministry. It also directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare a copy of the resolution for delivery to his family.
What the bill does
- Formally expresses the House of Representatives' regret at the death of Reverend Robert Lee Abrams and honors his life and legacy.
- Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Abrams' family.
- Creates no new law, funding, or penalty; it is a ceremonial statement rather than a regulatory or budget measure.
Who it affects
The resolution directly names the family of Reverend Robert Lee Abrams, including his wife Reverend Carolyn Abrams and children Andrea, Stacey, Leslie, Richard, Walter, and Jeanine. It also involves the Clerk of the House of Representatives, who must prepare the commemorative copy.
Why it matters
While the resolution carries no legal or financial effect, it is the Georgia House's official way of publicly recognizing a private citizen's life of civil rights activism and ministry, and it provides his family with a lasting, formal record of that recognition from the state legislature.
Key provisions
- The resolving clause states the House joins in honoring Abrams' life and legacy and expresses its deepest regret at his passing.
- A further resolution clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make a copy available for distribution to Abrams' family.
- The whereas clauses, while not operative law, detail his biography, including his 1963 voter registration arrest and decades of ministry in Mississippi and Georgia.
From the bill
“at just 14 years old, Reverend Robert Lee Abrams was arrested for registering Black voters in Mississippi”
“having nothing is not an excuse for doing nothing”
Status timeline
- House Read and Adopted (House)
- House First Readers (House)
- House Hopper (House)
Sponsors
- Carolyn Hugley (D, HD-141)
- Samuel Park (D, HD-107)
- Al Williams (D, HD-168)
- Derrick Jackson (D, HD-068)
- Gabriel Sanchez (D, HD-042)
- Kim Schofield (D, HD-063)
Topics
- condolence resolution
- civil rights history
- Georgia legislature
- Stacey Abrams family