--- title: SR 9. Steves, Dr. Elma Mera; recognize and commend collection: bills id: 2026-special/sr9 cite_as: SR 9, 2026 Special Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sr9 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sr9.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sr9/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74876 date: 2026-06-22 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/2026-special.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sr8.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sr10.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sr9.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 9 session: 2026 Special Session session_slug: 2026-special chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2026-06-22 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Sally Harrell text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR9/2026/X1 upstream_id: 2154370 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - Georgia Senate resolution - pediatric medicine - Chamblee - honorary recognition --- # SR 9. Steves, Dr. Elma Mera; recognize and commend ## Text Senate Resolution 9EX By: Senator Harrell of the 40th A RESOLUTION Recognizing and commending Dr. Elma Mera Steves; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Dr. Elma Mera Steves was born in Contamana, Peru, and after earning her medical degree in Lima, Peru, she came to the United States to pursue her medical residency, beginning a distinguished career in pediatric medicine; and WHEREAS, Dr. Elma Mera Steves completed her residency training at Grady Memorial Hospital and chose to make Georgia her home, dedicating her life to the care of children and families throughout the state; and WHEREAS, in January 1965, she established a solo pediatric practice on Chamblee Tucker Road in Chamblee and faithfully served generations of patients for more than 53 years, remaining in active practice until her retirement in May 2018 at the age of 91; and WHEREAS, she helped expand pediatric healthcare services in Georgia as a founding member of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta and through her efforts to assist Piedmont Hospital in opening its pediatric department; and S. R. 9EX WHEREAS, committed to advancing the medical profession, she served as president of the Georgia Branch of the American Medical Women's Association during the late 1970s and provided leadership and mentorship to fellow physicians throughout her career; and WHEREAS, in 1973, she joined with 14 fellow physicians to found the Peruvian American Medical Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing quality healthcare to underserved men, women, and children in Peru with compassion, integrity, charity, and respect, and she participated in numerous medical missions benefiting those in need; and WHEREAS, in recognition of her exceptional service and accomplishments, she received the DeKalb County Medical Society's Julius McCurdy Citizenship Award in 2012 and the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Leila Denmark Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015, the chapter's highest honor recognizing a lifetime of contributions to pediatrics; and WHEREAS, through her professional excellence, humanitarian service, civic leadership, and devotion to improving the lives of others, Dr. Elma Mera Steves has earned the admiration and gratitude of her patients, colleagues, and community. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body recognize and commend Dr. Elma Mera Steves for her decades of exemplary service on behalf of the citizens of this state and extend best wishes for future health and happiness. 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 Dr. Elma Mera Steves. S. R. 9EX ## 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 honors Dr. Elma Mera Steves, a longtime Chamblee pediatrician, for more than 53 years of medical practice and community service in Georgia. ### Plain-language summary This resolution from the Georgia Senate recognizes and commends Dr. Elma Mera Steves, a pediatrician who was born in Peru, trained at Grady Memorial Hospital, and opened a solo pediatric practice in Chamblee in 1965. She practiced there for more than 53 years until retiring in 2018 at age 91. The resolution highlights her role as a founding member of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, her work helping Piedmont Hospital open a pediatric department, her leadership in the Georgia Branch of the American Medical Women's Association, and her founding of the Peruvian American Medical Society in 1973. It also notes awards she received, including the DeKalb County Medical Society's Julius McCurdy Citizenship Award and the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics' Leila Denmark Lifetime Achievement Award. The resolution directs the Secretary of the Senate to provide her a copy. It does not create any new law, funding, or requirement. ### What it does - Formally recognizes and commends Dr. Elma Mera Steves for her decades of service as a Georgia pediatrician. - States the Senate's best wishes for her future health and happiness. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to Dr. Steves. - Creates no new law, funding, or ongoing legal obligation; it is a ceremonial statement rather than a change to Georgia statutes. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names Dr. Elma Mera Steves. It also references organizations tied to her career, including Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Piedmont Hospital, the Georgia Branch of the American Medical Women's Association, and the Peruvian American Medical Society, though it imposes no obligations on them. ### Why it matters This is a ceremonial resolution rather than a policy change, so it does not alter any Georgia law, spend money, or affect residents day to day. Its practical effect is limited to formally honoring an individual and providing her with an official copy of the Senate's statement. ### Key provisions - The 'whereas' clauses recount Dr. Steves' biography, career milestones, and honors, providing the factual basis for the resolution. - The resolving clause states that the Senate recognizes and commends her for her service and extends best wishes. - A further resolving clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available for distribution to her. ## Status - Status: Passed (2026-06-22) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2026-06-22) - Sponsors: Sally Harrell - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74876 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2026-special/sr9.md?full=1