SR685: SR685 Georgia Aerospace and Defense Day; recognize February 3, 2026

This resolution is a ceremonial statement from the Georgia Senate rather than a law that changes any statute. It lays out a long list of facts about Georgia's aerospace and defense industry: the number of companies and jobs, export totals, major employers like Lockheed Martin and Gulfstream Aerospace, and the role of universities such as Georgia Tech, Mercer, Georgia Southern, the University of Georgia, and Kennesaw State in training workers for the industry. The resolution then formally states that the Senate honors the industry's work and designates February 3, 2026, as Georgia Aerospace and Defense Day at the state capitol. It also directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute copies of the resolution to industry representatives, higher education officials, and others as appropriate. It creates no new legal requirements, funding, or penalties.

• Formally recognizes February 3, 2026 as Georgia Aerospace and Defense Day at the Georgia state capitol.
• States the Senate's official praise for the work of Georgia's aerospace and defense industry, without creating any new legal obligations.
• Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute copies of the resolution to industry representatives and higher education officials.
• Recites statistics about the industry's size, exports, employment, and major companies as background for the recognition, but does not enact any binding rule.

This resolution mainly affects how the Senate publicly acknowledges Georgia's aerospace and defense companies (such as Lockheed Martin and Gulfstream Aerospace), universities with aerospace programs (Georgia Tech, Mercer, Georgia Southern, the University of Georgia, and Kennesaw State), and the Secretary of the Senate, who must distribute copies.

Because this is a ceremonial resolution, it does not change any Georgia law, create funding, or impose requirements. Its main real-world effect is a symbolic recognition day and distributed copies honoring an industry the resolution says supports hundreds of thousands of Georgia jobs.

• The resolution's whereas clauses describe the aerospace and defense industry's size, exports, and economic impact, including a stated $57.5 billion annual impact and $12.6 billion in 2024 exports.
• The resolved clause formally designates February 3, 2026 as Georgia Aerospace and Defense Day at the state capitol.
• A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make copies available for distribution to industry and education representatives.

1. 2026-02-03Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
2. 2026-02-02Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)Primary sponsor
• John Albers (R, SD-056)
• Ben Watson (R, SD-001)
• Jason Anavitarte (R, SD-031)
• Larry Walker (R, SD-020)
• Ed Setzler (R, SD-037)
• Jaha Howard (D, SD-035)
• Michael Rhett (D, SD-033)
• Greg Dolezal (R, SD-027)
• Matt Brass (R, SD-006)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-054)
• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)
• Kenya Wicks (D, SD-034)

• aerospace industry
• defense industry
• state recognition day
• economic development