SR975: SR975 March of Dimes; commend; March of Dimes March for Change; recognize March 10, 2026

This resolution is a ceremonial statement from the Georgia Senate honoring the March of Dimes Foundation, a nonprofit that works to prevent birth defects, premature birth, and infant and maternal deaths. The resolution recounts the organization's history, from funding polio vaccines in the mid-1900s to shifting its focus toward preventing preterm birth, and cites Georgia statistics on preterm births and pregnancy-related deaths from recent years. The Senate resolves to commend the March of Dimes and its volunteers for their work on behalf of mothers and babies, and it formally recognizes March 10, 2026 as March of Dimes March for Change at the state capitol, when the organization's staff and volunteers plan to meet with legislators. The resolution also directs the Secretary of the Senate to provide a copy of the resolution to the March of Dimes in Georgia.

• Formally commends the March of Dimes Foundation and its volunteers for their work on maternal and infant health.
• Officially recognizes March 10, 2026 as March of Dimes March for Change at the Georgia state capitol.
• Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute a copy of the resolution to the March of Dimes in Georgia.
• Creates no new law, funding, or regulatory requirement, since it is a commendatory resolution rather than a bill amending Georgia statute.

This resolution directly affects the March of Dimes Foundation and its Georgia volunteers and staff, who are being honored, and Senate staff, who must prepare and distribute a ceremonial copy. It has no direct legal effect on the general public.

The resolution does not change Georgia law or provide funding, but it gives official Senate recognition to the March of Dimes' advocacy day, which the organization can use to raise awareness among lawmakers about preterm birth and maternal mortality in Georgia.

• The resolution's whereas clauses cite that over 14,907 preterm births occurred in Georgia in 2024, about one in nine babies born in the state.
• It states that of maternal deaths reviewed from 2020 to 2022, 141 were pregnancy-related and 87 percent of those were deemed preventable.
• The resolved clause commends the March of Dimes and its volunteers for past, present, and future work on behalf of mothers and babies.
• The resolved clause designates March 10, 2026 as March of Dimes March for Change at the state capitol.
• A further resolved clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available for distribution to the March of Dimes in Georgia.

1. 2026-03-19Senate Read and Adopted (Senate)
2. 2026-03-18Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Sally Harrell (D, SD-040)Primary sponsor
• Ben Watson (R, SD-001)
• Gail Davenport (D, SD-017)
• Kay Kirkpatrick (R, SD-032)
• Drew Echols (R, SD-049)
• Nan Orrock (D, SD-036)

• maternal health
• infant mortality
• preterm birth
• March of Dimes
• state capitol recognition