SR 975: March of Dimes; commend; March of Dimes March for Change; recognize March 10, 2026

This is a ceremonial resolution passed by the Georgia Senate. It does not change any Georgia law. Instead, it praises the March of Dimes Foundation for its work preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant and maternal mortality, tracing the organization's history from fighting polio in 1938 to its later focus on preterm birth. The resolution cites Georgia-specific statistics, including that more than 14,907 preterm births occurred in the state in 2024 and that 141 maternal deaths from 2020 to 2022 were pregnancy-related, 87 percent of which were deemed preventable. It formally recognizes March 10, 2026 as March of Dimes March for Change at the capitol, when volunteers and staff plan to meet with legislators, and 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 for its work on infant and maternal health in Georgia and beyond.
• Designates March 10, 2026 as March of Dimes March for Change at the state capitol.
• Directs the Secretary of the Senate to distribute a copy of the resolution to the March of Dimes in Georgia.
• Cites Georgia statistics on preterm births and pregnancy-related maternal deaths as context for the recognition.

The March of Dimes Foundation and its Georgia volunteers and staff, who are honored by the resolution and will visit the capitol on the designated day. It has no direct legal effect on other Georgians, agencies, or businesses.

The resolution carries no legal force or funding, but it gives the March of Dimes an official platform to raise legislator awareness about preterm birth and maternal mortality in Georgia, potentially informing future public health policy discussions.

• The resolution recites the March of Dimes' history since 1938 and its shift in focus from polio to preterm birth in 1958.
• It states that over 14,907 preterm births occurred in Georgia in 2024, about one in nine babies born in the state.
• It notes that of maternal deaths reviewed from 2020 to 2022, 141 were pregnancy-related and 87 percent of those were deemed preventable.
• The resolving clause commends the March of Dimes and designates March 10, 2026 as March of Dimes March for Change at the capitol.
• A further clause directs the Secretary of the Senate to provide a copy of the resolution to the March of Dimes in Georgia.

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

• Sally Harrell (D, SD-040)Patrocinador principal
• 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
• public health awareness
• March of Dimes