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SR 418

MEMORIAL-BETTY J. ODUM

104th Regular Session Introduced by Jil Tracy

Georgia recognizes Buc-ee’s Day for investments and promises, including jobs and $10M in upgrades; largely ceremonial with no legal mandate.

Resolution Adopted
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Bill Summary · SR 418

Summary — SR 418

Status: Resolution Adopted
Introduced: April 15, 2025
Classification: Senate resolution
Sponsors (listed in document): Senators Larry Walker III; Randy Robertson; Jason Anavitarte; Steve Gooch; John F. Kennedy; Jil Tracy (and later listed as co‑sponsor “All Senators”)

Note on document: The official text provided contains two distinct resolutions combined into one filing: (A) a Georgia Senate resolution recognizing "Buc‑ee’s Day" at the Georgia State Capitol, and (B) an Illinois Senate memorial resolution for Betty Jean Odum. Both appear in the same document record (different legislative drafting numbers cited). Both resolutions are ceremonial in nature and carry no regulatory or fiscal mandate beyond any private commitments described in the Buc‑ee’s recognition text.

Purpose and intent

  • Georgia portion: To recognize March 20, 2025 as “Buc‑ee’s Day” at the Georgia State Capitol and to commend the Buc‑ee’s travel center chain for its investment and economic contributions in Georgia.
  • Illinois portion: To mourn the passing of Betty Jean Odum (d. September 1, 2025), to honor her life and public service, and to extend condolences to her family and community.

Key provisions and content

Georgia — Buc‑ee’s recognition
- Official recognition that March 20, 2025 is Buc‑ee’s Day at the Georgia State Capitol.
- Commends Buc‑ee’s for its investments and economic development contributions in Georgia.
- Details provided in the text about Buc‑ee’s Georgia expansion:
- Existing Georgia locations: Warner Robins and Calhoun; upcoming sites in Monroe County and Brunswick.
- Monroe County project specifics: a planned 74,000‑square‑foot travel center on a 30‑acre site off I‑75 at Rumble Road, featuring 120 fuel pumps.
- Employment: projected to bring approximately 200 full‑time jobs with competitive wages and benefits.
- Fiscal and infrastructure impacts: projected to generate roughly $4 million annually in local tax revenue; Buc‑ee’s committed $10 million toward infrastructure improvements (road widening, interchange improvements, traffic signals, and a roundabout at the store entrance).
- Direction that the Secretary of the Senate make an appropriate copy of the resolution available to Buc‑ee’s.

Illinois — Memorial for Betty Jean Odum
- Expresses sorrow at the death of Betty Jean Odum (born November 27, 1927; died September 1, 2025).
- Summarizes her life: education (B.S. in Education, Olivet Nazarene College; M.S. in Education, Southern Illinois University Carbondale), long teaching career (including Carbondale High School), church service (longtime pianist, mission work), continued adult education teaching into advanced age.
- Notes survivors and predeceased family members.
- Directs that a suitable copy of the resolution be presented to her family as an expression of sympathy.

Who is affected

  • Georgia recognition: Buc‑ee’s (the company), Monroe County and other Georgia communities where Buc‑ee’s is locating, local economic development stakeholders and residents (indirect, symbolic recognition and public praise).
  • Illinois memorial: family, friends, former colleagues, and community members who knew Betty Jean Odum (symbolic recognition and formal condolence from the legislative body).

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Legislative actions listed in the document include readings, adoption votes, and filing dates (examples: Senate read & adopted March 20, 2025; read & adopted and recorded April 22, 2025; reported enrolled April 22, 2025; further actions and final adoption/filing in October 2025 appear in the record).
  • The resolution(s) are ceremonial — they do not create binding law, appropriate funds, or change regulatory requirements.

Practical impact

  • Primarily symbolic: public recognition/commendation of a private company’s investments and community contributions; formal condolences and memorialization of a deceased citizen.
  • The Buc‑ee’s text cites private company commitments (jobs, tax revenue estimates, and $10 million of infrastructure spending). Those commitments, if accurate, would be private or contractual matters and are not enacted or enforced by the resolution itself.

If you’d like, I can:
- Produce two separate one‑page summaries (one for the Georgia Buc‑ee’s recognition and one for the Illinois memorial) for clarity.
- Flag the apparent clerical/jurisdictional combination in the public record to legislative staff for correction.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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