Bill
HJR 557
Recognizes Ryder Ward for winning the Governor’s Volunteer Stars Award (Youth), highlighting his leadership and Tennessee’s value of volunteer service.
Overview
- Type: House Joint Resolution (joint resolution), ceremonial recognition.
- Title: Memorializes Ryder Ward for receiving the Governor's Volunteer Stars Award (Youth category).
- Status: Signed by Governor (effective April 24, 2025).
- Sponsor: Representative Barrett.
- Introduced: April 2, 2025.
- Final action: Senate concurrence and House adoption completed in mid-April 2025; enrolled and prepared for signature.
Purpose and intent
- The bill serves to honor and congratulate Ryder Ward of Lewis County for being a recipient of the Governor’s Volunteer Stars Award (Youth category) and to recognize his leadership and commitment to his community.
- It situates Ward among Tennessee’s broader context of voluntary service, noting that Tennessee volunteers contribute a substantial amount of time and economic impact annually.
Key provisions
- Recognizes Ryder Ward by name and acknowledges his “outstanding community leadership” and volunteer service.
- References statewide volunteer statistics to highlight the importance and value of volunteering in Tennessee (e.g., 1.3 million volunteers contributing over 99 million hours and $2.6 billion to the state’s economy).
- Directs that an appropriate copy of the resolution be prepared for presentation to Ryder Ward.
- Includes the customary final clause to omit certain boilerplate language on copies and to allow proper requests to the appropriate clerk for a copy with state seal language, sans legislative designation as needed for presentation.
Who is affected
- Ryder Ward (Lewis County) – the primary honoree.
- The broader Tennessee community of volunteers is acknowledged in the surrounding context, underscoring the value of volunteerism.
- There is no policy, regulatory, or fiscal change beyond ceremonial recognition; no new duties, funding, or statutory obligations are created.
Procedural and timeline notes
- Intro and House action: Introduced April 2, 2025; sponsor added April 14, 2025; House adopted April 7, 2025.
- Senate action: Concurred in House version on April 14, 2025; Senate signed by the Speaker on April 16, 2025.
- Enrolled and transmitted: Enrolled for signature April 15, 2025; transmitted to Governor April 21, 2025; signed into law April 24, 2025.
Context and potential impact
- This is a symbolic, ceremonial acknowledgment rather than a change in law or policy.
- By highlighting a youth volunteer from a local community, the resolution aims to celebrate service and potentially inspire others to engage in volunteer activities.
- No fiscal impact or regulatory burden is associated with the bill.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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