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SJR 43

Relating to: congratulating the Wauwatosa West Boys Basketball Team on their 2025 Division II State Basketball Championship.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Rachael Cabral-Guevara and 7 co-sponsors

SJR 43 formally honors and thanks responders, agencies, and volunteers for rescue and recovery during Hurricane Helene floods in East Tennessee (Sept 27, 2024).

Failed to adopt pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1
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Bill Summary · SJR 43

Summary — SJR 43: Memorials, Recognition — Hurricane Helene recovery efforts

Purpose and intent

Senate Joint Resolution 43 is a formal commemorative measure that honors and expresses the State’s appreciation for individuals, organizations, and government agencies that aided East Tennessee residents during and after the catastrophic flooding associated with Hurricane Helene on September 27, 2024. It recognizes rescue efforts, humanitarian assistance, and the collaborative recovery response.

Key provisions

  • Finds and recites facts about the September 27, 2024 flooding in East Tennessee — naming Carter, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, and Washington counties — and states that 17 people died as a result of the flooding.
  • Commends first responders, healthcare personnel, law enforcement, firefighters, missionary groups, churches, animal rescue organizations, volunteers, and local/state/federal agencies for rescue, emergency, medical, and humanitarian assistance.
  • Specifically acknowledges state entities involved in recovery and response, including (but not limited to): Department of Commerce and Insurance; Department of Environment and Conservation; Department of Health; Department of Human Services; Department of Labor and Workforce Development; Department of Military; Department of Revenue; Department of Safety and Homeland Security; Department of Transportation; TennCare; Tennessee Emergency Management Agency; Tennessee Highway Patrol; Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency; the Governor’s offices; members of the General Assembly; and many individual volunteers.
  • Directs that an appropriate copy of the resolution be prepared for presentation. It also includes a standard clause about omitting the final clause from presentation copies and permitting the language that follows the State seal to appear without House or Senate designation upon proper request.

Who is affected

  • The resolution is honorary and does not create or change legal rights or obligations. Its primary effect is symbolic: recognizing and formally thanking the people and organizations involved in the Hurricane Helene response and recovery in the named East Tennessee counties.
  • Residents of the impacted counties and the cited responder and recovery organizations are the intended recipients of the recognition.

Procedural history and status

  • Introduced: January 24, 2025.
  • Senate actions: read and placed on consent calendar; adopted in the Senate (record shows adoption with Ayes 31, Nays 0).
  • House actions: placed on consent calendar; concurrence recorded (Ayes 93, Nays 0, PNV 2); chief House sponsor listed as Rep. Robyn Gabel.
  • Transmitted to the Governor: February 28, 2025.
  • Signed by Governor: recorded March 4, 2025.
  • The legislative record provided also contains later entries (June 1, 2025) showing additional procedural steps and adoption; those entries appear in the compiled record but the resolution is listed as ultimately signed by the Governor.

Related measure

  • Companion bill: HJR 123.

Notes: The resolution is ceremonial in nature. The legislative record provided contains a few inconsistent or duplicated procedural entries and mixed document fragments; the summary above reflects the resolution text and the principal dates and actions as recorded.

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

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