March 14, 2018
The Georgia Commission on the Holocaust announces the passage of SB356 in the Georgia legislature
The unanimous passage of a bill in the Georgia legislature calls for the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust, a non-partisan state agency, to design and place a state Holocaust memorial; increases legislative oversight of the Commission to two members from each party in both the Senate and House; and for administrative purposes, reassigns the Georgia Commission on the Holocaust from the Office of the Secretary of State to the Department of Community Affairs.
State Bill 356 was sponsored by Georgia Senators Kay Kirkpatrick, Lester Jackson, Renee Unterman, Jennifer Jordan and Brandon Beach. Representative Deborah Silcox sponsored the bill in the Georgia House. There is no timeline for the action items in the bill.
The Georgia Commission on the Holocaust strives to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and promote public understanding of the history. It ensures that learning how and why the Holocaust happened is an important part of the education of Georgia citizens. It encourages reflection upon the moral questions raised by this unprecedented event and the responsibilities of citizens in a democracy.
The Commission was established by Executive Order by Joe Frank Harris in 1986. Governor Zell Miller reestablished the Commission upon taking office and charged it with creating education programs for the citizens. Then in 1998 by act of the Georgia General Assembly the Commission became a permanent State Agency (HB 1664). The Commission consists of fifteen members appointed equally by the Governor, Lt. Governor and Speaker of the House.