Georgia House expands state veteran cemetery eligibility to Hmong fighters; bill passes unanimously

The Georgia House on Feb. 5 approved House Bill 985, which revises the rules governing who may be buried in state veteran cemeteries to include members of Hmong units that fought alongside U.S. forces in Southeast Asia, lawmakers said.

Chairman Bonner, presenting the measure on the chamber floor, described the Hmong fighters as part of a "secret war" in Laos during the 1960s and 1970s and said federal recognition of those veterans has increased in recent decades. "I certainly hope you will support HB 9 85 as this is the least we can do for these brave men and women," Bonner said.

Representative Patty Stinson, a funeral director who spoke in favor of the bill, told colleagues the measure gives state officials flexibility to honor service even when documents are incomplete. "This bill allows the board to exercise compassion and common sense, ensuring that technicalities do not overshadow a lifetime of service," Stinson said.

Members asked a series of clarifying questions during floor debate, including the estimated size of Georgia’s Hmong population and the community’s presence in the state. Chairman Bonner answered lawmakers’ questions, saying roughly 5,000 Hmong live in Georgia and noting the contributions of Hmong families across professions.

Procedural steps moved quickly after debate. The House agreed to the committee report and ordered the previous question. The clerk announced the recorded vote on passage as: yays 173, nays 0; the bill having received a constitutional majority, it was declared passed.

The bill amends statutory language in part 3 of article 2, chapter 4 of title 38 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, the caption read on the floor. The measure was recommended for passage by the committee on Defense and Veterans Affairs and will proceed to the next legislative steps as provided by House rules.

Next steps: The House completed its passage; the bill’s subsequent administrative steps (enrollment/transmission to the Senate or signature process) were not detailed on the floor record.