25 LC 39 4525 House Resolution 71 By: Representative Griffin of the 149 th A RESOLUTION Honoring the life and memory of Ms. Latasha R. Butts and dedicating a road in her memory; 1 and for other purposes.2 WHEREAS, the State of Georgia lost one of its finest citizens with the passing of Ms.3 Latasha R. Butts on October 21, 2024; and4 WHEREAS, a native of Milledgeville, Georgia, Ms. Butts was a basketball star at the5 University of Tennessee with four regular season Southeastern Conference Championship6 wins before being drafted to the WNBA in 2004 by the Minnesota Lynx; and7 WHEREAS, during her season in the WNBA, Ms. Butts played in 30 games and helped the8 franchise achieve a record 18 victories and a playoff appearance; and 9 WHEREAS, after a year with the WNBA, Ms. Butts returned to the University of Tennessee10 as a graduate assistant and later played basketball overseas in Portugal and Israel, as well as11 with the WNBA's Charlotte Sting and Houston Comets; and 12 WHEREAS, she coached for three seasons at UCLA, eight seasons at LSU, and four seasons13 at Georgia Tech; and14 H. R. 71 - 1 - 25 LC 39 4525 WHEREAS, Ms. Butts was serving as the head coach of the Georgetown University 15 basketball team at the time of her passing; and16 WHEREAS, she was highly regarded in the basketball community and was known as a coach17 who expected excellence and cared deeply for her players; and 18 WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that this remarkable and distinguished19 Georgian be appropriately recognized by dedicating a road in her memory.20 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AND ENACTED BY THE GENERAL21 ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that the portion of State Route 49 from the Milledgeville22 Bypass SR 29/US 441 to the Macon Bibb County line in Baldwin County is dedicated as the23 Latasha R. Butts Memorial Highway.24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Transportation is authorized and25 directed to erect and maintain appropriate signs dedicating the Latasha R. Butts Memorial26 Highway.27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized28 and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the29 family of Ms. Latasha R. Butts and to the Department of Transportation.30 H. R. 71 - 2 -