A RESOLUTION adjourning the Senate in honor and loving memory of Frances Smith Coleman.
Summary
SR299 is a Senate resolution honoring the life and memory of Frances Smith Coleman. The resolution recites biographical details about her upbringing, faith, family, and community involvement, including her work in tennis, her role as the first coach of the women’s tennis team at Pikeville College (now the University of Pikeville), and her service on the Pikeville Area YMCA board and in local civic organizations. It also notes her passing on May 11, 2025, from kidney failure and cancer, and identifies her surviving family members.
The operative provisions express the Senate’s sympathy to her family, friends, and community, direct that the Senate adjourn in her honor and loving memory, and require the Clerk to transmit a copy of the resolution to Senator Phillip Wheeler for presentation to the family. As a memorial resolution, it does not amend state law or create new legal obligations; its effect is ceremonial and commemorative, reflecting the Senate’s official recognition of her contributions and loss to the community.
Impact
SR299 has no substantive impact on Kentucky statutes, regulations, or public programs. Its legal effect is limited to a formal Senate expression of condolence, an adjournment in honor of Frances Smith Coleman, and a directive to deliver the resolution to her family through Senator Phillip Wheeler. The resolution primarily affects the Senate’s official records and the family/community being recognized.
Sentiment
The sentiment around SR299 is uniformly respectful and sympathetic. The resolution itself is written in a commemorative tone, emphasizing Frances Smith Coleman’s faith, family, civic service, and influence in Pikeville. The bill’s adoption by voice vote indicates broad, noncontroversial support and a shared desire to honor her memory.
Contention
There is no apparent contention surrounding SR299. Because it is a memorial resolution, it does not present policy disputes, fiscal issues, or statutory changes. The only notable focus is on celebrating Frances Smith Coleman’s life and acknowledging her death, with the Senate acting unanimously or near-unanimously through voice vote.