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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Former State Representative Jerry A. Madden of |
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Richardson is celebrating his 80th birthday on February 20, 2023, |
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to the great delight of his family and friends; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Jerry and Lucille Madden, Jerry Madden |
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was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in 1943; he graduated from the |
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United States Military Academy at West Point with a bachelor's |
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degree in engineering; commissioned as a second lieutenant, field |
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artillery, he served in Germany before his deployment to Vietnam in |
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1968 as commanding officer of Battery A, 3rd Battalion of the 52nd |
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Artillery Group's 6th Artillery; promoted to captain, he led his |
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unit in movements all around the fire bases in the Central |
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Highlands, supporting infantry units; from 1969 to 1971, he was |
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stationed at Fort Sill in Oklahoma, where he was an instructor in |
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nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons and worked on the project |
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that developed the use of computers in fire control artillery; in |
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addition to his Airborne and Ranger tabs, he received such |
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decorations as the Vietnam Campaign Service Medal, the Army Good |
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Conduct Medal, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; and |
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WHEREAS, After completing six years of military service, |
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Mr. Madden earned a master's degree in management and |
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administration sciences from The University of Texas at Dallas; he |
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was employed by Texas Instruments and then by Teledyne Geotech; in |
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2000, he established Jerry Madden Insurance, which he sold upon his |
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retirement eight years later; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Madden has served his community in numerous |
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leadership roles, including as president of the Collin County |
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School Board and chair of the Collin County Hospital Board; he was |
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instrumental in launching the Collin County Caring for Children |
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program and served on its board; for many years, he was a member of |
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the board of the Prisoner Entrepreneurship Program; dedicated to |
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conservative principles, he served as a Republican party precinct |
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chair and then as county GOP chair; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1992, Mr. Madden was elected to the first of 10 |
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terms in the Texas House; he was a member of numerous committees and |
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served as chair of the Corrections, Criminal Justice Oversight, and |
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State Affairs Committees, as co-chair of the Select Committee on |
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the Operation and Management of the Texas Youth Commission, and as |
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vice chair of the Elections Committee; during his tenure, he won |
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plaudits for such legislative initiatives as the 2007 criminal |
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justice system reforms; the comprehensive changes allowed for |
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rehabilitation opportunities, for the diversion of some prisoners |
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into mental health and substance abuse treatment programs, and for |
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improved probation and parole mechanisms resulting in cost savings |
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and safer communities; he played a key role in juvenile justice |
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reforms and judicial campaign fairness measures as well, and he |
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advocated for victims' rights; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Madden also demonstrated a deep commitment to |
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retired and active members of the military, and he authored and |
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secured passage of legislation ensuring that those on lengthy |
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deployments would have their votes counted in elections, as well as |
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legislation to protect military families by allowing them to defer |
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property taxes during deployment; moreover, he proposed a |
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constitutional amendment that later became law relating to ad |
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valorem tax exemptions for disabled veterans and their families; |
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sensitive to the needs of combat veterans, he was responsible for |
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groundbreaking legislation creating Veteran Courts that have |
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proven especially crucial to those in need of resources for such |
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issues as post-traumatic stress disorder, service-related |
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injuries, and homelessness; he coauthored successful legislation |
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establishing a state virtual education system for the benefit of |
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military personnel, and it proved invaluable for children across |
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the state during the COVID-19 pandemic; named one of the 10 Best |
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Legislators by Texas Monthly magazine in 2007, he was selected as |
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American Legislative Exchange Council Legislator of the Year four |
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years later; and |
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WHEREAS, Along the way, Mr. Madden was appointed to the Texas |
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State Council for Interstate Adult Offender Supervision; he made an |
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impact beyond Texas as a member of the board of the Council of State |
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Governments' Justice Center, as chair of the Law and Criminal |
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Justice Committee formed by the National Conference of State |
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Legislatures, and as co-chair of the National Conference of State |
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Legislatures' Sentencing and Corrections Work Group; and |
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WHEREAS, Since his retirement from public office, Mr. Madden |
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has continued to serve in a number of capacities; he is a Senior |
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Fellow for Right on Crime at the Texas Public Policy Foundation and |
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a member of both the national board of the Prison Entrepreneurship |
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Program and the board of Unlocking Doors; in addition, he serves the |
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American Legislative Exchange Council as a member of the Texas |
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Criminal Justice Integrity Unit; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the years, Mr. Madden has been the recipient of |
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numerous honors, including the inaugural Carmen Miller Michael |
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Mental Health Advocate Prism Award and recognition from such |
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organizations as the American Legion Department of Texas, Common |
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Cause Texas, and the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition; in 2017, he |
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garnered the Susan McHenry Golden Key Award for his tireless |
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efforts in behalf of Criminal Justice Reform; he was also named a |
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UT-Dallas Distinguished Alumnus; and |
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WHEREAS, Devoted to his family, Mr. Madden shared a |
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fulfilling marriage of 51 years with the love of his life, Barbara |
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Madden, until her passing in 2017; the couple raised three |
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treasured children, Jerry, Stephanie, and Kristina, and they were |
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blessed with five grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, A generous mentor and an inspiring role model to |
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many, Jerry Madden is respected and admired by all who are |
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privileged to know him, and as he celebrates this milestone, he may |
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reflect with great satisfaction on his wide-ranging contributions; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate the Honorable Jerry A. Madden on |
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the occasion of his 80th birthday and extend to him sincere best |
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wishes for continued happiness; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Mr. Madden as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |