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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Honorable Senfronia Thompson has dedicated |
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herself wholeheartedly to the betterment of Texas during a half |
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century of distinguished service in the Texas House of |
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Representatives; and |
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WHEREAS, The dean of the Texas House, "Ms. T" is the |
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longest-serving woman and longest-serving Black lawmaker in the |
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legislature; she was first elected in 1972, when women were not even |
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allowed to open a credit card in their own name; since then, she has |
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been at the forefront of historic change, working tirelessly in |
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behalf of justice, equality, and opportunity for all; and |
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WHEREAS, Representative Thompson was among the first to take |
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on the scourge of human trafficking, and her efforts have made Texas |
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a leader in anti-trafficking legislation; known for her tenacity |
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and ability to work across the aisle, she doggedly built a |
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broad-based coalition to finally win passage of the James Byrd Jr. |
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Hate Crimes Act; her myriad accomplishments also include the Sexual |
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Assault Program Fund, the state's first and only alimony law, laws |
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creating drug courts, and legislation providing insurance coverage |
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for anti-cancer oral medication, 3D mammograms, HPV and cervical |
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cancer screening, and contraceptives; in 2019, her 11th-hour bill |
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amendment gave Texas one of the nation's toughest prescription drug |
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price transparency laws; and |
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WHEREAS, In notable efforts to benefit seniors, |
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Representative Thompson secured passage of legislation allowing |
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Medicaid nursing home residents to keep more of their retirement |
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and social security money for personal use, as well as a bill |
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permitting homeowners over the age of 65 to make quarterly property |
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tax payments without penalty; she authored the Chief Justice Jack |
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Pope Act, which increased funding for legal aid to low-income |
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Texans with civil cases, as well as the Michael Morton Act, which |
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instituted important criminal justice reforms; among many other |
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measures to defend the vulnerable, she secured passage of |
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legislation banning racial profiling, strengthening protective |
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orders, shielding unpaid interns from sexual harassment, and |
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increasing sex offender penalties; and |
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WHEREAS, Representative Thompson has shared her expertise as |
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a member and chair of numerous committees; she currently chairs the |
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Select Committee on Youth Health and Safety, and she is a member of |
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the Committees on Licensing and Administrative Procedures, |
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Redistricting, and State Affairs; and |
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WHEREAS, Inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame in |
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2014, Representative Thompson has been named one of the Top Ten Best |
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Legislators by Texas Monthly, and she is the sole recipient of the |
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Rosa Parks Award from the Texas Legislative Black Caucus; a |
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graduate of Thurgood Marshall School of law, she also holds a master |
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of law degree in international law from the University of Houston, a |
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master of education degree from Prairie View A&M University, and a |
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bachelor's degree in biology from Texas Southern University; |
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moreover, she is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority; and |
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WHEREAS, Senfronia Thompson has blazed a remarkable path over |
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the course of 26 terms in the Texas House, and her vision, |
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leadership, and unyielding commitment to social justice are a |
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tremendous inspiration to all; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor State Representative Senfronia Thompson |
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for 50 years of service in the Texas House and extend to her sincere |
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best wishes for continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Representative Thompson as an expression of high |
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regard by the Texas House of Representatives. |