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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The passing of former Texas State Representative and |
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Senator James William Haley of Austin on July 3, 2022, at the age of |
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78, brought a great loss to his family and many friends; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Center on September 22, 1943, Bill Haley was |
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the son of Eugene Wayne "Pete" Haley Sr. and Mary Elizabeth Miller |
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Haley, and he grew up with the company of his brothers, Eugene and |
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Thomas; he graduated from Texas Christian University and went on to |
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earn his teaching certificate at Stephen F. Austin State University |
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and a master's degree at Texas State University; during a career in |
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public education that spanned more than a dozen years in Houston and |
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then Center, he taught government, American history, and economics |
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courses, making the subjects fun and interesting while encouraging |
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students to excel; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Haley won a special election for a seat in the |
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Texas House of Representatives in 1978, and he took a leading role |
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in enacting sweeping education reforms; widely acknowledged as the |
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most vigorous in the nation at the time, the changes limited class |
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size, set standards for student performance and teacher competency, |
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and raised educator pay rates; he served as chair of the House |
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Public Education Committee, as well as subcommittees on Public |
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Education Appropriative Matters and Budget and Oversight; in |
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addition, he was a member of several other committees, among them |
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State Affairs and Financial Institutions; and |
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WHEREAS, Following his election to the Texas Senate in 1988, |
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he remained an ardent champion of education, earning the nickname |
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"East Texas Maverick" from writer Molly Ivins for both his East |
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Texas drawl and his tenacity; Senator Haley co-chaired the Interim |
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Committee on Proprietary Schools, chaired the Interim Committee on |
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Education, and served as vice chair of the Senate Education |
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Committee and chair of the Special Committee on Administration; |
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throughout his tenure in public office, he was known for both his |
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keen insight and his wit; in one of his better-known jests, he |
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offered a tongue-in-cheek bill amendment to route an intercity |
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bullet train through his hometown, with its population of 6,000, a |
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tactic that earned a whimsical "Best Boondoggle" award from Texas |
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Monthly; the recipient of numerous more serious accolades, he was |
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accorded the Friend of Education Award by the Texas Classroom |
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Teachers Association and Champion of Education Award by the Texas |
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Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association, among many |
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others; and |
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WHEREAS, Senator Haley returned to private life in 1995; a |
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valued member of University Christian Church, he served in various |
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leadership roles, including elder and chair of the board, and he |
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enjoyed teaching the Seekers church school class for 23 years; |
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dedicated to his alma mater, he was active on the board of the |
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Austin Chapter of the TCU Alumni Association, and he was a member of |
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the Austin Regional Council, the National Alumni Board, and the |
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executive board of the TCU College of Fine Arts Board of Visitors; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In all his endeavors, Senator Haley enjoyed the love |
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and support of his wife, Mary, and the couple formed a strong team, |
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having known each other since childhood; he took great pride in his |
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sons, Jeffrey and Robert, and he had the pleasure of seeing his |
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family grow to include five grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, Through his unyielding commitment to education, |
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Bill Haley made significant contributions to his fellow Texans, and |
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his warmth, kindness, and sense of humor enriched the lives of all |
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who were privileged to know him; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 88th Texas Legislature |
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hereby pay tribute to the memory of the Honorable James William |
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Haley and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: |
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to his wife, Mary Russell Scriven Haley; to his sons, Jeffrey |
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Russell Haley and his wife Michele, and Robert Colin Haley and his |
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wife, Lisa Marie; to his grandchildren, William Russell Haley, |
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Jonathan Michael Haley, Andrew Christopher Haley, Ava Brooke Haley, |
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and Alexis Giuliana Haley; to his brother, Thomas Laurence Haley, |
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and his wife, Michelle; and to his other relatives and many friends; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas Senate adjourns this |
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day, it do so in memory of former State Senator Bill Haley. |