By Farrar                                              H.R. No. 198
         76R5756 GMW-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, February 17, 1999, marks the birthday of our
 1-2     esteemed colleague, the Honorable Harold V. Dutton, Jr., and it
 1-3     gives the members of this chamber great pleasure to acknowledge him
 1-4     on this auspicious occasion; and
 1-5           WHEREAS, A native of Houston's Fifth Ward, Representative
 1-6     Dutton is a proud graduate of Phillis Wheatley High School and
 1-7     Texas Southern University, from which he earned a bachelor's degree
 1-8     in accounting in 1966, and he was designated a distinguished
 1-9     alumnus by that university; and
1-10           WHEREAS, This esteemed public servant also graduated from the
1-11     Thurgood Marshall School of Law and currently serves the university
1-12     as an adjunct professor; he operates a private legal practice in
1-13     Houston and is a member of the Texas Bar Association, the Houston
1-14     Bar Association, the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, and the
1-15     American Trial Lawyers Association; and
1-16           WHEREAS, Representative Dutton's professional career has also
1-17     encompassed employment with Conoco, Inc., and service as the
1-18     president of Four Star Broadcasting; granted a license to construct
1-19     and operate an independent UHF television station in Houston in
1-20     1986, he later hosted the television show "Sunday Night Journal,"
1-21     which featured guests of local and national interest; and
1-22           WHEREAS, Representative Dutton is now in his eighth term in
1-23     the Texas House of Representatives, which he currently serves as
1-24     co-chairman of the Joint Select Committee on Historically
 2-1     Underutilized Businesses and as vice chairman of the Public
 2-2     Education Committee and the House Democratic Caucus; in addition,
 2-3     he is an esteemed member of the House Calendars Committee, the
 2-4     House Committee on Civil Practices, the Select Committee on
 2-5     Constitutional Revision, the Steering Committee for the House
 2-6     Research Organization, the Legislative Study Group, the Legislative
 2-7     Black Caucus, and the Harris County Delegation; and
 2-8           WHEREAS, Representative Dutton's myriad legislative
 2-9     accomplishments include successful sponsorship of Texas' first
2-10     statutory program for women-owned and minority-owned businesses and
2-11     initiatives addressing public education improvements and insurance
2-12     availability and affordability; his achievements have earned him
2-13     recognition as Legislator of the Year by the Forward Times
2-14     Newspaper, the Houston Police Officers Association, the Harris
2-15     County Deputy Sheriff's Association, and the Afro-American Deputy
2-16     Sheriff's Association; and
2-17           WHEREAS, Throughout his many years of legislative service,
2-18     Representative Dutton has played an active role in making this
2-19     state a better place in which to live, work, and raise a family,
2-20     and the occasion of his birthday provides a fitting opportunity to
2-21     honor him; now, therefore, be it
2-22           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas
2-23     Legislature hereby congratulate the Honorable Harold V. Dutton,
2-24     Jr., on the joyous occasion of his birthday and extend to him
2-25     sincere best wishes for continued success and happiness; and, be it
2-26     further
2-27           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
 3-1     prepared for Representative Dutton as an expression of highest
 3-2     regard by his colleagues in the Texas House of Representatives.