1-1 1 1-2 SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 1225 1-3 WHEREAS, Since his election in 1992, Senator Gregory Luna 1-4 has become one of the most beloved and respected members of the 1-5 Texas Senate; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Few people have worked so passionately and so 1-7 tenaciously on behalf of public education as Gregory Luna; a man of 1-8 great integrity, he remains steadfast in his resolve that all the 1-9 children of Texas deserve a quality education; in pursuit of this 1-10 goal, he has been an influential part of the movement to equalize 1-11 the state's school finance system; and 1-12 WHEREAS, It is a distinct pleasure for the members of 1-13 the Texas Senate to rise to pay tribute to a cherished colleague 1-14 and trusted friend who has been with us in spirit during the 1-15 76th Legislative Session, most particularly during the deliberations 1-16 over Senate Bill 4; now, therefore, be it 1-17 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 1-18 76th Legislature, hereby honor a true statesman, Gregory Luna, 1-19 and that the following senatorial tributes be offered to him as 1-20 expressions of love and best wishes from his fellow members: 2-1 Senator Truan: Senator Luna was elected to his first term 2-2 in the Texas Senate in 1992 after serving four terms in the 2-3 Texas House of Representatives. He has served on many important 2-4 committees, but the committee that stands out is the Education 2-5 Committee, where our Lieutenant Governor had appointed him vice 2-6 chair, and he has served as vice chair of the Education Committee 2-7 with previous lieutenant governors as well. He was one of the 2-8 founding members of the Mexican American Legal Defense and 2-9 Educational Fund, better known as MALDEF, that has promoted equal 2-10 rights and representation for the children of our state and our 2-11 country who deserve a first-class system of public education. He 2-12 has served admirably in the Legislature, both the House and the 2-13 Senate, on the important issues of public school finance. He was 2-14 very instrumental in putting together the legislation that we had 2-15 two years ago and he was on the conference committee, Senator Bivins, 2-16 that wrote the final bill as you well know. Senator Luna has been 2-17 most concerned about education in general for all of our citizens. 2-18 He served on the select Committee on Education, on dropouts with 2-19 Senator Barrientos. He has been a professional attorney very 2-20 dedicated to his profession. He has been one of those individuals 2-21 dedicated to public service. There is no doubt but that we have 2-22 missed him; his contributions, Senator Shapiro, to our body would 2-23 have been immeasurable. He would have contributed so much more to 2-24 the dialogue and the debate. But we know that his heart has been 2-25 with us. I saw him at the Methodist Hospital in San Antonio and 2-26 tears rolled down his eyes as he told me how much he wanted to be 2-27 here with us. 3-1 Senator Bivins: Thank you Mr. President and Members. I rise 3-2 in support of Senate Resolution 1225. Mrs. Luna and family, I want 3-3 to tell you that I miss my vice chairman. Greg Luna has served as 3-4 vice chairman of the Education Committee since Bob Bullock told me, 3-5 "Bivins, it's your turn in the barrel." I worked with Greg for two 3-6 sessions and I know that among his many passions within the subject 3-7 of education maybe his greatest passion was equity and funding for 3-8 public education. So that as Senator Shapleigh said, every student 3-9 in Texas can have a place at the starting line along with everyone 3-10 else in the race for education and have an equal opportunity to get 3-11 what will definitely be the key to success for every Texan in the 3-12 next millennium. All through our deliberations on Senate Bill 4 I 3-13 was mindful of Senator Luna and his commitment to equity, and I want 3-14 to share with you, Mrs. Luna, and please take this back to Greg, he 3-15 probably has figured it out already, but Senate Bill 4 as it passed 3-16 the Senate last night and the House, and I anticipate will be signed 3-17 by the Governor, will create the most equitable funding system in 3-18 the history of the State of Texas for public education. And 3-19 probably the most equitable public education system in the entire 3-20 United States. In a state that is as economically diverse, as well 3-21 as socially and culturally and every other way, as Texas to have 3-22 accomplished that goal is a huge accomplishment. Senator Luna's 3-23 efforts ever since I arrived in this Senate in 1989 one year after 3-24 Edgewood v. Kirby 1 had been decided have always been tireless in 3-25 trying to close the gap and create an equal educational funding 3-26 opportunity for every school district in Texas. The bill we passed 3-27 yesterday is a tribute to Greg Luna and his work and I want to thank 4-1 you for being here with us today. Like I said, I miss having my 4-2 vice chairman with us on Sine Die but I am glad you could be here. 4-3 Mr. President I, too, support adoption of Senate Resolution 1225. 4-4 Senator Carona: Mr. President and Members, I've known 4-5 Greg Luna through circumstances a bit different, Senator Bivins, 4-6 than you would. For many of us, the Senator Luna that we've known, 4-7 particularly in the early part of this session, as a rather quiet 4-8 very devoted, dedicated individual, but rather quiet as he would 4-9 work steadily on the issues of great importance to him. But I had 4-10 the good fortune of knowing him both as a House Member and also as 4-11 a freshman last session in the Senate. I got to see the side of 4-12 Greg Luna that you all perhaps don't. He and I share some of the 4-13 same illnesses if you will, and last December when I was ill and 4-14 hospitalized I received not only a very personal and touching card 4-15 with a note from Senator Luna but a phone call afterward. He and I 4-16 had numerous discussions in the lounge during the early part of the 4-17 session about the things that I had been through and about some of 4-18 the trials and tribulations that he too had been through from that 4-19 standpoint of his health and some of the things that he knew he 4-20 would still have to deal with. I got to see not only the side of 4-21 Greg Luna that you talk about today--the tenacious individual 4-22 fighting in pursuit of a better system of public education for the 4-23 students across this state--but I got to see Greg Luna the very 4-24 personal, very private man. I cannot tell you what a kind heart and 4-25 what a good person is that of Greg Luna. We all in this small body 4-26 of 31 get to know each other pretty well, but I can tell you that 5-1 there's not a gentler, there's not a more gracious, and there's not 5-2 a kinder person in this entire body than you'd find in Greg Luna. 5-3 God speed Greg Luna, and we look forward to your recovery. Thank 5-4 you. 5-5 Senator Zaffirini: Thank you Mr. President. Mr. President 5-6 and Members, I too have known Greg Luna for so long, as I have also 5-7 known his wife and daughter and other members of the family, two of 5-8 whom are with us today, and he is not only a great Senator, he was 5-9 also a great state representative. But this is a man who has also 5-10 excelled in the courtroom. In San Antonio he is known not only as 5-11 an outstanding legislator but also as a very, very effective attorney. 5-12 On that behalf I share a dual relationship: one, my own friendship; 5-13 and second, my husband's friendship with him because they have faced 5-14 each other in the courtroom both against each other and at other 5-15 times on the same side. Greg Luna is always a worthy opponent and a 5-16 fabulous supporter and I just look forward to the day that he will 5-17 rejoin us in the Texas Senate. To his wife and his daughter we 5-18 all say thank you and we will keep him in our prayers. Welcome 5-19 to the Texas Senate. Governor Perry did you notice the color of 5-20 Mrs. Luna's dress? 5-21 Senator Shapleigh: Thank you Mr. President. Mrs. Luna, 5-22 if Greg Luna were here today he would be smiling because in the 5-23 Texas Senate and in the Texas Legislature this year, as 5-24 Senator Bivins said, Texas has passed the most equalized educational 5-25 system in the country today. I've followed Greg's career now for 5-26 about six years from the time he got into MALDEF early on as one of 6-1 the organizers with the vision of every Texas child having an 6-2 opportunity to get an education and to get to the starting line of 6-3 opportunity. I think there's few people on the floor of the Senate 6-4 that when they get up to talk people turn to listen to them. 6-5 Remember the other day when Senator Ratliff got up and began a 6-6 colloquy with Senator Nixon and his voice was a little bit raised 6-7 from what it normally is? I think most of the people in this 6-8 Texas Senate started following that debate in a way that they don't 6-9 normally. But when Greg Luna gets up in the Texas Senate people 6-10 track what he says because he is a man of quiet courage and when 6-11 Greg Luna has a point there isn't anyone in the Texas Senate that 6-12 doesn't know what Greg Luna is saying and who he speaks for. I just 6-13 want to thank you for the dignity that Greg Luna has brought to this 6-14 Senate and the issues that he's brought forth because Greg Luna's 6-15 courage and his quiet way of getting things done really have made 6-16 this a better place. Thank you. 6-17 Senator Barrientos: Mr. President, Members, I rise to join 6-18 my voice with yours to pay tribute to a good and great man who is 6-19 going to be joining us soon I hope. He is a fighter. I was sitting 6-20 here thinking over the years. I have known Greg Luna for 20 or 25 6-21 years that we've worked together. Conviction, devotion, defender of 6-22 the poor, defender of the children, defender of the ill--all done in 6-23 his gentle mild-mannered way. Senator Carona, you got that just right, 6-24 a gentle person, a gentle man. And yet, Gregory Luna is one of the 6-25 fiercest fighters I've ever known. You know he was a police officer 6-26 in San Antonio for about 10 years and you know what kind of fortitude 7-1 and physical strength it sometimes takes to be peace officer, 7-2 especially in a large city. He helped to establish MALDEF, the 7-3 Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, an organization 7-4 that has made some changes for Texas that were way overdue. Those 7-5 people who benefitted from the work of those attorneys in that 7-6 organization are indebted and so are we and so will our children 7-7 and our grandchildren be, to Greg Luna. House Member, we served 7-8 together over there also. Senator Truan, Matt Garcia, Greg Luna, 7-9 Orlando Garcia, and all served well there. Senator, gentle, 7-10 persuasive person, he is still fighting. I couldn't stand some 7-11 of that fight for my mother who was a diabetic on dialysis for 7-12 too many years, but it helps when your colleagues and your friends 7-13 write, call. Gregory, Como estas camarada? No te dejes. We are 7-14 with you now. We were with you yesterday and we will be with you 7-15 tomorrow and with Helen and the whole family. God bless you. 7-16 God speed. Thank you Mr. President. 7-17 Senator Ellis: Thank you Mr. President, I rise to in a way to 7-18 apologize because Greg Luna was also a member of the Jurisprudence 7-19 Committee with me for the two previous sessions, and this session he 7-20 was here in the beginning. One of the things, Helen, that he always 7-21 argued against was any bill that would raise the fee on filing any 7-22 document that would raise money to help the judicial system. In 7-23 fact, they were known as "Luna bills" because he would kill them. 7-24 He would tag them or raise a point of order to keep the bill from 7-25 passing. Because he wasn't here for the last couple of months, you 7-26 would be amazed what an impact it had on the committee. All of a 8-1 sudden O'Candy over here, Chris Harris, stopped trying to pass all 8-2 of those fee bills. I just want to tell you that, if he doesn't 8-3 watch this on tape, I held those bills as long as I could. If there 8-4 had been a point of order in them, I would have slipped them to 8-5 Gallegos or someone else to try to kill the bills. It was a real 8-6 privilege to work with Gregory Luna on the judicial selection plan, 8-7 or so called bullet plan, when he was in the Senate. Robert Duncan 8-8 carried it, of course, in the House, but it didn't make it. I did 8-9 call him to ask him whether or not I ought to let Senator Duncan lop 8-10 off the top half of that plan and send it over there. Robert was 8-11 wondering whether or not I had something up my sleeves. We'll do 8-12 something if a bill ever makes it back. The truth of the matter is, 8-13 that Luna and I hadn't figured it out. But when he comes back next 8-14 session, if Senator Duncan wants to pass the top half of that plan 8-15 again, we'll pull something out of our sleeves then. Tell him we 8-16 miss him, our love is with him, I'll never forget that night we were 8-17 at that NCSL Conference. He'd been in the hospital for about a 8-18 month or so and had gotten his color back; he was looking good and 8-19 was with you at that Italian restaurant, dancing to the wee hours 8-20 of the morning, and there was no music at that restaurant. I know 8-21 Greg Luna will get well. 8-22 Senator Lucio: Thank you Mr. President, I too rise with my 8-23 colleagues in honor of a great Texan and a very, very good friend 8-24 in support of S.R. 1225. I've known Greg since 1986 when I first 8-25 got elected and started my legislative work in the 8-26 House of Representatives. It's amazing how everyone would look at 9-1 Greg when the issue of education would come up and everybody would 9-2 go up to him so to get his opinion on what was right for the children 9-3 of our great state. I was one of those in this chamber that really 9-4 saw Greg and Helen on their way home that last time I saw Greg on 9-5 the floor. I was pretty hungry and my Chief of Staff and I stopped 9-6 in San Marcos. We just drove into the first little Mexican 9-7 restaurant we saw, and who was in the restaurant? It was Greg and 9-8 Helen. Greg was having some huevos rancheros and frijoles refritos. 9-9 I went to the table where they were sitting and sat down. I was 9-10 really saddened in a way. I told my Chief of Staff, "You know Paul, 9-11 I think he's really hurting and he's eating that high cholesterol 9-12 mean meal. I think he wants to feel good, he wants to eat 9-13 something that tastes good." I did something Senator Whitmire, I 9-14 picked up the tab because I wanted to buy my friend and his lovely 9-15 wife a meal. He came over to thank me and I didn't say anything, 9-16 but when he walked away I told Paul that I could never repay Greg 9-17 for all he did for me as a freshman legislator and in the Senate. 9-18 We all really looked at Greg to see what he was thinking and to see 9-19 what advice he had to offer. We still call on him. He is much more 9-20 than an elected official. I think all of us put him into the 9-21 category of statesman. He knows what state government and the 9-22 workings of government are all about. He knows the issues. A very 9-23 serious individual, a hard worker, and no nonsense is the way I like 9-24 to describe him, even though he likes to joke around once in awhile 9-25 and get a laugh in, but most of the time he is really thinking hard 9-26 about what he should do as a legislator. He is more than just a 9-27 one-issue legislator. But he loved education, he loves education, 10-1 and I think until the end he's going to make sure that he goes 10-2 every day of his life searching for what he can do to make it better 10-3 for the children that we represent. One of the things that I think 10-4 we all agree on is that we learn from one another. Every day there 10-5 is something new we learn from one another, and we learned a lot 10-6 from Greg. We learned respect and honor, we learned to work hard 10-7 and to take our work very seriously. I join with all of you in 10-8 saying that we miss him, and I think that the valley misses him 10-9 because he's a frequent traveler to the valley. His son lives 10-10 there. A very fine young attorney in the Harlingen area in my 10-11 district, so he is my constituent. I feel real close to Greg just 10-12 as some of you who have known him through the years. I join with all 10-13 of you in dedicating Senate Bill 4 to him today in this legislative 10-14 session. Thank you Mr. President. 10-15 Senator Moncrief: Mr. President thank you, and Helen thank 10-16 you for the many years that you and your family have allowed Greg 10-17 to serve the public. We in this body consider this to be sort of 10-18 a family. Members, we all depend on each other. We all experience 10-19 frustration, we all experience the happy times, the sad times. I 10-20 don't think any of us, not a one of us, myself included, could 10-21 really appreciate, Senator Lucio, just how much Greg was hurting or 10-22 just how determined he was to stay as long as he could. This Senate 10-23 is a grind; it's tough. There are some long hours here. It involves 10-24 a lot of homework and you have to love what you do to stay here and 10-25 enjoy it and he does. He is a voice of reason and has been so many 10-26 times, Members, on both sides of this aisle. Certainly we respect 11-1 him for his knowledge, for his vast knowledge in the field of 11-2 education, and for the time and energies he has so unselfishly given. 11-3 But he also was always at middle ground when there was a tough issue, 11-4 when votes where hard to come by. You would go to Greg and ask him 11-5 for his support. He would grill you, grill you hard. "Why is this 11-6 a good idea?" or "I don't think this such a great idea." And you 11-7 respect someone like that. I think all of us have missed him this 11-8 session, but let me tell you Members, he's here today. He is here 11-9 today. His priorities have been here all session long as they will 11-10 continue to be. So we certainly wish him God's speed. You will all 11-11 remain in our prayers and we look back to the good times together 11-12 and we look forward to many more times together when he returns. 11-13 Thank you and God bless. 11-14 Senator Madla: Thank you Mr. President. I too want to join 11-15 Dean Truan and my colleagues in support of Resolution 1225. I would 11-16 imagine that of all the members here I've probably known Greg the 11-17 longest I think. I've known Greg all my adult life--prior to the 11-18 time both of us were members of the legislature. Senator Barrientos 11-19 referred to the fact that he was a police officer and that was many 11-20 years ago. Later on he became an attorney; he ran for public office 11-21 in '84 and was elected to the legislature. The other side of Greg 11-22 that we never hear about though is that he was a public servant in a 11-23 different way. Greg was very involved in several organizations in 11-24 San Antonio. One was the Inman Christian Center. I had a lot of 11-25 respect for him at the time because I worked for him. He gave a 11-26 lot of his time, his money, his efforts. He represented that 12-1 organization free whenever it became necessary for an attorney. 12-2 Greg was involved with project SER, which is really a nationwide 12-3 organization, but he was involved with the San Antonio chapter which 12-4 assisted less fortunate individuals in trying to find employment in 12-5 Bexar County. He was also very involved with United Way. Greg not 12-6 only preached at the state level here in the halls of the Texas House 12-7 or the Texas Senate about his caring about people, but he went back 12-8 and actually practiced it. I've had the privilege of watching Greg 12-9 since 1984 with respect and admiration. I think he has done a superb 12-10 job, especially in speaking to the less fortunate of this state. 12-11 All of us know about what and where his heart was when he came to 12-12 public education. I think the fact that we have passed a very 12-13 respectable bill, Senator Bivins, is a great tribute to Greg Luna. 12-14 I think the greatest tribute eventually is going to be Greg's success 12-15 in being able to bring to San Antonio The University of Texas 12-16 downtown campus. It was something that he championed, that he 12-17 dreamed of, and that is now a reality. Let me just say in closing 12-18 to both Helen and their daughter Leticia, thank you for lending Greg 12-19 to the people of Texas because the people of this state are far 12-20 better off today because of a very quiet giant. Thank you 12-21 Mr. President. 12-22 Senator Gallegos: Thank you Mr. President. I too want to 12-23 agree with everything my colleagues have said about Greg Luna. 12-24 There was an issue earlier in Senate Finance where, Mr. President 12-25 you remember, I did a little amendment and took $50 million away 12-26 from San Antonio. By the way Helen they pulled my invitation to 13-1 Fiesta because of that. Right after I was prepared to debate the 13-2 merits on taking that $50 million from San Antonio for M. D. Anderson 13-3 and in talking with President Perry, but then Leticia Van de Putte 13-4 came over and said that she had a message for me and it was from 13-5 Greg Luna. He wanted the $50 million back and I know the seat is 13-6 filled, but it wasn't these last few weeks. I just want to tell 13-7 you, Helen and Leticia, that we have differences in opinion on this 13-8 floor. Vouchers. You know, he was one of our votes on vouchers. 13-9 There's no doubt in my mind, health permitting, that we would have 13-10 flown him in here on a helicopter, if we needed to block any kind of 13-11 voucher program. I just want to tell you that after Leticia sent me 13-12 that message along with Ed Garza the City Council member there, I 13-13 told Governor Perry I was willing to back off and let that $50 13-14 million go back to San Antonio. It probably would have gone back 13-15 but how can you fight a request like that. So I just want to join 13-16 Dean Truan and the rest of my colleagues in honoring a good man, 13-17 Senator Luna. 13-18 Senator Wentworth: Thank you Mr. President. 13-19 Senator Zaffirini, Senator Madla, Senator Luna, and I are the 13-20 four members of this body that represent either all or part of 13-21 Bexar County. I don't claim to have known Senator Luna as long as 13-22 Senator Madla. Senator Madla said that he had met him before he 13-23 began running for the legislature back in 1943, or something like 13-24 that and that Frank ran the first. But the interesting thing is 13-25 Frank Madla, Gregory Luna, and I came to the Senate together from 13-26 the House--Frank had been there about 20 years, Gregory had been 14-1 there about eight, and I had been there five. We came over here 14-2 and, according to the custom, we drew straws. Gregory came in 14-3 first in seniority, I was second, and Frank is the Junior Senator 14-4 from Bexar County which Gregory kept reminding both Frank and me 14-5 his entire time that he was the senior member from Bexar County. 14-6 Senator Luna and I served on the House Judicial Affairs Committee 14-7 together because we both practice law. Although the newspapers 14-8 sometimes like to make a lot of distinction and difference between 14-9 members because of their party affiliation, let me tell you that 14-10 Senator Luna and I worked hand-in-hand on both the House Judicial 14-11 Affairs Committee and then when we came to the Senate we both served 14-12 together on the Senate Jurisprudence Committee. He was a wonderful 14-13 member. I didn't always agree with him on those fee bills but we 14-14 worked very well together and I'm sure that he's very grateful for 14-15 the fact that we have added five new district courts to Bexar County 14-16 after several sessions of getting no district court for Bexar County. 14-17 It was interesting to me to listen to Senator Lucio say that he ran 14-18 into Helen and Gregory at a Mexican restaurant in San Marcos. My 14-19 wife, Carla and I eat lunch nearly every Saturday that we are in 14-20 San Antonio at El Merador, which is a favorite restaurant in downtown 14-21 San Antonio. It's miles from where we live but it has some of the 14-22 best caldo anywhere in the State of Texas. And nearly every Saturday 14-23 that we were there, Gregory and Helen would be there as well. We 14-24 became very close friends of the Lunas. I remember particularly 14-25 the trip to Honolulu in 1998 when Texas was trying to get a whole 14-26 bunch of folks to come to San Antonio in 1999 at the Council of State 14-27 Governments meeting. Gregory and Helen manned the Texas booth in 15-1 Hawaii that year and we had an even better conference in '99 as a 15-2 result of him inviting folks to come over. I'm not sure that 15-3 Jane Nelson and Buster Brown dancing the macarena helped a lot of 15-4 people decide to come, but it was a great trip and I will always 15-5 treasure that. We have missed Gregory this session. We were really 15-6 happy he was here at the first, the first few weeks, and I know that 15-7 we will see him soon and in better health. Thank you Mr. President. 15-8 Senator Brown: Thank you Mr. President. Members, I 15-9 too rise in support of this resolution for our great friend 15-10 Gregory Luna. You have heard about his distinguished career in the 15-11 House of Representatives and in the Texas Senate and how he has 15-12 done an outstanding job and has had many, many achievements since 15-13 he has been in public office, but I know that he has achieved 15-14 something that I could never achieve, he got Senator Lucio to pick 15-15 up the tab. You know Ms. Luna, we had a meeting in San Antonio and 15-16 I really can't remember the specific meeting, but I remember it was 15-17 at the restored theater in Greg's district and we went there for 15-18 that occasion and you and he were there. On a number of occasions 15-19 after that when I would start talking to him about that theater and 15-20 about his district, his eyes would light up and he was so proud, not 15-21 only of that particular restoration and how neat it was, but proud 15-22 of his entire district. I don't think there is any member of the 15-23 Senate who can claim more pride in the people that he represents 15-24 and the district that he represents and that is an outstanding 15-25 characteristic. I appreciate that in Greg and I appreciate his 15-26 devotion and his loyalty in representing his district in this 16-1 Texas Senate and look forward to seeing him back. Thank you. 16-2 Senator Sibley: Thank you Mr. President. Gregory Luna is 16-3 a dignified man who happens to be a senator whose conscience is 16-4 his only guide. His voice was listened to and the only way to 16-5 quiet that voice was his illness. Because I know if he had been 16-6 here, his voice would not have been quietened by any force or any 16-7 person or anything that men might do to try to make him quiet. 16-8 Senator Wentworth, we do take sides from time to time and I don't 16-9 think it's necessary in this body for us to alter our opinions before 16-10 we can pay tribute to a man like Gregory Luna. There are some 16-11 people in the Senate that go by first name, I can go down the list 16-12 of people and Senator Luna is one of those people I just can't call 16-13 Greg. He's too dignified and too much of a figure at least in my 16-14 eyes and my respect for him won't allow me to do that. So we do 16-15 look forward to him coming back and returning to us. It is a family 16-16 and we miss him greatly and it is a privilege to pay homage to him. 16-17 Senator Cain: Thank you very much Mr. President. As have 16-18 many members of this body, I had the great privilege to serve with 16-19 Gregory Luna. I'm sorry I have to call him Gregory. I served with 16-20 Gregory Luna over in the House of Representatives and I followed him 16-21 some several years later over to the Senate, and in each body, he's 16-22 been a rock. He has been a man of conscience. He believes very 16-23 strongly in his constituents and he is a major voice and will remain 16-24 a major voice in public education. More than that, he is my friend 16-25 and he is a friend of each and every one of us here on the floor of 16-26 the Texas Senate. I know I have missed him and I have missed his 17-1 good counseling and his guidance the latter part of this session. 17-2 But Helen I want you to know that my fondest wish is that you and I 17-3 and Sally and Greg can get back on the river and have a little food 17-4 traveling down as we have done in the past. We are very glad that 17-5 you are here with us today and please send our best wishes back to 17-6 Greg and wish him Godspeed. 17-7 Senator West: Thank you very much Mr. President. Helen, I am 17-8 not going to repeat everything everyone has said, but I do want to 17-9 say this, Senate District 26 was represented this session on 17-10 important issues that I know and many of Greg's colleagues know he 17-11 would have addressed for that Senate district. I want you to carry 17-12 that message back home. I can think of a couple of instances where 17-13 Greg's presence was felt. The Luna letter was an important letter. 17-14 He wanted to be here if there was going to be a vote for sending 17-15 that particular letter and we honor that because we are in fact a 17-16 family. I can think about a vote on an amendment that Senator Duncan 17-17 and I had on some statewide gang database bill, but never before in 17-18 the four sessions that I served here, have I ever seen a vote go down 17-19 15 to 15. That was on a local option. I know how Greg would have 17-20 voted on that particular amendment. When we got ready to do, under 17-21 the leadership of Teel Bivins, Senate Bill 4, I wish we would have 17-22 been thinking. Just as we had attempted to name the hate crimes 17-23 bill after James Byrd, I think it would have been very appropriate 17-24 to name Senate Bill 4 after Gregory Luna given his passion for the 17-25 schoolchildren in the State of Texas. With Senate District 26 17-26 interest safeguarded in that bill, you bet it was because I know 18-1 Gregory Luna probably would have wanted us to put more money into 18-2 prekindergarten, kindergarten, and dropout programs. He probably 18-3 would have wanted us to put more money into teacher pay raises, but 18-4 I think he recognized and would be satisfied with what we have done 18-5 for public education in the State of Texas. We have a lot of work 18-6 to do this interim and I know and I look forward to working with him 18-7 on issues that still must be addressed not only in public education 18-8 but also higher education. We salute Greg Luna, a great Texan. 18-9 Senator Whitmire: Mr. President, members. I will be brief, 18-10 I wanted to stress to Helen how we missed him not being here. He 18-11 often turned around and told me to behave. So tell him because he 18-12 was gone, they got the full force of me this session. He has such 18-13 a calming effect on all of us, didn't say much but when, as others 18-14 have said, he spoke we all listened. And I was sitting here 18-15 thinking I just think if someone can enter a public office, and 18-16 maintain the normalcy that they have when they got in it assuming 18-17 they were normal when they started, it's a real tribute to his 18-18 family to his upbringing and Greg you are such a normal person in 18-19 the greatest sense of that word. He came from humble beginnings, 18-20 was a public servant, a civil servant when he came over here, and 18-21 was the same guy today that he was when he got here, so I wanted to 18-22 speak to what a calming effect he was to all of us. I wanted to 18-23 make certain that because he felt so strongly on teachers' salaries 18-24 and benefits, that you really ought to incorporate some bill signing 18-25 with some opportunity for Greg to be a part of that great occasion 18-26 that he helped commence. I think that he would want to be recognized 19-1 as someone that blocked the vouchers, unless you passed it and didn't 19-2 tell us anything. Unless it's in some bill and you are going to tell 19-3 us after we get out of here, but I believe we blocked vouchers. I 19-4 think the Lord works in strange ways. I truly believe and, not to 19-5 debate the issue today but it will be debated in the future, if Greg 19-6 would have been here, I think the fight would have been more 19-7 confrontational. I think his absence put a calming effect on that 19-8 issue because we were using him and he wanted us to use him in the 19-9 signing of the letter, the notice to the chair, to give 24-hour 19-10 notice. That was all strategy presented by Greg. Actually one time 19-11 we were going to issue a video from him from his hospital bed, so I 19-12 am here to tell you that he would want us to give him credit for 19-13 blocking vouchers. And you can tell him that that fight is not over. 19-14 In fact it will be discussed in future sessions. So tell Greg that 19-15 he did more on the hospital bed to block vouchers than any one of us 19-16 did on the Senate floor, and we desperately need him in the future 19-17 and look forward to him providing that leadership because a lot of 19-18 those other members, members that are not familiar with the ins and 19-19 outs of education and even in that particular issue he has convinced 19-20 me to listen to him on the need to block it, need his assistance and 19-21 influence to do that in the future. So tell him what he did and 19-22 that we need him to help us in the future. 19-23 Senator Harris: Thank you Mr. President. Helen there have 19-24 been wonderful accolades said about our friend Gregory Luna, and 19-25 they don't even remotely begin to say and to express the truly 19-26 wonderful things he has done and I won't try to compete with what 20-1 my brothers here in the Senate have said today. My wife, Tammy, and 20-2 I, if you remember Tammy from Puerto Rico, Tammy and I were talking 20-3 this morning about the Senate, about the friendships and she 20-4 immediately brought up our experience with you and Greg in Puerto Rico 20-5 and the enjoyment that afternoon and that evening. Just learning to 20-6 chat with each other, learning each other's ambitions and desires, 20-7 learning how important your daughters are to you and Greg. That 20-8 is something that is very special to Tammy and me. You have a very 20-9 exceptional husband in every respect and I really look forward to 20-10 the day that he is again sitting in that chair. Senator Ellis 20-11 jokingly said that there was some bills stopped in Judiciary 20-12 Committee or delayed in Judiciary Committee waiting for Greg to get 20-13 back. Helen you can tell him they were not stopped, they were killed 20-14 because we knew how he would have voted. On the controversial bills 20-15 we cast his votes for him and we acted accordingly. Tell him from 20-16 me and Tammy, Godspeed. Thank you. 20-17 Senator Ratliff: Helen there have been a number of 20-18 references to the fact that Greg was vice chair of education under 20-19 Senator Bivins. As you know he was my vice chair before that. Greg 20-20 and I, Greg sat by my right side as we rewrote the public Education 20-21 Code for the State of Texas. Let me tell you he took no credit for 20-22 that effort, but he was as much as any one the person that kept me 20-23 straight, many times because he was such a wealth of knowledge about 20-24 this educational system and frankly I was almost new to. We miss 20-25 him and we want you to tell him that we are ready for him to be back 20-26 and God bless him; and, be it further 21-1 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for 21-2 Senator Luna as an expression of the heartfelt esteem, respect, and 21-3 admiration of the Texas Senate. 21-4 Armbrister Gallegos Ogden 21-5 Barrientos Harris Ratliff 21-6 Bernsen Haywood Shapiro 21-7 Bivins Jackson Shapleigh 21-8 Brown Lindsay Sibley 21-9 Cain Lucio Truan 21-10 Carona Madla Wentworth 21-11 Duncan Moncrief West 21-12 Ellis Nelson Whitmire 21-13 Fraser Nixon Zaffirini 21-14 Perry, President of the Senate 21-15 ______________________________________ 21-16 President of the Senate 21-17 I hereby certify that the above 21-18 Resolution was adopted by the Senate 21-19 on May 31, 1999. 21-20 ______________________________________ 21-21 Secretary of the Senate