H.R. No. 1242

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The Honorable L. DeWitt Hale, who rendered
	exceptional service to this state as a longtime member of the Texas
	House of Representatives, is celebrating his 92nd birthday on June
	10, 2009; and
	WHEREAS, Born in Caddo Mills and raised in Farmersville, Mr.
	Hale graduated as salutatorian from Farmersville High School in
	1934; a talented speaker, he excelled at debate both in high school
	and at The University of Texas, where he earned a bachelor's degree
	and, in 1940, a law degree with honors; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Hale won election to the Texas House of
	Representatives from Collin County in 1938 and became the youngest
	member of the 46th Legislature; after leaving UT, he held several
	government posts before joining the United States Army Air Forces;
	he served on active duty from 1943 to 1946, earning the Army
	Commendation Medal and advancing from private to first lieutenant;
	following his discharge, he continued to serve for a number of years
	in the air force reserve; and
	WHEREAS, In 1946, Mr. Hale moved to Corpus Christi to
	practice law; six years later, he won election again to the Texas
	Legislature, and, with the exception of one term, he continued to
	serve as a representative from Nueces County until 1978; during his
	lengthy tenure in the house, he gained a reputation for fairness,
	thoroughness, and a superlative mastery of the legislative process,
	qualities that often resulted in his being given especially
	difficult legislative assignments; and
	WHEREAS, Throughout his career as a representative, Mr. Hale
	staunchly championed education and the judiciary; among the
	numerous measures he was instrumental in passing were the
	Hale-Aikin school finance program, the Texas Education Code, the
	Legislative Reorganization Act of 1961, and the Women on Juries and
	Equal Rights Amendments to the Texas Constitution; in addition, he
	played a vital role in securing many projects that improved the
	quality of life in his district, and he handled the legislation that
	made the University of Corpus Christi a state-supported
	institution; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Hale chaired the House Judiciary Committee for
	eight years, as well as the General Investigating, Public Lands and
	Buildings, and Rules of the House Committees; he also co-chaired
	the planning committee for the 1974 Constitutional Convention, and
	during the convention he chaired the judiciary committee; chosen
	speaker pro tem for 1961-1963, he was recognized as dean of the
	house of representatives during his last four years in office; and
	WHEREAS, This distinguished Texan holds membership in a
	number of professional and veterans organizations and is a valued
	congregant of First Baptist Church of Austin; he has received a host
	of accolades for his legislative endeavors, including life
	membership in the League of United Latin American Citizens and
	multiple awards from educators and the State Bar of Texas; and
	WHEREAS, DeWitt Hale and the former Carol Moore were married
	on June 8, 1947, and they became the parents of two daughters, Janet
	Sue and Nancy Carol; the devoted couple enjoyed more than 60 years
	together, until Mrs. Hale's passing in 2008; and
	WHEREAS, The integrity, breadth of vision, and legislative
	skill that DeWitt Hale brought to public office contributed
	immeasurably to the governance and progress of Texas, and his
	myriad achievements continue to enrich the Lone Star State; now,
	therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
	Legislature hereby commend the Honorable L. DeWitt Hale for his
	outstanding public service and extend to him sincere best wishes
	for a joyful birthday celebration; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
	prepared for Mr. Hale as an expression of high regard by the Texas
	House of Representatives.
	Howard of Travis
	Straus Gattis Menendez
	Allen Geren Merritt
	Alonzo Giddings Miklos
	Alvarado Gonzales Miller of Comal
	Anchia Gonzalez Toureilles Miller of Erath
	Anderson Guillen Moody
	Aycock Gutierrez Morrison
	Berman Hamilton Naishtat
	Bohac Hancock Oliveira
	Bolton Hardcastle Olivo
	Bonnen Harless Orr
	Branch Harper-Brown Ortiz, Jr.
	Brown of Kaufman Hartnett Otto
	Brown of Brazos Heflin Parker
	Burnam Hernandez Patrick
	Button Herrero Paxton
	Callegari Hilderbran Peña
	Castro Hochberg Phillips
	Chavez Hodge Pickett
	Chisum Homer Pierson
	Christian Hopson Pitts
	Cohen Howard of Fort Bend Quintanilla
	Coleman Howard of Travis Raymond
	Cook Hughes Riddle
	Corte Hunter Rios Ybarra
	Crabb Isett Ritter
	Craddick Jackson Rodriguez
	Creighton Jones Rose
	Crownover Keffer Sheffield
	Darby Kent Shelton
	Davis of Harris King of Parker Smith of Tarrant
	Davis of Dallas King of Taylor Smith of Harris
	Deshotel King of Zavala Smithee
	Driver Kleinschmidt Solomons
	Dukes Kolkhorst Strama
	Dunnam Kuempel Swinford
	Dutton Laubenberg Taylor
	Edwards Legler Thibaut
	Eiland Leibowitz Thompson
	Eissler Lewis Truitt
	Elkins Lucio III Turner of Tarrant
	England Madden Turner of Harris
	Farabee Maldonado Vaught
	Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
	Farrar Marquez Villarreal
	Fletcher Martinez Vo
	Flores Martinez Fischer Walle
	Flynn McCall Weber
	Frost McClendon Woolley
	Gallego McReynolds Zerwas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 1242 was adopted by the House on April
	23, 2009, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House