83S10005 BPG-D

By: Pitts H.R. No. 125

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, The Honorable Craig Eiland has rendered exceptional service to residents of the Lone Star State throughout a nearly two-decade-long tenure in the Texas House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, First elected in 1994, Representative Eiland has earned the high regard of colleagues and constituents alike for his well-informed, incisive leadership and his ability to work across the aisle; he demonstrated those virtues in abundance in the wake of Hurricane Ike, which devastated Galveston and Chambers Counties in September 2008; joining a delegation to Washington, D.C., he testified about the recovery needs of the Gulf Coast before the U.S. Senate, and he served on the Governor's Commission for Disaster Recovery; he also chaired the Hurricane Subcommittee of the Texas House Appropriations Committee and served on the Select Committee on Hurricane Ike Devastation; and

WHEREAS, Representative Eiland played a crucial role in securing the resources to rebuild communities, restore beaches, and repair colleges and public schools; moreover, he was instrumental in keeping The University of Texas Medical Branch, the largest employer on Galveston Island, in the city where it was established more than 130 years ago; ultimately, investment in recovery totaled well over $1 billion, including matching funds from private sources and the Federal Emergency Management Agency; he has tirelessly advocated for coastal homeowners as well, working to ensure that resources will be available to them following future disasters in hurricane-prone counties; and

WHEREAS, Appointed speaker pro tempore for the 81st Texas Legislature, Representative Eiland also won praise for his efficient management of the local and consent calendar that session, which sped along at a handy clip that was often enhanced by the thunderous accompaniment of one of his children on the gavel; widely admired for his ability to keep the legislative process on track during debate on a highly contentious issue, he is also noted for his expertise in insurance matters and budget issues, and he has served four terms as vice chair of the House Insurance Committee and six terms as a valued member of the House Appropriations Committee; he has further served as chair of the Pensions and Investments Committee and as vice chair of the Juvenile Justice and Family Issues Committee, the Election Contests Select Committees in 2003 and 2005, and the Election Contest District 48 Select Committee in 2011, among many other committee assignments; and

WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan has twice been ranked as one of the "Ten Best Legislators" by Texas Monthly magazine, and he has been named Citizen of the Year by the Galveston County Daily News; the recipient of numerous accolades, he has been selected as Legislator of the Year by such organizations as the Texas Hospital Association, the Texas Council of Child Welfare Boards, and the United Ways of Texas, and he has been accorded the President's Award by the Texas Public Health Association; the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership gave him its 2010 Quasar Award in recognition of his contributions to the region's recovery from one of the nation's worst natural disasters; and

WHEREAS, Born in 1962, Representative Eiland grew up in West Texas and lettered in football at Baylor University, where he completed his bachelor's degree in business administration; he went on to graduate from Baylor Law School and briefly worked on a cattle ranch in the Australian outback before settling in Galveston and joining the state's oldest law firm, Mills, Shirley, Eckel & Bassett; he was subsequently employed by nationally known Houston attorney Ernest H. Cannon; he opened his own practice in 1992, and today his firm has offices in Galveston and Houston and represents clients in complex litigation in cities across the nation and in a number of foreign countries; the Baylor Law School chose him as Young Lawyer of the Year in 1999, and he has been awarded membership in the American Board of Trial Advocates and the American Association for Justice; and

WHEREAS, Craig Eiland and his wife, Melissa, are the proud parents of four children, Blake, Tucker, Gray, and Delaney, who have all exhibited precocious aplomb in wielding the parliamentary gavel; and

WHEREAS, Representative Eiland has announced that he is retiring from the House of Representatives at the end of his 10th term, to the delight of his family and the dismay of his colleagues, who will miss his expertise, good humor, and proven ability to play well with others; and

WHEREAS, Through his steadfast commitment to bettering the lives of his fellow citizens, Craig Eiland has greatly benefited the people of Texas and has contributed immeasurably to the vitality of Gulf Coast communities; as he prepares to embark on the next chapter of his life, he takes with him the friendship of all who have been privileged to serve alongside him and who take pleasure in honoring him for a job exceedingly well done; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby commend the Honorable Craig Eiland for his exemplary public service and extend to him warmest best wishes for continued success and much happiness; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Representative Eiland as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.