SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 11
	In Memory
	of
	The Honorable Mario V. Gallegos, Jr.
	WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas joins Texans
	across the state in grieving the untimely loss of Senator Mario
	V. Gallegos, Jr., who died October 16, 2012, at the age of 62; and
	WHEREAS, Born September 8, 1950, Mario Gallegos was a
	lifelong Houstonian; he grew up in the Magnolia Park community in
	the East End and graduated from Milby High School; he later
	returned to school and earned a degree from the University of
	Houston in 2001; and
	WHEREAS, He joined the Houston Fire Department at the age
	of 18 and served the people of Houston with distinction for 22
	years as a firefighter, rising to the rank of senior captain;
	during those years, he developed an abiding interest in politics
	and played an important role in articulating and promoting the
	needs of the state's firefighters and other emergency responders
	through his union work at the State Capitol; and
	WHEREAS, He began his legislative career as a member of the
	Texas House of Representatives after a landslide election victory
	in 1990; during his two terms in the House, he began the work that
	would make him a longtime champion for the working class citizens
	of Texas, concentrating on such issues as health care and public
	education; and
	WHEREAS, In 1994, he became the first Hispanic elected to the
	Texas Senate from Harris County; over the course of his tenure of
	nearly two decades in the Senate, he played a vital role in fighting
	for teacher pay raises and increased funding for public schools,
	putting into action his belief that "making a solid investment in
	our children is one of the smartest things we can do, one which will
	reap long-term benefits for our state"; and
	WHEREAS, Senator Gallegos was a staunch advocate for
	senior citizens and defended Medicaid funding for residents in
	long-term care facilities; he was also responsive to the need for
	economic opportunities in his district and led the way in the
	creation of the municipal management districts that revitalized
	communities in Houston and served as a model for other Texas
	cities; and
	WHEREAS, In 2007, Senator Gallegos again displayed the
	courage and principled determination that were the hallmarks of
	his legislative career; only weeks after undergoing a liver
	transplant, and against the orders of his doctor, he returned to
	the Senate so that he would be able to cast his vote against voter
	identification legislation; his was the deciding vote in
	preventing the passage of the bill; and
	WHEREAS, Senator Gallegos received numerous awards over
	the course of his illustrious career, including the
	Distinguished Legislative Service Award from the Texas Municipal
	League, the Good Guy Award from the Texas Women's Political
	Caucus, and Legislator of the Year from the Mexican American Bar
	Association; he was recognized by the Texas State Association of
	Firefighters and the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of
	Texas for his passage of public safety legislation; and
	WHEREAS, In recognition of his legacy of public service,
	Senator Gallegos lay in state in the Senate chamber so that
	citizens could pay their respects to the man who had dedicated
	himself to making Texas a more generous, just, and honorable
	state; and
	WHEREAS, A man of wisdom, strength, and integrity, Senator
	Gallegos gave voice to the aspirations and dreams of countless
	Texans, and his hard work and diligence served as a constant
	inspiration to his fellow legislators; and
	WHEREAS, He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather,
	and although his presence will be deeply missed by all those who
	were privileged to share in his life, his legacy of service and
	dedication will continue to have a profound impact for generations
	to come; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 83rd
	Legislature, hereby extend sincere condolences to the bereaved
	family of Senator Mario V. Gallegos, Jr.; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
	his family as an expression of profound sympathy from the Texas
	Senate, and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in
	grateful and loving memory of Mario Gallegos.
	Whitmire
	Birdwell Hancock Rodriguez
	Campbell Hegar Schwertner
	Carona Hinojosa Seliger
	Davis Huffman Taylor
	Deuell Lucio Uresti
	Duncan Nelson Van de Putte
	Ellis Nichols Watson
	Eltife Patrick West
	Estes Paxton Williams
	Fraser Zaffirini
	Dewhurst, President of the Senate
		________________________________
		President of the Senate
		I hereby certify that the
		above Resolution was adopted by
		the Senate on January 15, 2013, by
		a rising vote.
		________________________________
		Secretary of the Senate
		________________________________
		Dean of the Senate