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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Honorable Harold V. Dutton Jr. of House District |
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142 is celebrating his 70th birthday on February 17, 2015, and this |
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milestone offers a welcome opportunity to recognize him for his |
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distinguished record of public service; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Houston's Fifth Ward, Harold Dutton received |
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his diploma from Phillis Wheatley High School before attending |
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Texas Southern University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in |
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accounting; he later graduated from the university's Thurgood |
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Marshall School of Law and became an adjunct faculty member of the |
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institution; and |
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WHEREAS, Representative Dutton has enjoyed a varied career in |
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which he has served as executive director of the Julia C. Hester |
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House and worked for Conoco, Inc., holding management positions in |
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corporate planning and economic analysis; he has also served as |
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president of Four Star Broadcasting, which began operating an |
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independent television station in the Houston area in 1986; as an |
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attorney, he is the founder of a law firm whose practice specialties |
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include civil rights, personal injury, and employment |
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discrimination; and |
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WHEREAS, A lifelong Democrat and a member of the Texas |
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Legislature since 1985, Representative Dutton was returned to |
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office for a 16th successive term in 2014; he currently chairs the |
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House Committee on Juvenile Justice and Family Issues and sits on |
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the House Public Education Committee, on which he is the |
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longest-serving member, as well as on the Sunset Advisory |
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Commission; his legislative career has additionally seen him |
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assigned to committees on urban affairs, insurance, ethics, |
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education finance, and corrections, and he has held membership in |
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the House Democratic Caucus and the Texas Legislative Black Caucus |
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and chaired the Harris County delegation; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan can take justifiable pride in |
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his many significant legislative achievements, among them his |
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successful sponsorship of the state's first statutory program to |
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assist businesses owned by women and minorities, initiatives to |
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enhance public education, and incentives to increase the |
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availability of affordable insurance in underserved areas; his |
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contributions have won him recognition from a wide range of |
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organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, the |
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Texas Women's Political Caucus, the United States Small Business |
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Administration, and the Texas Association of African American |
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Chambers of Commerce; and |
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WHEREAS, Representative Harold Dutton has worked diligently |
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to promote responsible and equitable public policy that serves the |
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needs of the people, and his longevity in office speaks to the high |
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esteem in which he is held by his constituents; as he embarks on a |
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new decade and on a new legislative session, it is a distinct |
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pleasure to join with his other friends and colleagues in |
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commemorating this special day; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate the Honorable Harold V. Dutton Jr. |
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on the occasion of his 70th birthday and warmly commend him for his |
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outstanding commitment to his fellow Texans; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Representative Dutton as an expression of high regard |
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by the Texas House of Representatives. |