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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 483
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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recognize Tom "Smitty" Smith, who has retired as director of the |
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Texas office of Public Citizen after 32 years of exceptional |
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service; and |
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WHEREAS, Over the course of his distinguished career, Tom |
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Smith has been a staunch advocate for the environment, |
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governmental ethics, and campaign finance reform; and |
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WHEREAS, An Illinois native and a graduate of Valparaiso |
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University, Mr. Smith joined Public Citizen in 1985 after having |
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begun his professional career in public service with the national |
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Volunteers in Service to America program; he also worked as a |
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food bank development coordinator and as a legal assistant with |
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Texas Rural Legal Aid and with Prairie State Legal Services; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Smith has played a vital role in the creation |
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of much of the state's most important environmental legislation, |
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notably in making Texas a national leader in renewable energy and |
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in developing its building energy code, which has brought about |
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great savings in energy use; he was instrumental in the |
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establishment of the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan and in |
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mobilizing citizens to halt the construction of proposed coal and |
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nuclear power plants; and |
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WHEREAS, He has played a key role in the writing and |
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passage of major state ethics reforms, and he advocated for the |
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creation of the Texas Ethics Commission; he received the Best |
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Lifetime Achievement Award from the Austin Chronicle in 2016, and |
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his many other accolades include the Heinz Award and the |
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Environmental Excellence Award from the United States |
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Environmental Protection Agency; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th |
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Legislature, hereby commend Tom "Smitty" Smith on his many |
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accomplishments and the significant impact he has had on our |
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state and extend to him best wishes for continued success in all |
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his endeavors; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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him as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate. |
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Watson |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on March 23, 2017. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |