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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Residents of El Paso were deeply saddened by the |
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untimely death of Lillian E. Blancas, a widely respected attorney |
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and El Paso County magistrate judge, on December 7, 2020, at the age |
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of 47; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of El Paso, Lillian Blancas was born to |
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Victor and Maria Elena Blancas on May 2, 1973, and she was raised |
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with the companionship of two brothers, Moises and Victor, and a |
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sister, Gabby; her parents, who emigrated from Mexico, believed |
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strongly in the importance of education, and Ms. Blancas and all |
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three of her siblings went on to become first-generation college |
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graduates; after receiving a degree in political science from The |
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University of Texas at El Paso in 2002, she taught middle school |
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science in El Paso for several years and then pursued her legal |
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education at the Texas Tech University School of Law; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Blancas acquired valuable experience while |
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working as an assistant district attorney in El Paso; after |
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transitioning to being a public defender, she provided counsel to |
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underprivileged and often very young defendants, and on the side, |
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she mentored other lawyers who were interested in working with |
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indigent clients and clients with mental health issues; she was |
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known as a skilled and hardworking advocate for those she |
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represented, and she endeared herself to her colleagues with her |
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abundant compassion, charm, and wit; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2019, Ms. Blancas struck out on her own and went |
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into private practice; she had long dreamed of ascending to the |
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bench, and after working part-time as a criminal law magistrate |
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judge, she decided to run for a judicial seat on the El Paso |
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Municipal Court; securing 40 percent of the vote in the general |
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election held on November 3, she was then posthumously declared the |
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winner of the runoff election on December 12, 2020, five days after |
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her passing; and |
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WHEREAS, Lillian Blancas earned the admiration and affection |
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of countless people through her lifelong commitment to advancing |
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justice for all, and she will be greatly missed by all who were |
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privileged to know her; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Lillian E. Blancas and |
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extend heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, and |
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colleagues; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Lillian E. |
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Blancas. |
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Fierro |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 474 was unanimously adopted by a |
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rising vote of the House on April 9, 2021. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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