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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Honorable William Rayford Price of Austin, a |
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former Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, passed away |
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on February 21, 2023, at the age of 86, bringing a great loss to his |
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family and friends; and |
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WHEREAS, Born in Jacksonville, Texas, on February 9, 1937, |
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Rayford Price was the son of Vaye Baker Price and Quanah Price, the |
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owner and publisher of the Frankston Citizen; he grew up with a |
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brother, Grady, and graduated as valedictorian of Frankston High |
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School; while attending Lon Morris College, he was elected student |
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body president; his knowledge of the printing trade then allowed |
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him to work his way through The University of Texas at Austin; in |
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1960, while still completing his law degree, he won election to the |
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Texas House of Representatives from Anderson County; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Price began serving in leadership positions in |
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his freshman year, when he was named chair of the Committee on |
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Contingent Expenses; over the course of six terms in office, |
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representing residents of Cherokee as well as Anderson County, he |
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served on numerous standing committees, and he chaired both State |
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Affairs and Constitutional Amendments; he was elected Speaker in |
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1972, and although the race was hotly contested, he earned plaudits |
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from former critics by implementing a series of reforms to |
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democratize the House, including a reorganization of standing |
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committees, the placement of various restraints on the power of |
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conference committees, and the implementation of a limited |
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seniority system; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1973, Mr. Price returned to private life; he |
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moved to Dallas and became a partner in the law firm eventually |
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known as Hutchison, Price, Boyle & Brooks; his practice focused on |
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municipal bond law; in 1982, he settled in Austin, where he founded |
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the firm of Rayford Price & Associates; and |
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WHEREAS, Mr. Price was supported in all his endeavors by the |
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love and encouragement of his wife of 61 years, Barbara Price, and |
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he was the devoted father of two sons, Brandon and Brett; warm and |
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generous, with an engaging smile for all, he mentored younger |
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leaders without regard to political affiliation; and |
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WHEREAS, While the death of Rayford Price brings great |
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sadness to his family and friends, he leaves behind a legacy that |
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will long be treasured by all those who held him dear; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of William Rayford |
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Price and extend sincere condolences to the members of his family: |
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to his wife, Barbara Ashley Price; to his sons, Brandon and Brett |
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Price; to his daughter in-law, Diana Martinez; and to all who mourn |
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his passing; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of William |
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Rayford Price. |