TITLE: Recognizing State Representative Harold V. Dutton, Jr., on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

SUMMARY: Recognizing State Representative Harold V. Dutton, Jr., on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The 80th birthday of an esteemed legislator is truly cause for celebration, and State Representative Harold V. Dutton, Jr., of Houston is marking this significant milestone in his life on February 17, 2025, to the delight of his family, his friends, and his colleagues in the Capitol community; and WHEREAS, A proud son of Houston's Fifth Ward, Harold Dutton was born in 1945, and he received his diploma from Phillis Wheatley High School at the age of 16; after earning his bachelor's degree in accounting from Texas Southern University, he went on to graduate from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at TSU; he held management positions with Conoco in the areas of corporate planning and economic analysis before becoming president of Four Star Broadcasting and opening his law practice; and WHEREAS, Representative Dutton was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1984, and he is presently serving his 21st term in office; during his remarkable 40-year tenure, he has served on numerous committees and in many leadership roles, including as chair of the Urban Affairs and the Juvenile Justice and Family Issues Committees, and he became the first African American chair of the Public Education Committee during the 87th Legislative Session in 2021; moreover, he has served as chair of the Texas Legislative Black Caucus and the Harris County legislative delegation; and WHEREAS, Among his many achievements as a lawmaker, Representative Dutton sponsored the state's first statutory program to assist women-and minority-owned businesses, as well as initiatives to enhance public education, particularly regarding alternative education and early childhood literacy; he has also sponsored legislation to establish the annual sales tax holiday, to compensate individuals who are wrongfully convicted, and to create incentives to improve the availability and affordability of property insurance in traditionally underserved areas; the recipient of myriad accolades, he was named Legislator of the Year by the Texas Municipal League and was recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus by the TSU School of Business, and he has been honored by a host of organizations and publications through the years; and WHEREAS, Over the course of his long and distinguished career in the Texas Legislature, Harold Dutton has earned the deep admiration of his colleagues and constituents alike, and he may indeed reflect with pride on his wide-ranging contributions as he celebrates eight decades of life well lived; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th Legislature, hereby congratulate the Honorable Harold V. Dutton, Jr., on the occasion of his 80th birthday and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be prepared for Representative Dutton as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate. Miles, Alvarado, Cook, Creighton Hinojosa of Hidalgo, Men ndez, West Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate Member, Texas Senate President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on February 19, 2025.