HR154 - In memory of former state senator Joe J. Bernal of San Antonio.

      H.R. No. 154       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost a trailblazing champion of   education and civil rights with the passing of former state senator   Joe J. Bernal of San Antonio on January 25, 2025, at the age of 97;   and          WHEREAS, Born in San Antonio on March 1, 1927, Joe Bernal was   the son of Jose and Antonia Bernal; he grew up with eight siblings   on the city's west side and graduated from Lanier High School;   coming of age during World War II, he joined the U.S. Army and   served with the Headquarters Squadron, Pacific Air Command in   Tokyo, attaining the rank of sergeant; discharged in December 1946,   he immediately enrolled at Trinity University on the GI Bill and   completed his bachelor's degree in sociology; he taught in the   Kosciusko, Edgewood, and San Antonio Independent School Districts   and earned a master's degree in education with a minor in social   work from Our Lady of the Lake College; for four years, he was   employed as a social worker by the Inman Christian Center; and          WHEREAS, On June 2, 1956, Senator Bernal married the former   Mary Esther Martinez; the couple became the proud parents of four   children, Bernard "Barney", Richard, Patrick, and Rebecca, and   their treasured family later grew to include eight grandchildren   and five great-grandchildren; Barney Bernal passed away in 2016 and   Mrs. Bernal in 2022; and          WHEREAS, Joe Bernal was elected to the Texas House of   Representatives in 1964 and to the Texas Senate in 1966; a fierce   advocate for public education, he played a key role in passing   legislation regarding school finance, educational initiatives,   scholarships, and access to higher education; in an era when   teachers could lose their certifications or incur fines for using   Spanish in the classroom, he secured passage of the state's first   bilingual education act, and he helped obtain federal funding for   bilingual learning as well; in addition, he authored bills that   provided free kindergarten statewide for five-year-olds and that   created a 45-minute planning period for elementary teachers;   fighting to expand opportunities for San Antonio residents, he   sponsored bills that established The University of Texas at   San Antonio and brought dental and nursing schools to the UT Health   Science Center; his other impactful legislation included the   state's first minimum wage law and funding for a criminal justice   council; he led the Senate Mexican American Caucus and chaired the   Federal Programs and Relations, Poverty in Texas, and Claims   Committees; and          WHEREAS, During his tenure in the legislature, Senator Bernal   was employed as executive director for the Guadalupe Community   Center and then for the Commission for Mexican American Affairs; in   1972, he returned to private life and became director of the   Bilingual Cost Analysis Project of the Intercultural Development   Research Association; he further served as a regional director of   ACTION, a federal agency that coordinated volunteer opportunities,   and he earned a doctoral degree in cultural foundations in   education from UT Austin; and          WHEREAS, Senator Bernal served as principal of Emma Frey   Elementary School in Edgewood ISD and then as assistant   superintendent for instructional services for Harlandale ISD;   elected to the State Board of Education in 1996, he spent the next   decade promoting bilingual education; he served a term as vice   chair and chaired the committee on instruction, and he facilitated   the advent of University Interscholastic League mariachi band   competitions; in recognition of his myriad contributions,   Northside ISD named the Dr. Joe J. Bernal Middle School in his   honor; and          WHEREAS, For more than half a century, Senator Bernal was a   stalwart supporter of the Mexican American Legal Defense and   Educational Fund; he was a founding member of its board, and during   10 years in that role, he was lead plaintiff in White v. Regester , a   major national victory for Latino representation and minority   voting rights; in 2009, MALDEF presented a Lifetime Achievement   Award to Joe and Mary Esther Bernal, who was one of the state's   first bilingual education teachers, for their shared commitment to   civil rights and educational equity; and          WHEREAS, A man of great integrity, courage, and   determination, Joe Bernal worked selflessly throughout his career   to improve the lives of his fellow Texans, and although he will be   deeply missed, his many outstanding achievements will continue to   resonate for years to come; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas   Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of the Honorable Joe   J. Bernal and extend sincere condolences to all who mourn his   passing; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be   prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of   Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Joe Bernal.     Martinez Fischer     ______________________________   Speaker of the House                 I certify that H.R. No. 154 was unanimously adopted by a   rising vote of the House on February 19, 2025.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House