HR303 - Congratulating State Representative Harold V. Dutton, Jr., on his 80th birthday and his 40th anniversary with the Texas House.

      H.R. No. 303       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, State Representative Harold V. Dutton, Jr., of   Houston is celebrating his 80th birthday on February 17, 2025,   providing a fitting opportunity to honor this exemplary legislator   for his four decades of service in the Texas House; and          WHEREAS, A native of the Fifth Ward neighborhood in Houston,   Harold Dutton graduated from Phillis Wheatley High School, and he   earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from Texas Southern   University and a juris doctor degree from the Thurgood Marshall   School of Law; and          WHEREAS, Mr. Dutton enjoyed a rewarding career at Conoco,   where he held an executive management position in corporate   planning and economic analysis; he also served as executive   director of the Julia C. Hester House and as president of Four Star   Broadcasting, and he later obtained a license to operate an   independent UHF-TV station, TV-67, which began airing in the   Houston area in 1986; a skilled attorney, he operates a   Houston-based law firm, and he is a former adjunct professor at the   TSU Law School; his professional affiliations include the Texas Bar   Association, the Houston Bar Association, the Texas Trial Lawyers   Association, and the American Association for Justice; and          WHEREAS, A lifelong Democrat, Mr. Dutton began his tenure in   the Texas House of Representatives on January 8, 1985, and he is   currently serving his 21st term at the statehouse; a dedicated   champion for his constituents in House District 142, he has   supported a number of important causes, such as establishing the   first statutory program to assist women and minority-owned   businesses, enhancing public education, and creating incentives to   improve the availability and affordability of property insurance in   traditionally underserved areas; he has also sponsored bills to   establish the state's annual sales tax holiday, compensate   individuals who are wrongfully convicted, and revamp the juvenile   justice system; and          WHEREAS, Over the years, Representative Dutton has held a   number of leadership roles, including chair of the Juvenile Justice   and Family Issues Committee, the Urban Affairs Committee, the Texas   Legislative Black Caucus, and the 25-member Harris County   Legislative Delegation; during the 87th Legislative Session, he   became the first African American chair of the Committee on Public   Education; most recently, he has been assigned to the Judiciary and   Civil Jurisprudence Committee and the Public Education Committee;   and          WHEREAS, Representative Dutton has received the Lifetime   Achievement Award from the Urban Enrichment Institute, and he was   named Legislator of the Year by the Texas Municipal League as well   as a Distinguished Alumnus by the TSU School of Business; he has   been involved in Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, and he is a 32nd Degree   Mason and a member of Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church, where he   serves as an usher; and          WHEREAS, Above all else, Representative Dutton treasures   time spent with his loved ones; he is the proud father of seven   children, Melonie, Harold, Melissa, Peter, Jon Harold, Nicholas,   and Jeremy, and he has had the pleasure of seeing his family grow to   include eight grandchildren, Tatum, Therron, Aya, Allen, Artis,   Peter, Peyden, and Pierce; and          WHEREAS, Harold Dutton has made a positive difference in the   lives of countless Texans through his outstanding contributions as   a legislator and civic leader, and it is truly a pleasure to join in   marking this significant milestone; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas   Legislature hereby congratulate State Representative Harold V.   Dutton, Jr., on the occasion of his 80th birthday and extend to him   sincere appreciation for his four decades of service in the Texas   House; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be   prepared for Representative Dutton as an expression of high regard   by the Texas House of Representatives.     Thompson     Burrows Guerra Morales Shaw   Alders Guillen Morgan   Allen Harless Muñoz   Anchía Harris Noble   Ashby Harris Davila Olcott   Barry Harrison Oliverson   Bell of Kaufman Hayes Ordaz   Bell of Montgomery Hefner Orr   Bernal Hernandez Patterson   Bhojani Hickland Paul   Bonnen Hinojosa Perez of El Paso   Bowers Holt Perez of Harris   Bryant Hopper Phelan   Buckley Howard Pierson   Bucy Hull Plesa   Bumgarner Hunter Raymond   Button Isaac Reynolds   Cain Johnson Richardson   Campos Jones of Dallas Rodríguez Ramos   Canales Jones of Harris Romero   Capriglione Kerwin Rose   Cole King Rosenthal   Collier Kitzman Schatzline   Cook LaHood Schofield   Cortez Lalani Schoolcraft   Craddick Lambert Shaheen   Cunningham Landgraf Shofner   Curry Leach Simmons   Darby Leo Wilson Slawson   A. Davis of Dallas Little Smithee   Y. Davis of Dallas Longoria Spiller   Dean Lopez of Bexar Swanson   DeAyala Lopez of Cameron Talarico   Dorazio Louderback Tepper   Dutton Lowe Thompson   Dyson Lozano Tinderholt   Fairly Lujan Toth   Flores Luther Troxclair   Frank Manuel Turner   Gámez Martinez VanDeaver   Garcia of Bexar Martinez Fischer Vasut   Garcia of Dallas McLaughlin Villalobos   Garcia Hernandez McQueeney Virdell   Gates Metcalf Vo   Gerdes Meyer Walle   Geren Meza Ward Johnson   Gervin-Hawkins Money Wharton   González of Dallas Moody Wilson   González of El Paso Morales of Harris Wu   Goodwin Morales of Maverick Zwiener     ______________________________   Speaker of the House                 I certify that H.R. No. 303 was adopted by the House on February   19, 2025, by a non-record vote.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House