Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HR1111 Compare Versions

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1	1	H.R. No. 1111
2	2
3	3
4	4	R E S O L U T I O N
5	5	WHEREAS, Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins has
6	6	been named 2008 Texan of the Year by the Dallas Morning News and
7	7	has been selected as one of Governing Magazine's 2008 Public
8	8	Officials of the Year; and
9	9	WHEREAS, A native of Dallas, Mr. Watkins graduated from
10	10	Prairie View A&M University with a bachelor's degree in political
11	11	science and went on to earn his juris doctorate from Texas Wesleyan
12	12	University School of Law; he established himself as a defense
13	13	attorney and businessman, opening a law office and title company
14	14	with his wife, Tanya, before becoming the first African American to
15	15	win election as a district attorney in Texas; and
16	16	WHEREAS, Mr. Watkins has won national attention for the
17	17	reforms and initiatives undertaken since his inauguration in
18	18	January 2007; in light of the high number of DNA-based exonerations
19	19	in Dallas, he partnered with the Innocence Project of Texas to
20	20	reexamine nearly 40 death penalty cases and review hundreds of
21	21	felony convictions dating back to 1970; Mr. Watkins created a
22	22	conviction integrity unit, and the county now leads the nation with
23	23	19 DNA exonerations to date; placing justice and public safety over
24	24	high conviction rates, he has also revised procedures for
25	25	eyewitness identification to reduce the number of false
26	26	identifications; and
27	27	WHEREAS, With a philosophy of being "smart on crime," Mr.
28	28	Watkins has focused on the root causes of criminal activity and such
29	29	underlying issues as illegal substance abuse and lack of skills and
30	30	education; he emphasizes rehabilitation to reduce crime and
31	31	recidivism, promoting efforts to help low-level, nonviolent
32	32	criminals become productive, law-abiding citizens on their
33	33	release, rather than more hardened and dangerous repeat offenders;
34	34	and
35	35	WHEREAS, The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals named Mr.
36	36	Watkins to its new Texas Criminal Justice Integrity Unit in June
37	37	2008; his innovative strategies and dynamic leadership have brought
38	38	numerous accolades, including the Torch Award from the Dallas Urban
39	39	League and selection as a member of Ebony magazine's Power 150, a
40	40	list recognizing the next generation of leaders; this
41	41	groundbreaking Texan has been featured in such national
42	42	publications as the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and
43	43	the New York Times and on television's Good Morning America and 60
44	44	Minutes; and
45	45	WHEREAS, Craig Watkins has brought transformational change
46	46	to the Dallas County district attorney's office, increasing
47	47	confidence in the criminal justice system and working to decrease
48	48	crime through proactive measures as well as convictions; now,
49	49	therefore, be it
50	50	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
51	51	Legislature hereby congratulate Dallas County District Attorney
52	52	Craig Watkins on being named 2008 Texan of the Year by the Dallas
53	53	Morning News and being selected as one of Governing Magazine's 2008
54	54	Public Officials of the Year and extend to him best wishes for
55	55	continued success; and, be it further
56	56	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
57	57	prepared for Mr. Watkins as an expression of high regard by the
58	58	Texas House of Representatives.
59	59	Vaught
60	60	Kent
61	61	______________________________
62	62	Speaker of the House
63	63	I certify that H.R. No. 1111 was adopted by the House on April
64	64	9, 2009, by a non-record vote.
65	65	______________________________
66	66	Chief Clerk of the House