81R8040 JGH-D
By: Turner of Harris H.R. No. 456
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, On February 17, 2009, our esteemed colleague Harold
V. Dutton, Jr., is celebrating his 64th birthday, making this the
perfect occasion to recognize his outstanding record of service to
the people of House District 142 and to all Texans; and
WHEREAS, A native of Houston's Fifth Ward, Representative
Dutton is a graduate of Phillis Wheatley High School; he earned his
bachelor's degree in accounting from Texas Southern University,
where he has since been honored as a Distinguished Alumnus by the
School of Business; he received his law degree from the Thurgood
Marshall School of Law and is now a member of the school's adjunct
faculty; and
WHEREAS, In his professional life, Representative Dutton has
made his mark as executive director of the Julia C. Hester House, as
a corporate planner and economic analyst for Conoco, as president
of Four Star Broadcasting, and as an attorney specializing in civil
rights and employment discrimination; he is a member of the Texas
Bar Association, the Houston Bar Association, the Texas Trial
Lawyers Association, and the American Association for Justice; and
WHEREAS, Representative Dutton's numerous legislative
accomplishments include sponsoring the first statutory program in
Texas to assist women-owned and minority-owned businesses,
enhancing public education, and creating incentives to increase the
availability and affordability of insurance in traditionally
underserved areas; furthermore, he has sponsored legislation that
has enabled former offenders to regain the right to vote after
serving their sentences, strengthened the right of parents to
discipline their children, revamped the juvenile justice system,
and established the state's annual tax holiday; and
WHEREAS, Frequently honored for his accomplishments,
Representative Dutton was named an Outstanding Young Man of America
early in his career, and he has been lauded by the Houston Forward
Times, the Houston Police Officers Association, the American Civil
Liberties Union, the Texas Women's Political Caucus, the Harris
County Deputy Sheriffs' Association, the Afro American Sheriff's
Deputy League, the Hispanic Journal, and the U.S. Small Business
Administration; he is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and a
32nd degree Mason; and
WHEREAS, Harold Dutton, Jr., has made many significant
contributions to the work of this chamber through his 13 terms in
office, and as he prepares to celebrate his birthday, it is indeed
appropriate to honor him for his service; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate the Honorable Harold V. Dutton,
Jr., on the occasion of his 64th birthday and extend to him sincere
best wishes for continued success and happiness; 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.