H.R. No. 2402 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, The year 2015 marks the 800th anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta, one of the foundational documents of our system of government, law, and jurisprudence; and WHEREAS, In the early years of the 13th century, the barons of England rose up in rebellion against their monarch, King John; they objected to his excessive taxation, punitive fines, and manipulation of the legal system, and they forced the king to negotiate with them at Runnymede, along the River Thames in southern England; and WHEREAS, On June 15, 1215, King John and the barons agreed upon the Magna Carta, or "Great Charter"; drafted in Latin, this remarkable document addressed the grievances of the barons and put limits on the executive power of the king, initiating a tradition of individual liberty and rule of law that has since echoed around the globe; and WHEREAS, The Magna Carta strongly influenced the constitutions of both the United States and Texas; it was relied upon by the drafters of the 1836 Constitution of the Republic of Texas, and it is one of the sources for the Texas Bill of Rights; in the early 20th century, the Texas Supreme Court declared that "all grants of power are to be interpreted in the light of the maxims of Magna Carta"; and WHEREAS, Among the document's most famous and influential provisions is Clause 39, which declares that no one shall be imprisoned or stripped of his rights, "except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land"; from this clause derives an individual's right to due process of law and trial by jury, as well as the concept of habeas corpus, which protects citizens against illegal imprisonment; and WHEREAS, Also influential is Clause 40, which states that "To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice"; this elegant formulation is the basis of the "open courts" provision in the Texas Constitution, which guarantees that all litigants have the opportunity to redress their grievances and receive their day in court; and WHEREAS, On a summer's day eight centuries ago, in a field by the bank of the Thames, the English people lit a flame of liberty that continues to burn brightly in the Lone Star State, ensuring that all Texans are guaranteed their fundamental rights to justice and fair treatment under the law; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby commemorate the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta. Price Straus González Otto Straus González Otto Straus González Otto Allen Guerra Paddie Allen Guerra Paddie Allen Guerra Paddie Alonzo Guillen Parker Alonzo Guillen Parker Alonzo Guillen Parker Alvarado Gutierrez Paul Alvarado Gutierrez Paul Alvarado Gutierrez Paul Anchia Harless Peña Anchia Harless Peña Anchia Harless Peña Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phelan Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phelan Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phelan Anderson of McLennan Herrero Phillips Anderson of McLennan Herrero Phillips Anderson of McLennan Herrero Phillips Ashby Howard Pickett Ashby Howard Pickett Ashby Howard Pickett Aycock Huberty Price Aycock Huberty Price Aycock Huberty Price Bell Hughes Raney Bell Hughes Raney Bell Hughes Raney Bernal Hunter Raymond Bernal Hunter Raymond Bernal Hunter Raymond Blanco Isaac Reynolds Blanco Isaac Reynolds Blanco Isaac Reynolds Bohac Israel Riddle Bohac Israel Riddle Bohac Israel Riddle Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rinaldi Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rinaldi Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rinaldi Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Bexar Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Bexar Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Travis Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Travis Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Travis Burns Keough Romero, Jr. Burns Keough Romero, Jr. Burns Keough Romero, Jr. Burrows King of Hemphill Rose Burrows King of Hemphill Rose Burrows King of Hemphill Rose Button King of Parker Sanford Button King of Parker Sanford Button King of Parker Sanford Canales King of Taylor Schaefer Canales King of Taylor Schaefer Canales King of Taylor Schaefer Capriglione King of Uvalde Schofield Capriglione King of Uvalde Schofield Capriglione King of Uvalde Schofield Clardy Klick Schubert Clardy Klick Schubert Clardy Klick Schubert Coleman Koop Shaheen Coleman Koop Shaheen Coleman Koop Shaheen Collier Krause Sheets Collier Krause Sheets Collier Krause Sheets Cook Kuempel Sheffield Cook Kuempel Sheffield Cook Kuempel Sheffield Craddick Landgraf Simmons Craddick Landgraf Simmons Craddick Landgraf Simmons Crownover Larson Simpson Crownover Larson Simpson Crownover Larson Simpson Cyrier Laubenberg Smith Cyrier Laubenberg Smith Cyrier Laubenberg Smith Dale Leach Smithee Dale Leach Smithee Dale Leach Smithee Darby Longoria Spitzer Darby Longoria Spitzer Darby Longoria Spitzer Davis of Dallas Lozano Springer Davis of Dallas Lozano Springer Davis of Dallas Lozano Springer Davis of Harris Lucio III Stephenson Davis of Harris Lucio III Stephenson Davis of Harris Lucio III Stephenson Deshotel Márquez Stickland Deshotel Márquez Stickland Deshotel Márquez Stickland Dukes Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Dukes Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Dukes Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Dutton Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Dutton Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Dutton Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Elkins McClendon Tinderholt Elkins McClendon Tinderholt Elkins McClendon Tinderholt Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Collin Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Collin Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Collin Fallon Meyer Turner of Harris Fallon Meyer Turner of Harris Fallon Meyer Turner of Harris Farias Miles Turner of Tarrant Farias Miles Turner of Tarrant Farias Miles Turner of Tarrant Farney Miller of Comal VanDeaver Farney Miller of Comal VanDeaver Farney Miller of Comal VanDeaver Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Villalba Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Villalba Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Villalba Fletcher Minjarez Vo Fletcher Minjarez Vo Fletcher Minjarez Vo Flynn Moody Walle Flynn Moody Walle Flynn Moody Walle Frank Morrison White of Bell Frank Morrison White of Bell Frank Morrison White of Bell Frullo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler Frullo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler Frullo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler Galindo Murphy Workman Galindo Murphy Workman Galindo Murphy Workman Geren Murr Wray Geren Murr Wray Geren Murr Wray Giddings Naishtat Wu Giddings Naishtat Wu Giddings Naishtat Wu Goldman Nevárez Zedler Goldman Nevárez Zedler Goldman Nevárez Zedler Gonzales Oliveira Zerwas Gonzales Oliveira Zerwas Gonzales Oliveira Zerwas ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 2402 was adopted by the House on May 7, 2015, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Straus González Otto Allen Guerra Paddie Alonzo Guillen Parker Alvarado Gutierrez Paul Anchia Harless Peña Anderson of Dallas Hernandez Phelan Anderson of McLennan Herrero Phillips Ashby Howard Pickett Aycock Huberty Price Bell Hughes Raney Bernal Hunter Raymond Blanco Isaac Reynolds Bohac Israel Riddle Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Rinaldi Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rodriguez of Bexar Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Travis Burns Keough Romero, Jr. Burrows King of Hemphill Rose Button King of Parker Sanford Canales King of Taylor Schaefer Capriglione King of Uvalde Schofield Clardy Klick Schubert Coleman Koop Shaheen Collier Krause Sheets Cook Kuempel Sheffield Craddick Landgraf Simmons Crownover Larson Simpson Cyrier Laubenberg Smith Dale Leach Smithee Darby Longoria Spitzer Davis of Dallas Lozano Springer Davis of Harris Lucio III Stephenson Deshotel Márquez Stickland Dukes Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Dutton Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Elkins McClendon Tinderholt Faircloth Metcalf Turner of Collin Fallon Meyer Turner of Harris Farias Miles Turner of Tarrant Farney Miller of Comal VanDeaver Farrar Miller of Fort Bend Villalba Fletcher Minjarez Vo Flynn Moody Walle Frank Morrison White of Bell Frullo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler Galindo Murphy Workman Geren Murr Wray Giddings Naishtat Wu Goldman Nevárez Zedler Gonzales Oliveira Zerwas