| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 845 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, René M. Peña stepped down as the 81st Judicial |
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| 3 | 3 | | District attorney on January 1, 2017, drawing to a close 12 years |
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| 4 | 4 | | of exemplary service in that position; and |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, A native of Floresville, Mr. Peña graduated from |
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| 6 | 6 | | Our Lady of the Lake University with a bachelor's degree in business |
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| 7 | 7 | | administration and went on to earn a law degree from the Thurgood |
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| 8 | 8 | | Marshall School of Law; after working in private practice, he |
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| 9 | 9 | | served as the Wilson County attorney prior to winning election as |
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| 10 | 10 | | the 81st Judicial District attorney in 2004; and |
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| 11 | 11 | | WHEREAS, Over the course of his three terms as district |
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| 12 | 12 | | attorney, Mr. Peña played a leading role in the fight against the |
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| 13 | 13 | | drug trade and human trafficking along the Texas-Mexico border; |
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| 14 | 14 | | in 2010, he helped create and later chaired the Texas Border |
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| 15 | 15 | | Prosecution Unit, which covered 17 jurisdictions and 48 counties |
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| 16 | 16 | | from Brownsville to El Paso; he also served on the attorney |
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| 17 | 17 | | general's Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force, and he was |
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| 18 | 18 | | chair of the Texas Violent Gang Task Force and executive director |
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| 19 | 19 | | of the Texas Special Prosecution Unit; and |
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| 20 | 20 | | WHEREAS, In addition, Mr. Peña has held office as |
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| 21 | 21 | | president and chair of the Texas District & County Attorneys |
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| 22 | 22 | | Association and as president of the Children's Alliance of South |
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| 23 | 23 | | Texas; moreover, he serves on the boards of a number of community |
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| 24 | 24 | | organizations; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | WHEREAS, Since stepping down as district attorney, |
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| 26 | 26 | | Mr. Peña has joined the cyber counterintelligence and risk |
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| 27 | 27 | | management firm Axon Global as chief general counsel; in all his |
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| 28 | 28 | | endeavors, he enjoys the love and support of a caring family that |
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| 29 | 29 | | includes his wife, Rachel, and his son, René; and |
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| 30 | 30 | | WHEREAS, René Peña's dedication, professionalism, and |
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| 31 | 31 | | integrity greatly benefited the work of the 81st Judicial |
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| 32 | 32 | | District while earning him the respect and admiration of his |
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| 33 | 33 | | peers, and he may indeed reflect with pride on his many |
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| 34 | 34 | | achievements as he assumes the responsibilities of his new |
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| 35 | 35 | | position; now, therefore, be it |
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| 36 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th |
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| 37 | 37 | | Legislature, hereby commend René M. Peña for his service as the |
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| 38 | 38 | | 81st Judicial District attorney and extend to him sincere best |
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| 39 | 39 | | wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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| 40 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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| 41 | 41 | | Mr. Peña as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate. |
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| 42 | 42 | | Uresti |
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| 43 | 43 | | ________________________________ |
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| 44 | 44 | | President of the Senate |
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| 45 | 45 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 46 | 46 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 47 | 47 | | the Senate on May 22, 2017. |
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| 48 | 48 | | ________________________________ |
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| 49 | 49 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 50 | 50 | | ________________________________ |
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| 51 | 51 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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