| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 45 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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| 3 | 3 | | recognize David Hall, who is retiring after 42 years of |
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| 4 | 4 | | exceptional service as executive director of Texas RioGrande |
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| 5 | 5 | | Legal Aid; and |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, David Hall first joined the organization, then |
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| 7 | 7 | | known as Texas Rural Legal Aid, in 1970 as a board member; he |
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| 8 | 8 | | became the organization's executive director in 1975 and later |
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| 9 | 9 | | played a vital role in the merger with four other legal aid |
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| 10 | 10 | | associations that created Texas RioGrande Legal Aid; and |
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| 11 | 11 | | WHEREAS, Through the years, Mr. Hall has been at the |
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| 12 | 12 | | forefront of many of the legal battles that transformed the |
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| 13 | 13 | | landscape of civil rights in the Rio Grande Valley, notably in |
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| 14 | 14 | | the United States Supreme Court case that led to the reform of the |
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| 15 | 15 | | state's discriminatory practices for selecting grand juries; he |
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| 16 | 16 | | also led the organization's efforts to protect the rights of |
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| 17 | 17 | | farmworkers, including a case in which multiple state |
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| 18 | 18 | | restrictions on picketing were overturned; and |
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| 19 | 19 | | WHEREAS, Under his leadership, Texas RioGrande Legal Aid |
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| 20 | 20 | | has gone from being a small organization with a handful of |
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| 21 | 21 | | attorneys defending farmworkers in South Texas to being the |
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| 22 | 22 | | nation's third-largest legal aid provider, with 175 civil and |
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| 23 | 23 | | criminal lawyers who annually provide free legal services to |
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| 24 | 24 | | 25,000 low-income persons from all backgrounds, including |
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| 25 | 25 | | veterans, persons who are homeless, elderly, or disabled, those |
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| 26 | 26 | | facing economic or social barriers to their health, and survivors |
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| 27 | 27 | | of sexual assault or domestic violence; and |
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| 28 | 28 | | WHEREAS, David Hall has received numerous honors and |
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| 29 | 29 | | accolades for his work, including recognition by Texas Lawyer |
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| 30 | 30 | | magazine as a Legal Legend and as one of the 25 greatest Texas |
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| 31 | 31 | | lawyers of the past quarter century; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | WHEREAS, An exceptional attorney and organizer, he is |
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| 33 | 33 | | widely respected and admired, and his presence as executive |
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| 34 | 34 | | director of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid will be greatly missed; |
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| 35 | 35 | | 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, 1st Called Session, hereby commend David Hall on his |
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| 38 | 38 | | commitment to providing access to equal justice under the law and |
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| 39 | 39 | | extend to him best wishes for continued success in all his |
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| 40 | 40 | | endeavors; and, be it further |
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| 41 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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| 42 | 42 | | him as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate. |
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| 43 | 43 | | Lucio |
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| 44 | 44 | | ________________________________ |
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| 45 | 45 | | President of the Senate |
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| 46 | 46 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 47 | 47 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 48 | 48 | | the Senate on July 24, 2017. |
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| 49 | 49 | | ________________________________ |
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| 50 | 50 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 51 | 51 | | ________________________________ |
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| 52 | 52 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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