86R26801 BPG-D
By: Hunter H.R. No. 1302
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The life of a legislative titan drew to a close with
the passing of former state senator A. R. "Babe" Schwartz of
Galveston on August 10, 2018, at the age of 92; and
WHEREAS, Born on the island in 1926, Babe Schwartz began his
long career in public service while still a student at The
University of Texas School of Law; he worked for both the Texas
Legislative Council and the chief clerk of the Texas House, and
after graduating, he served as a prosecutor in the Galveston County
attorney's office; in 1954, he won the first of two terms in the
Texas House, and he went on to serve in the Texas Senate for 21
years; and
WHEREAS, Senator Schwartz was a staunch champion of Galveston
Island, and he fiercely defended its natural beauty and the
public's right to enjoy it; his monumental accomplishments included
legislation that serves as a foundation for much of the Texas
Coastal Management Plan; he was instrumental in the creation of the
1959 Open Beaches Act, and he later sponsored a constitutional
amendment that gave counties the right to regulate traffic on
beaches; in addition, he secured passage of measures to ban
littering on beaches and protect wetlands and freshwater inflows
into bays and estuaries; he was also responsible for legislation
that created the Park Board of Trustees, which oversees Galveston
beaches; and
WHEREAS, Known for his rapier wit and bold oratory, as well as
tactical expertise, Senator Schwartz played a key role in bringing
Galveston The University of Texas Medical Branch, as well as grade
raisings for the causeway and other infrastructure improvements;
moreover, he fought tirelessly for civil rights, open government,
education, and services for those with mental challenges; he was a
member of the "Killer Bees," who absented themselves from the upper
chamber in a successful protest against controversial legislation
during the 66th Legislative Session; and
WHEREAS, Senator Schwartz served on every major committee and
held numerous leadership roles, chairing Natural Resources,
Coastal Lands and Water, Beach Study, Jurisprudence, Rules of the
Senate, and Military and Veterans Affairs; he further served as
chair of the Texas Coastal and Marine Council, the national Coastal
States Organization, and the Rights and Suffrage Committee of the
1974 Constitutional Convention; and
WHEREAS, After leaving public office, Senator Schwartz
continued his advocacy in the legislative sphere; innumerable
colleagues sought the benefit of his acumen and vast knowledge, as
well as the scintillation of his vivid stories and unvarnished
opinions; he helped create the Sea Grant Program at Texas A&M
University and contributed to the formation of the institution's
Galveston campus; he taught students at the University of Houston
Law Center, the UT Law School, and the Texas A&M campuses at
Galveston and Corpus Christi; in 2016, the City of Galveston
recognized his impact by naming "Babe's Beach" in his honor, and his
myriad accolades further included the inaugural Bob Eckhardt
Lifetime Coastal Achievement Award and the 1987 Distinguished
Service Award from the National Hurricane Conference,
acknowledging him as the first legislator in the nation to
recognize the need for hurricane preparedness; and
WHEREAS, The son of Joseph and Clara Schwartz, Senator
Schwartz grew up with four siblings, Louis, Ron, Steven, and
Phyllis; as a boy, he worked on the shore, renting beach gear and
serving as a lifeguard; he interrupted his education at Texas A&M
University to enlist in the U.S. Navy during World War II and served
in the Pacific theater; after moving to Austin for law school, he
met his future wife, the former Marilyn Ruth Cohn, and they married
in 1951; their family grew to include 4 sons, Bob, Dick, John, and
Tom, as well as 12 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren; and
WHEREAS, Babe Schwartz worked tirelessly to improve the lives
of his fellow Texans and safeguard our state's priceless coastal
heritage, and although he is greatly missed by all who were
privileged to know him, his vision and leadership will continue to
resonate in the years to come; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of the Honorable
A. R. "Babe" Schwartz and extend deep sympathy to all who mourn his
passing; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of former
state senator A. R. "Babe" Schwartz.