H.R. No. 1230
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Booker T. Washington High School and the High School
for Engineering Professions in Houston dedicated the campus
auditorium in honor of State Representative Senfronia Thompson on
April 24, 2021; and
WHEREAS, A member of the Washington High Class of 1957,
Representative Thompson was also recognized as the first supporter
of the school's new "The Vision" Community Statue Project; the
student-led initiative is raising money for a plaza on campus with a
statue of the school's namesake as its centerpiece; and
WHEREAS, Representative Thompson, the dean of the Texas
House, is both the longest-serving woman and longest-serving
African American in the legislature; first elected in 1972, she has
worked tirelessly in behalf of the most vulnerable; she has crafted
groundbreaking legislation to combat human trafficking, and she is
the author of the James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Act, the Chief Justice
Jack Pope Act, which increases access to legal aid for low-income
Texans with civil cases, and the Michael Morton Act, promoting
greater fairness in the criminal justice system; in addition, she
has secured passage of a host of other laws benefiting women,
children, and the elderly; and
WHEREAS, Currently chair of the Licensing and Administrative
Procedures Committee, Representative Thompson also serves on the
Redistricting and the Business and Industry Committees; she has
served the house in numerous leadership roles through the years,
including chair of the Public Health, Judicial Affairs, and Local
and Consent Calendars Committees and co-chair of the Human
Trafficking Committee; and
WHEREAS, Among myriad accolades, Representative Thompson has
received the Rosa Parks Award from the Texas Legislative Black
Caucus, and she was inducted into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame in
2014; in addition, she has been named one of the Top Ten Best
Legislators by Texas Monthly; she graduated from the Thurgood
Marshall School of Law and holds a master of law degree in
international law from the University of Houston as well; and
WHEREAS, Senfronia Thompson has made a positive difference in
the lives of countless Texans over the course of her remarkable
legislative career, and the auditorium that bears her name will
serve as a lasting reminder to Washington High students of the
tremendous good that one person can accomplish; now, therefore, be
it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate the Honorable Senfronia Thompson
on the dedication of the auditorium at Booker T. Washington High
School and the High School for Engineering Professions in her honor
and extend to her sincere appreciation for her many contributions
to the state; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Representative Thompson as an expression of high
regard by the Texas House of Representatives.
J. Johnson of Harris
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 1230 was adopted by the House on May
23, 2021, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House