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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The Honorable Esmeralda Peña Garcia retired from the |
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| 6 | 7 | | Houston Municipal Court in March 2020, drawing to a close a notable |
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| 7 | 8 | | career in public service that spanned more than three decades; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, After receiving her bachelor's degree in sociology |
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| 9 | 10 | | from the University of Houston in 1974, Ms. Garcia worked for the |
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| 10 | 11 | | Abuse Team of Harris County Children's Protective Services; she |
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| 11 | 12 | | went on to earn her law degree in 1982 from the University of |
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| 12 | 13 | | Houston Law Center, and she was the first Hispanic person to be |
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| 13 | 14 | | elected president of the UH Student Bar Association and helped lead |
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| 14 | 15 | | the effort to include minority students on the admissions |
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| 15 | 16 | | committee; and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Known to many as "Judge Essie," Ms. Garcia served |
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| 17 | 18 | | the City of Houston and the State of Texas for 33 years as a |
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| 18 | 19 | | municipal court judge, and her long and tireless service was |
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| 19 | 20 | | recognized when October 11, 2016, was declared Judge Esmeralda Peña |
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| 20 | 21 | | Garcia Day by the City of Houston; her many other honors include the |
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| 21 | 22 | | Women Making History Award from the Harris County Democratic Party, |
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| 22 | 23 | | the Distinguished Service Award from the UH Law Center Faculty, and |
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| 23 | 24 | | lifetime achievement awards from the Mexican-American Bar |
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| 24 | 25 | | Association of Texas Foundation and the National Hispanic |
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| 25 | 26 | | Professional Organization-Houston; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, Since her retirement, Judge Garcia has joined the |
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| 27 | 28 | | firm of Johnson Garcia LLP, where she is of counsel as a personal |
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| 28 | 29 | | injury attorney; and |
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| 29 | 30 | | WHEREAS, Judge Essie Garcia's dedication, integrity, and |
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| 30 | 31 | | commitment to justice greatly benefited the citizens of Harris |
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| 31 | 32 | | County and earned her the respect and admiration of her peers, and |
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| 32 | 33 | | she may indeed reflect with pride on her many years of service; now, |
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| 33 | 34 | | therefore, be it |
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| 34 | 35 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 35 | 36 | | Legislature hereby congratulate the Honorable Esmeralda Peña |
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| 36 | 37 | | Garcia on her retirement from the Houston Municipal Court and |
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| 37 | 38 | | extend to her sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it |
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| 38 | 39 | | further |
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| 39 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 40 | 41 | | prepared for Ms. Garcia as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 41 | 42 | | House of Representatives. |
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