Texas 2021 - 87th 3rd C.S.

Texas House Bill HR41 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	H.R. No. 41
	1	+	87S30482 JH-D
	2	+	By: Herrero H.R. No. 41
2	3
3	4
4	5		R E S O L U T I O N
5	6		WHEREAS, The State of Texas lost a bold champion of social
6	7		progress and stalwart enemy of corruption with the passing of
7	8		former state representative Frances Tarlton "Sissy" Farenthold of
8	9		Houston on September 26, 2021, at the age of 94; and
9	10		WHEREAS, The former Frances Tarlton was born in Corpus
10	11		Christi on October 2, 1926; she was the daughter of Benjamin Dudley
11	12		Tarlton Jr., a prominent attorney, and Catherine "Catty" Bluntzer
12	13		Tarlton, and she was also influenced by the legacy of her paternal
13	14		grandfather, who had served as a state representative and a chief
14	15		justice of the Court of Civil Appeals; after attending The Hockaday
15	16		School in Dallas, she earned her bachelor's degree in political
16	17		science from Vassar College at the age of 19; and
17	18		WHEREAS, She enrolled at The University of Texas School of
18	19		Law and was one of just eight women to graduate in the Class of 1949,
19	20		after which she joined her father's law firm; the following year,
20	21		she married George Farenthold, and the couple became the parents of
21	22		five children, James, Vincent, George, Benjamin "Dudley", and
22	23		Emilie; though she placed her career on hold while raising her
23	24		children, she became increasingly active in the civic life of
24	25		Corpus Christi in the early 1960s, serving as a member of the city's
25	26		Human Relations Commission and as director of Nueces County Legal
26	27		Aid and fighting to prevent the obstruction of shoreline views in
27	28		the area; and
28	29		WHEREAS, In 1968, when Ms. Farenthold launched a successful
29	30		bid for a seat in the Texas House of Representatives, women
30	31		candidates were rare; sworn into office at the start of the 61st
31	32		Legislature the following January, she was the only woman serving
32	33		in the chamber and one of just two in the entire legislature;
33	34		pursuing a range of progressive measures during her two terms in
34	35		office, she sought to protect the environment, advance civil
35	36		rights, strengthen the social safety net, and improve public
36	37		education; joining with her state senate counterpart, Barbara
37	38		Jordan, she cosponsored the Texas Equal Rights Amendment and
38	39		secured its passage; and
39	40		WHEREAS, Perhaps best known for promoting transparency and
40	41		ethics reform, Representative Farenthold played a prominent role in
41	42		focusing public attention on the corruption exposed by the
42	43		Sharpstown scandal, which erupted in 1971; leading a group of
43	44		like-minded legislators that became known as the Dirty Thirty, she
44	45		demanded an investigation of the house speaker and others, and the
45	46		group's efforts helped bring about a sea change in Texas politics;
46	47		many of those connected to the scandal saw their political careers
47	48		come to an end, and the Dirty Thirty continued to effect reforms at
48	49		the State Capitol even after Representative Farenthold left office
49	50		at the end of the 62nd Legislature; and
50	51		WHEREAS, In 1972, Ms. Farenthold ran for governor, and
51	52		although she lost a runoff in the Democratic primary, she played a
52	53		central role in shaping the national party's reformist platform
53	54		that year; she placed second in the voting for the vice presidential
54	55		candidate, besting the likes of Jimmy Carter and Ted Kennedy, and
55	56		became the first woman to garner significant support for that place
56	57		on the ticket; the next year, she was elected as the inaugural chair
57	58		of the National Women's Political Caucus; and
58	59		WHEREAS, Ms. Farenthold went on to serve for four years as
59	60		the first female president of Wells College in Aurora, New York,
60	61		which was then a women-only institution; while balancing its budget
61	62		and expanding student recruitment, she cofounded the Public
62	63		Leadership Education Network to encourage young women to pursue
63	64		careers in public service; returning to Texas, she resumed the
64	65		practice of law and joined the faculties of Texas Southern
65	66		University and the University of Houston, where she taught one of
66	67		the nation's first classes on gender-based discrimination; and
67	68		WHEREAS, Elevating her activism to the international level,
68	69		Ms. Farenthold joined the board of the Helsinki Watch Committee,
69	70		precursor of Human Rights Watch, led protests against apartheid in
70	71		South Africa, and participated in peace, human rights, and
71	72		environmental efforts around the globe; she was also chair of the
72	73		Institute for Policy Studies in Washington and a member of the
73	74		advisory board of the Bernard and Audre Rapoport Center for Human
74	75		Rights and Justice at The University of Texas School of Law; other
75	76		notable achievements included serving as chair of the interfaith
76	77		Rothko Chapel in Houston for three decades and as executive
77	78		producer of the 2009 documentary Quest for Honor; her myriad
78	79		accolades include the inaugural Molly Ivins Lifetime Achievement
79	80		Award from the ACLU of Texas, the Lyndon Johnson Lifetime Service
80	81		Award from the Democratic Party of Texas, and the 2013 Women of
81	82		Courage Award from the National Women's Political Caucus; and
82	83		WHEREAS, Sissy Farenthold devoted herself wholeheartedly to
83	84		making the world more just, peaceful, and humane, and although she
84	85		is deeply missed, her vision and compassion will remain a lasting
85	86		source of inspiration in the years to come; now, therefore, be it
86	87		RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas
87	88		Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of
88	89		the Honorable Frances Tarlton "Sissy" Farenthold and extend sincere
89	90		condolences to all who mourn her passing; and, be it further
90	91		RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
91	92		prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of
92	93		Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Sissy
93	94		Farenthold.
94		-	Herrero
95		-	Hunter
96		-	A. Johnson of Harris
97		-	Meza
98		-	______________________________
99		-	Speaker of the House
100		-	I certify that H.R. No. 41 was unanimously adopted by a rising
101		-	vote of the House on October 14, 2021.
102		-	______________________________
103		-	Chief Clerk of the House