By: Morales Shaw H.R. No. 46
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Senator Judith Zaffirini became the first female
dean of the Texas Senate on December 31, 2023; and
WHEREAS, The first Mexican American woman elected to the
chamber and now its first Latina dean, Senator Zaffirini took
office in 1987; setting a high standard of productivity, she has
cast more than 72,000 consecutive votes and passed nearly 1,400
bills, historic records unlikely to be matched by any legislator;
her ability to work across the aisle was especially evident during
the last five Republican-dominated legislative sessions, during
which she has been the highest bill-passer; and
WHEREAS, Senator Zaffirini has held numerous leadership
roles in the Senate, including chair of the Higher Education,
Health and Human Services, and Government Organization Committees
and vice chair of the Committee on Natural Resources and Economic
Development and of Finance; she also was appointed to the special
committees on Grid Reliability Legislative Oversight and on
Hurricane and Tropical Storm Preparedness, Recovery, and
Electricity, and she has chaired the Eagle Ford Shale Legislative
Caucus; among many other committees, she has served as a member of
Business and Commerce, Finance, State Affairs, and Redistricting;
since 2015 she also has served on the Texas Judicial Council and
since 2017 in the Texas Access to Justice Commission; and
WHEREAS, In 2024 the Webb County Justice Center was renamed
the Dean Senator Judith Zaffirini Justice Center, becoming the
first local Texas courthouse named for a woman; Senator Zaffirini
is the namesake of a number of other public buildings and
facilities, as well as grant programs and scholarships at
educational institutions across the state; the recipient of more
than 1,200 accolades for her legislative, civic, and professional
achievements, she most recently garnered such honors as the Star of
Justice Award from the Texas Access to Justice Commission, the
Orgullo Latino Legacy Award from Webb County LULAC Council No.
22387, and the Champion of Medicine Award from the Texas Medical
Association Border Health Caucus; she was inducted into the Texas
Women's Hall of Fame by Governor Greg Abbott in 2018; and
WHEREAS, Senator Zaffirini is a former educator, the owner of
Zaffirini Communications, and the president of the Mr. South Texas
Foundation and the D&J Alexander Foundation; named a Distinguished
Alumna of The University of Texas at Austin in 2003, she earned her
bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees from the institution;
WHEREAS, Above all, she is inspired by her family, namely her
husband of 60 years, Carlos Sr.; their son, Carlos Jr., and daughter
by marriage, Audrey; and her two darling grandsons, Asher (7) and
George (5); and
WHEREAS, Over the course of her remarkable legislative
career, Judith Zaffirini has made a positive difference in the
lives of countless Texans, and she has set an example of effective
public service to which all may aspire; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas
Legislature hereby recognize the Honorable Judith Zaffirini for her
contributions as a state legislator and congratulate her on being
named dean of the Texas Senate; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Senator Zaffirini as an expression of high regard by
the Texas House of Representatives.