By: Eckhardt S.C.R. No. 27
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, State law stipulates in Section 2165.256,
Government Code, that a person specified in a concurrent resolution
adopted by the legislature is eligible for burial in the State
Cemetery if the State Cemetery Committee finds that the person has
made a significant contribution to Texas history and, based on that
finding, approves the person's burial; and
WHEREAS, A graduate of The University of Texas School of Law,
Guy Herman was first elected as Travis County probate judge in 1985;
he has demonstrated exceptional wisdom and compassion in the
adjudication of sensitive matters relating to wills and estates,
guardianships, and mental health commitments, and as the county
population has doubled, he has overseen the growth of the court,
training and guiding associate judges and mentoring many law clerks
who have gone on to success in probate practices; and
WHEREAS, During his long tenure as presiding judge for the
Statutory Probate Judges of Texas, Judge Herman has rendered
exceptional service to the legal community and the legislature,
recommending beneficial changes to state laws and collaborating
effectively on legislative matters with the Real Estate, Probate,
and Trust Law sections of the State Bar of Texas; in 1993, he was
elected president of the Texas College of Probate Judges, and he has
served on numerous statewide and Supreme Court task forces over the
years; and
WHEREAS, From the very beginning of his career on the bench,
Judge Herman has worked to protect vulnerable populations; his
efforts have been crucial in preserving optimal autonomy and
independence for individuals with mental illness and in the
widespread adoption of warrantless detention rather than jailing
defendants prior to mental health treatment; moreover, he played a
key role in the development of the county's hospital district,
which provides primary, specialty, behavioral, and dental health
care to residents with insufficient resources; in recent years, he
has been instrumental in the creation of the Assisted Outpatient
Services approach to meet mental health needs of defendants; Travis
County Integral Care recognized his outstanding record of service
by naming its short-term residential psychiatric treatment
facility the Judge Guy Herman Center for Mental Health Crisis Care
in his honor; and
WHEREAS, In light of his noteworthy contributions to the Lone
Star State, it is fitting that the Honorable Guy Herman be allowed
to designate the State Cemetery as his final resting place; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby authorize the burial of Guy Herman in the State Cemetery,
provided that his application for assignment of burial space is
approved by the State Cemetery Committee as required by law.