89R17672 JH-D
By: Miles, et al. S.R. No. 258
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The life of an esteemed lawmaker and public servant
drew to a close with the passing of the Honorable Sylvester Turner
on March 5, 2025, at the age of 70; and
WHEREAS, Congressman Turner's monumental career encompassed
service as a state legislator, as the mayor of Houston, and as a
member of the United States House of Representatives, and the
ideals that guided all of his work were forged in the Bayou City's
Acres Homes neighborhood, where he was raised; born on
September 27, 1954, he shared a two-bedroom house with his parents
and eight siblings in his early years; while watching the
Kennedy-Nixon debates with his family as a small boy, he resolved to
become a lawyer and public servant, beginning his lifelong
commitment to helping others; his father, a commercial painter,
died when he was just 13, and his mother continued to support the
family as a housekeeper at the Rice Hotel; although neither of his
parents received a diploma, he became student body president and
valedictorian at Klein High School, and he went on to graduate from
the University of Houston and Harvard Law School; and
WHEREAS, Congressman Turner began his career as a trial
lawyer with the Fulbright & Jaworski firm and later cofounded
Barnes & Turner, a practice focused on commercial law and personal
injury litigation; in addition, he taught at the Texas Southern
University Thurgood Marshall School of Law, at the South Texas
College of Law, and in the University of Houston Law School
continuing legal education program; and
WHEREAS, First elected to the Texas House of Representatives
in 1988, Congressman Turner was returned to office 13 times and
served three terms as speaker pro tempore; he helped shape fiscal
policy during more than two decades on the House Appropriations
Committee and multiple terms as chair of its Subcommittee on
Criminal Justice; moreover, he distinguished himself in his duties
as a member of the Legislative Budget Board and as chair of the
Texas Legislative Black Caucus and the Greater Houston Area
Legislative Delegation; known for his eloquence and his ability to
work across the aisle, he secured passage of such important
legislation as a 2007 children's health insurance measure; his
passion for health care, education, human services, consumer
rights, and juvenile justice earned him recognition as "the
conscience of the House"; and
WHEREAS, Congressman Turner was elected to the first of two
terms as Houston mayor in 2015; he guided the city through a period
of unprecedented challenges, among them Hurricane Harvey and six
other federally declared disasters, as well as the COVID-19
pandemic; early in his tenure, he strengthened finances by crafting
a solution for the mounting pension debt crisis; he also promoted
sustainability, bolstering the city's status as the energy capital
of the world; addressing violent crime and mental health, he
launched the One Safe Houston initiative, and other important
programs included Hire Houston Youth, One Clean Houston, and
Complete Communities, which fostered economic advancement through
revitalization of underserved areas; in addition to his other
responsibilities, he provided national leadership in urban policy
as chair of the Global Resilient Cities Network, Climate Mayors,
and the African American Mayors Association, and he was a trustee of
the U.S. Conference of Mayors; and
WHEREAS, In 2024, citizens elected him to Congress to
represent the historically significant 18th Congressional
District, and he served as a member of the Homeland Security and the
Science, Space, and Technology Committees; during his time in
office, he maintained the incomparable work ethic and whirlwind
pace that defined his entire career, devoting himself to the
lawmaking process, staying in close touch with constituents, and
participating in numerous neighborhood and community-wide events
in Houston; he also set aside time to attend the Church Without
Walls, where he worshipped for well over three decades, and he
rarely missed a Sunday service, even while undergoing cancer
treatment; he was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity,
Incorporated, and remained a proud Acres Homes resident; and
WHEREAS, Dedicated to bridging divisions and creating
vibrant communities for all, Sylvester Turner demonstrated
visionary leadership that greatly benefited the city of Houston and
the wider State of Texas, and his legacy will continue to inspire
all those who seek to follow in his footsteps; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the 89th Texas Legislature
hereby honor the memory of Congressman Sylvester Turner and extend
sincere condolences to the members of his family: to his daughter,
Ashley Turner Captain, and her husband, Jimmie; to his grandson,
Jameson Captain; and to his other relatives and many friends; and,
be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for his family and that when the Texas Senate adjourns this
day, it do so in memory of Congressman Turner.