Bill Text: TX HR308 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: In memory of Donald J. Maison of Dallas.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-03-10 - Reported enrolled [HR308 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HR308-Enrolled.html
H.R. No. 308 |
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WHEREAS, The Texas LGBTQ community lost one of its giants | ||
with the death of civil rights attorney Donald J. Maison of Dallas | ||
on February 21, 2022, at the age of 74; and | ||
WHEREAS, The son of Donald J. Maison Sr. and Lucille Crevier | ||
Maison, Don Maison was born in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, on May 18, | ||
1947; he graduated from The University of Texas at Arlington and | ||
St. Mary's University School of Law, and his passion for social | ||
justice drove his career; in the wake of raids on gay clubs, he | ||
pursued litigation that sparked change in the Dallas Police | ||
Department; he successfully sued Parkland Memorial Hospital in | ||
behalf of AIDS patients struggling to access treatment, and his | ||
victories further included a lengthy class action discrimination | ||
suit against Southwest Airlines; after becoming president and CEO | ||
of AIDS Services of Dallas in 1988, he overcame many challenges to | ||
transform the organization into a national model, which today | ||
provides housing and support services for low-income men, women, | ||
and children living with or impacted by HIV/AIDS; his remarkable | ||
tenure spanned 32 years until his retirement; and | ||
WHEREAS, Mr. Maison gave generously of his time and expertise | ||
in such leadership roles as co-chair of the National AIDS Housing | ||
Coalition, director for the Texas AIDS Network, and member of the | ||
Dallas EMA Health Services Planning Council, the National AIDS | ||
Communications Roundtable, and the Dallas Homeless Consortium; | ||
long involved in Democratic politics, he helped move the state and | ||
local party in a more progressive direction and served as a precinct | ||
chair, election judge, and member of the state executive committee; | ||
in his leisure time, he was an avid world traveler, forming many | ||
lasting friendships while exploring local cultures and availing | ||
himself of public transportation; and | ||
WHEREAS, Through his exceptional contributions, Don Maison | ||
made a profound difference in countless lives, and he will be | ||
remembered with deep admiration and affection by all who were | ||
privileged to know him; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas | ||
Legislature hereby pay tribute to the memory of Donald J. Maison | ||
and extend sincere sympathy to the members of his family: to his | ||
partner, Richmond Morris; to his sisters, Joan Maison Dopp, Lisa | ||
Maison Ceunick, and Kathleen Maison Cohen; 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 House of | ||
Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Don Maison. | ||
González of Dallas | ||
Davis | ||
Bryant | ||
Anchía | ||
Jones of Dallas | ||
______________________________ | ||
Speaker of the House | ||
I certify that H.R. No. 308 was unanimously adopted by a | ||
rising vote of the House on March 8, 2023. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||