Bill Text: TX SR626 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Honoring attorney Rod Ponton for his contributions to West Texas.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-05-22 - Reported enrolled [SR626 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SR626-Enrolled.html
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| WHEREAS, The strength of our communities depends on the | ||
| dedicated efforts of public officials, and over the years, Rod | ||
| Ponton of Presidio has served the citizens of West Texas in a | ||
| number of important roles; and | ||
| WHEREAS, A prominent lawyer with four decades of | ||
| experience, Mr. Ponton has served as Presidio County attorney | ||
| since 2017, and he is city attorney for the Cities of Alpine and | ||
| Balmorhea; previously, Mr. Ponton was the 83rd District | ||
| attorney, serving Brewster, Jeff Davis, Pecos, and Presidio | ||
| Counties; he was also employed as city attorney for the Cities of | ||
| Pecos and Presidio, and he served as chair of the West Pecos | ||
| Management District; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Mr. Ponton is the founder of a private civil | ||
| practice, Big Bend Law; the firm handles a wide range of matters | ||
| for its clients, including real estate transactions, civil | ||
| litigation, family law, probate law, and estate planning; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Early in his career, Mr. Ponton worked in | ||
| criminal defense law in El Paso; he successfully represented | ||
| Henry Lee Lucas in one of the state's most high-profile capital | ||
| murder cases, and in 1987, he was named the Criminal Defense | ||
| Lawyer of the Year by the State Bar of Texas; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Mr. Ponton grew up in Alpine; after receiving his | ||
| bachelor's degree from The University of Texas at Austin in 1973, | ||
| he went on to graduate from the Texas Tech University School of | ||
| Law in 1982; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Now forever renowned as "the Cat Lawyer," Mr. | ||
| Ponton appeared in a Zoom call video that went viral in February | ||
| 2021, when he proclaimed for what would become a global audience, | ||
| "I'm here live, I'm not a cat," as a wayward filter imposed the | ||
| image of a kitten over his face; this led to an interview on | ||
| television's TODAY show and other major media coverage; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Through the years, Rod Ponton has demonstrated a | ||
| deep commitment to the legal profession and to public service, | ||
| and his accomplishments have earned the admiration and | ||
| appreciation of his fellow West Texas residents; now, therefore, | ||
| be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th | ||
| Legislature, hereby honor Rod Ponton for his contributions to | ||
| West Texas and extend to him sincere best wishes for the future; | ||
| and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be | ||
| prepared for Mr. Ponton as an expression of high regard from the | ||
| Texas Senate. | ||
| Gutierrez, Blanco | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| President of the Senate | ||
| I hereby certify that the | ||
| above Resolution was adopted by | ||
| the Senate on May 22, 2023. | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| Member, Texas Senate | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| Member, Texas Senate | ||
