Bill Text: TX HR1608 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Honoring Heider Garcia for his service as Tarrant County elections administrator.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)

Status: (Passed) 2023-05-19 - Reported enrolled [HR1608 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HR1608-Introduced.html

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88R28745 BPG-D
By: Turner H.R. No. 1608

R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Heider Garcia is concluding his exemplary tenure as
Tarrant County elections administrator on June 23, 2023; and
WHEREAS, Widely recognized as a leader in his field,
Mr. Garcia was hired by Tarrant County in 2018; he implemented the
new Electronic Poll Book platform, advanced the process for
purchasing new voting equipment, and successfully advocated for
adoption of the Vote Centers model of voting, also known as
countywide polling; in 2020, Tarrant County earned an Achievement
Award from the National Association of Counties in the category of
Information Technology for Modernizing Election Systems; and
WHEREAS, Under Mr. Garcia's leadership as administrator, the
county also received positive reviews from a state audit of the 2020
voting process, and former Texas Secretary of State John B. Scott
praised his performance as a model for all to emulate; Mr. Garcia
has demonstrated a great willingness to address the concerns of
citizens, answering their questions and welcoming them to tour
elections facilities and review records; he serves as vice
president of the Texas Association of Elections Administrators; and
WHEREAS, Previously, Mr. Garcia was the elections manager
for Placer County, California, and he served as election systems
manager for the project team that ran the 2010 automated elections
in the Philippines, a country of more than 50 million registered
voters; he was responsible for customizing the technology,
certifying the solution under VVSG standards in the United States,
and ensuring total compliance with local legislation; at the end of
the project, he responded to the information requests from the
nation's legislative oversight committees; and
WHEREAS, Born in Pennsylvania, Mr. Garcia earned his
bachelor's degree in computer engineering from Simon Bolivar
University in his parents' native Venezuela; he began working as a
software developer for a company that entered the elections
business, and he was placed in charge of voting machine deployment
and certification for 12 nationwide election processes; and
WHEREAS, Heider Garcia has greatly benefited residents of
Tarrant County through his skill, expertise, and steadfast
dedication to the efficiency, accuracy, and transparency of the
elections process, and his contributions have earned the admiration
of citizens and professional colleagues alike, in Tarrant County
and beyond; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature hereby honor Heider Garcia for his outstanding service
as Tarrant County elections administrator and extend to him sincere
best wishes for continued success in his endeavors; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Mr. Garcia as an expression of high regard by the Texas
House of Representatives.