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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 118
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In Memory |
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of |
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Mark Wells White Jr. |
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas joins Texans |
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across the state in mourning the loss of Mark Wells White Jr., who |
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died August 5, 2017, at the age of 77; and |
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WHEREAS, Governor White served the people of Texas with |
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dedication and integrity over the course of an exceptional career |
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in public service that spanned many years; a conservative |
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Democrat and a highly respected state leader and politician, Mark |
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White served with distinction as Texas' secretary of state, |
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attorney general, and governor; during his governorship, he was |
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noted for championing political and educational reform and for |
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making inclusiveness a high priority in all facets of life in |
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Texas; and |
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WHEREAS, Mark White was born March 17, 1940, in Henderson, |
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Texas, and he grew up in Houston; he attended Baylor University, |
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where he earned degrees in business administration and law, and |
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where he also met his beloved wife, Linda Gale White; and |
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WHEREAS, He began his career in statewide office at the age |
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of 32, when he was appointed by Governor Dolph Briscoe in 1973 to |
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be Texas secretary of state; in 1978, at the age of 37, he was |
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elected attorney general; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1982, he defeated the incumbent governor, Bill |
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Clements, to become the state's 43rd governor; during his term in |
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office, from 1983 to 1987, he was a powerful advocate for |
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transforming the state's educational system, and he pushed |
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through a $4 billion tax and fee increase to pay for improvements |
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in the state's public schools; an innovative and, at the time, |
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controversial aspect of his reform efforts was the |
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implementation of "no pass, no play," a measure that required |
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students to be passing all their classes in order to participate |
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in extracurricular activities; the measure endured a firestorm |
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of criticism and became a valued and integral part of the Texas |
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educational system that remains in place today; and |
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WHEREAS, Other features of his significant and successful |
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public school initiatives were reductions in class size, a 26 |
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percent increase in funding to equalize statewide education |
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spending, and the implementation of statewide testing standards; |
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a number of states across the nation adopted into their |
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educational systems many of Governor White's groundbreaking |
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initiatives; and |
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WHEREAS, During Governor White's tenure, he grappled with |
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the state's struggling economy due to disruptions in the oil |
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market and the collapse of the savings and loan industry, which |
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led to drastically reduced revenues for the state; however, he |
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welcomed the era of new technology, and he is noted for embracing |
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diversification of the state's economy and for the major role he |
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played in the recruitment to Austin of the research conglomerate |
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MCC; and |
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WHEREAS, After leaving office, he returned to the private |
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practice of law; he also continued to be active on behalf of his |
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fellow Texans, and he eventually began to have serious |
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reservations about capital punishment; he urged lawmakers to |
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reconsider its use, and he worked with the Innocence Project on |
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behalf of wrongfully convicted inmates; and |
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WHEREAS, A man of courage and exceptional vision, he served |
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the people of Texas with loyalty and a commitment to fairness, |
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and his love of this state, his many accomplishments as its |
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governor, and his dedication to public service have had a lasting |
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and positive impact; and |
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WHEREAS, He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, |
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and he leaves behind memories that will be treasured forever by |
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his family and countless friends and by all who were privileged |
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to share in his life; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th |
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Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby extend sincere |
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condolences to the bereaved family of Mark Wells White Jr.: his |
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wife, Linda Gale Thompson White; his sons, Mark White III and |
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Andrew White; his daughter, Elizabeth Marie White Russell; his |
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daughters-in-law, Melanie and Stacey; his son-in-law, Seth |
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Russell; his sister, Betty Gerlach; and his nine grandchildren; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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his family as an expression of deepest sympathy from the Texas |
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Senate and that when the Senate adjourns this day, it do so in |
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memory of Governor Mark White. |
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Watson |
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Bettencourt |
Hinojosa |
Perry |
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Birdwell |
Huffines |
Rodríguez |
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Buckingham |
Huffman |
Schwertner |
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Campbell |
Kolkhorst |
Taylor of Collin |
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Creighton |
Lucio |
Taylor of Galveston |
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Hancock |
Nichols |
Zaffirini |
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Patrick, President of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on August 10, 2017, by |
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a rising vote. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |