Bill Text: TX SR148 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Enrolled
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Recognizing Opal Lee on the occasion of the unveiling of her portrait in the Senate Chamber.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 19-12)
Status: (Passed) 2023-02-08 - Reported enrolled [SR148 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SR148-Enrolled.html
Bill Title: Recognizing Opal Lee on the occasion of the unveiling of her portrait in the Senate Chamber.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 19-12)
Status: (Passed) 2023-02-08 - Reported enrolled [SR148 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SR148-Enrolled.html
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WHEREAS, The Texas Senate takes great pleasure in | |||||
recognizing Mrs. Opal Lee, the "Grandmother of Juneteenth," who | |||||
is being honored at the Texas Capitol on February 8, 2023, at a | |||||
special event to celebrate the unveiling of her portrait, which | |||||
will be placed on permanent display in the Senate Chamber; and | |||||
WHEREAS, Commissioned by the Texas Senate and created by | |||||
native Texas artist Jess W. Coleman, the portrait of Mrs. Opal | |||||
Lee honors her remarkable life and achievements and commemorates | |||||
the indelible mark her contributions have made in the history of | |||||
our great state and nation; and | |||||
WHEREAS, A native Texan born in Marshall and raised in Fort | |||||
Worth, Mrs. Opal Lee was inspired from an early age to seek to | |||||
better the world around her and to become an advocate for social | |||||
justice and civil rights; rising above many of the challenges of | |||||
racial oppression, she embarked on a career in education, and she | |||||
became a tireless champion for civil rights and an esteemed | |||||
community leader whose positive impact is recognized throughout | |||||
the nation and has been acknowledged around the globe; and | |||||
WHEREAS, In 2016, at the age of 89, Mrs. Opal Lee launched | |||||
a campaign to create a wider awareness across the country about | |||||
the meaning of Juneteenth, the annual day commemorating the end | |||||
of slavery in Texas; Mrs. Lee began observing the June 19 holiday | |||||
while she was still a young girl living in Marshall, and for | |||||
decades, she has organized events in Fort Worth in celebration of | |||||
Juneteenth; and | |||||
WHEREAS, Mrs. Opal Lee long dreamed of making the annual | |||||
observance of Juneteenth in Texas into a national holiday, and in | |||||
her efforts to achieve this goal, she spoke to the media and | |||||
numerous groups about her cause and gathered one-and-a-half | |||||
million signatures on a petition that she delivered to the United | |||||
States Congress; and | |||||
WHEREAS, In 2021, Mrs. Opal Lee accomplished her mission | |||||
when legislation designating Juneteenth as a federal holiday was | |||||
passed; she joined President Joe Biden at the White House to | |||||
witness the signing of the Juneteenth legislation, and with this | |||||
historic achievement, the nation gained its first new federal | |||||
holiday since Martin Luther King Jr. Day was signed into law in | |||||
1983; and | |||||
WHEREAS, Long admired for her exceptional contributions to | |||||
her community and state, Mrs. Lee has created an enduring legacy | |||||
in the State of Texas and in the nation; in 2022, she was | |||||
nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by 33 members of the United | |||||
States Congress in recognition of her outstanding efforts in | |||||
gaining national recognition for Juneteenth; and | |||||
WHEREAS, Mrs. Opal Lee's steadfast dedication to a vision | |||||
of liberty and justice is a source of tremendous inspiration to | |||||
all, and it is indeed fitting that a portrait of her be displayed | |||||
permanently in the Senate Chamber at the Texas Capitol; now, | |||||
therefore, be it | |||||
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th | |||||
Legislature, hereby pay tribute to Mrs. Opal Lee and extend to | |||||
her its sincere respect, admiration, and appreciation; and, be | |||||
it further | |||||
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in | |||||
honor of this very special occasion. | |||||
____________________ | |||||
West | |||||
________________________________ | |||||
President of the Senate | |||||
I hereby certify that the | |||||
above Resolution was adopted by | |||||
the Senate on February 8, 2023. | |||||
________________________________ | |||||
Secretary of the Senate | |||||
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