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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The life of a legislative titan drew to a close with |
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the passing of former state senator A. R. "Babe" Schwartz of |
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Galveston on August 10, 2018, at the age of 92; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on the island in 1926, Babe Schwartz began his |
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long career in public service while still a student at The |
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University of Texas School of Law; he worked for both the Texas |
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Legislative Council and the chief clerk of the Texas House, and |
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after graduating, he served as a prosecutor in the Galveston County |
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attorney's office; in 1954, he won the first of two terms in the |
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Texas House, and he went on to serve in the Texas Senate for 21 |
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years; and |
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WHEREAS, Senator Schwartz was a staunch champion of Galveston |
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Island, and he fiercely defended its natural beauty and the |
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public's right to enjoy it; his monumental accomplishments included |
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legislation that serves as a foundation for much of the Texas |
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Coastal Management Plan; he was instrumental in the creation of the |
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1959 Open Beaches Act, and he later sponsored a constitutional |
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amendment that gave counties the right to regulate traffic on |
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beaches; in addition, he secured passage of measures to ban |
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littering on beaches and protect wetlands and freshwater inflows |
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into bays and estuaries; he was also responsible for legislation |
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that created the Park Board of Trustees, which oversees Galveston |
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beaches; and |
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WHEREAS, Known for his rapier wit and bold oratory, as well as |
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tactical expertise, Senator Schwartz played a key role in bringing |
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Galveston The University of Texas Medical Branch, as well as grade |
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raisings for the causeway and other infrastructure improvements; |
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moreover, he fought tirelessly for civil rights, open government, |
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education, and services for those with mental challenges; he was a |
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member of the "Killer Bees," who absented themselves from the upper |
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chamber in a successful protest against controversial legislation |
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during the 66th Legislative Session; and |
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WHEREAS, Senator Schwartz served on every major committee and |
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held numerous leadership roles, chairing Natural Resources, |
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Coastal Lands and Water, Beach Study, Jurisprudence, Rules of the |
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Senate, and Military and Veterans Affairs; he further served as |
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chair of the Texas Coastal and Marine Council, the national Coastal |
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States Organization, and the Rights and Suffrage Committee of the |
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1974 Constitutional Convention; and |
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WHEREAS, After leaving public office, Senator Schwartz |
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continued his advocacy in the legislative sphere; innumerable |
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colleagues sought the benefit of his acumen and vast knowledge, as |
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well as the scintillation of his vivid stories and unvarnished |
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opinions; he helped create the Sea Grant Program at Texas A&M |
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University and contributed to the formation of the institution's |
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Galveston campus; he taught students at the University of Houston |
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Law Center, the UT Law School, and the Texas A&M campuses at |
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Galveston and Corpus Christi; in 2016, the City of Galveston |
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recognized his impact by naming "Babe's Beach" in his honor, and his |
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myriad accolades further included the inaugural Bob Eckhardt |
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Lifetime Coastal Achievement Award and the 1987 Distinguished |
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Service Award from the National Hurricane Conference, |
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acknowledging him as the first legislator in the nation to |
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recognize the need for hurricane preparedness; and |
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WHEREAS, The son of Joseph and Clara Schwartz, Senator |
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Schwartz grew up with four siblings, Louis, Ron, Steven, and |
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Phyllis; as a boy, he worked on the shore, renting beach gear and |
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serving as a lifeguard; he interrupted his education at Texas A&M |
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University to enlist in the U.S. Navy during World War II and served |
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in the Pacific theater; after moving to Austin for law school, he |
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met his future wife, the former Marilyn Ruth Cohn, and they married |
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in 1951; their family grew to include 4 sons, Bob, Dick, John, and |
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Tom, as well as 12 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren; and |
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WHEREAS, Babe Schwartz worked tirelessly to improve the lives |
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of his fellow Texans and safeguard our state's priceless coastal |
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heritage, and although he is greatly missed by all who were |
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privileged to know him, his vision and leadership will continue to |
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resonate in the years to come; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of the Honorable |
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A. R. "Babe" Schwartz and extend deep sympathy to all who mourn his |
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passing; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of former |
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state senator A. R. "Babe" Schwartz. |