Bill Text: TX HR18 | 2023 | 88th Legislature 3rd Special Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: In memory of Joseph Gerald "Gerry" Hebert.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-11-02 - Reported enrolled [HR18 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HR18-Enrolled.html
| H.R. No. 18 | ||
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| WHEREAS, A life lived with joy and purpose drew to a close | ||
| with the passing of renowned civil and voting rights attorney | ||
| Joseph Gerald Hebert on September 7, 2023, at the age of 74; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The son of Joseph Gerald Laurie Hebert and Adeline | ||
| Agnes Whitehead Hebert, Gerry Hebert was born in Worcester, | ||
| Massachusetts, on February 13, 1949; he graduated from Stonehill | ||
| College and Suffolk University Law School and joined the Civil | ||
| Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice in 1973; during a | ||
| tenure spanning two decades, he served as lead attorney or chief | ||
| trial counsel in hundreds of cases, among them several decided by | ||
| the U.S. Supreme Court; he received myriad commendations, including | ||
| an award for his work on the enormously high-profile Boston school | ||
| desegregation case; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Mr. Hebert continued his efforts in the private | ||
| sector with the Legal Defense Fund and Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale | ||
| and Dorr, partnering to successfully challenge racially | ||
| discriminatory voting ID laws in Texas; in 2004, he began serving as | ||
| executive director of the Campaign Legal Center; while an adjunct | ||
| professor at Georgetown University Law Center, he developed a | ||
| thriving intern program for CLC; he also taught at the University of | ||
| Virginia, American University, and New York Law School, and he was | ||
| named a Wasserstein Fellow at Harvard Law School and a Mentor in | ||
| Residence at Yale Law School; committed to educating the next | ||
| generation of litigators, he spearheaded the CLC drive to establish | ||
| the Voting Rights Institute, a partnership with the American | ||
| Constitution Society and Georgetown Law; he was of great assistance | ||
| to the Lone Star Project in Texas as well; and | ||
| WHEREAS, While dedicating his career to the pursuit of | ||
| justice, Mr. Hebert was also very active in his church and his | ||
| community in Alexandria, Virginia, coaching youth soccer and | ||
| serving as president of the PTA and the charitable organization | ||
| ALIVE!; he was a devoted husband to his wife of 37 years, Victoria, | ||
| and very engaged in the lives of his five children, Christy, Greta, | ||
| Brooke, Josh, and Marlea, and his 10 grandchildren, Gunter, Annika, | ||
| Amelie, Harper, Sadie, Bailey, Brighid, Adrian, Tyler, and Abe; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Gerry Hebert was a fierce, brilliant champion of | ||
| democracy and equal rights for all, especially the historically | ||
| disenfranchised, and his family and friends will forever treasure | ||
| their memories of his generosity, passion, and wonderful sense of | ||
| humor; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas | ||
| Legislature, 3rd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of | ||
| Joseph Gerald Hebert and extend sincere sympathy to all who mourn | ||
| his passing; and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
| prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of | ||
| Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Gerry | ||
| Hebert. | ||
| Turner | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 18 was unanimously adopted by a rising | ||
| vote of the House on November 1, 2023. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
