SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 483
	WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to
	recognize Tom "Smitty" Smith, who has retired as director of the
	Texas office of Public Citizen after 32 years of exceptional
	service; and
	WHEREAS, Over the course of his distinguished career, Tom
	Smith has been a staunch advocate for the environment,
	governmental ethics, and campaign finance reform; and
	WHEREAS, An Illinois native and a graduate of Valparaiso
	University, Mr. Smith joined Public Citizen in 1985 after having
	begun his professional career in public service with the national
	Volunteers in Service to America program; he also worked as a
	food bank development coordinator and as a legal assistant with
	Texas Rural Legal Aid and with Prairie State Legal Services; and
	WHEREAS, Mr. Smith has played a vital role in the creation
	of much of the state's most important environmental legislation,
	notably in making Texas a national leader in renewable energy and
	in developing its building energy code, which has brought about
	great savings in energy use; he was instrumental in the
	establishment of the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan and in
	mobilizing citizens to halt the construction of proposed coal and
	nuclear power plants; and
	WHEREAS, He has played a key role in the writing and
	passage of major state ethics reforms, and he advocated for the
	creation of the Texas Ethics Commission; he received the Best
	Lifetime Achievement Award from the Austin Chronicle in 2016, and
	his many other accolades include the Heinz Award and the
	Environmental Excellence Award from the United States
	Environmental Protection Agency; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 85th
	Legislature, hereby commend Tom "Smitty" Smith on his many
	accomplishments and the significant impact he has had on our
	state and extend to him best wishes for continued success in all
	his endeavors; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for
	him as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate.
	Watson
		________________________________
		President of the Senate
		I hereby certify that the
		above Resolution was adopted by
		the Senate on March 23, 2017.
		________________________________
		Secretary of the Senate
		________________________________
		Member, Texas Senate