Bill Text: VA SJR319 | 2021 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Celebrating the life of Michael Stephen Horwatt.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)
Status: (Passed) 2021-02-01 - Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ319ER) [SJR319 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2021-SJR319-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, Michael Stephen Horwatt, a respected attorney and civic leader in Fairfax County, died on August 14, 2020; and
WHEREAS, Michael Horwatt grew up in McLean and became interested in politics at a young age after his father was targeted by the House Un-American Activities Committee, and he was a strong proponent of racial justice, having personally experienced anti-Semitism as the only Jew in his high school; and
WHEREAS, as a student at Grinnell College, Michael Horwatt traveled to Washington, D.C., as the leader of the Grinnell 14 to protest against atmospheric nuclear testing; the group's success inspired students at dozens of other colleges and universities to participate in similar movements; and
WHEREAS, after receiving a bachelor's degree from Grinnell College, Michael Horwatt earned a law degree from the University of Virginia and pursued a career as a trial attorney; he served as an assistant attorney for the Commonwealth from 1968 to 1970, then opened Reston's first hometown law firm, Horwatt and Kenny; and
WHEREAS, beginning in 1977, Michael Horwatt served on three committees to study the relocation of Fairfax County government buildings, working diligently to build consensus on what were then highly charged and divisive issues; during that time, he also served as a substitute judge for the Fairfax County General District Court for six years; and
WHEREAS, Michael Horwatt worked for the firms Odin, Feldman, & Pittleman and Dickstein, Shapiro & Morin; he subsequently became a managing partner of Buchanan Ingersoll, then finished his career as a solo practitioner; and
WHEREAS, throughout his career, Michael Horwatt practiced antitrust, First Amendment, and land use and zoning, civil rights, and criminal defense law; he played a significant role in the development of Internet law in the Commonwealth through his work on the Virginia Electronic Signatures Act and the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act; and
WHEREAS, Michael Horwatt also cultivated expertise in economic development at the U.S. Department of Commerce and served as vice chair of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority; and
WHEREAS, among many awards and accolades, Michael Horwatt received the 1981 Citizen of the Year award from the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce and the 1983 Citation of Merit from The Washington Post and the Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Associations; and
WHEREAS, Michael Horwatt enjoyed fellowship and worship as a member of the Northern Virginia Hebrew Congregation; and
WHEREAS, Michael Horwatt will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his daughters, Karin and Elizabeth, and their families; his former wife, Sally; and numerous other family members, friends, and colleagues; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Michael Stephen Horwatt; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Michael Stephen Horwatt as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory.
