SR222 - In memory of former state Senator and Representative Joe J. Bernal of San Antonio.

        SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 222       In Memory   of   Joe Bernal            WHEREAS, Former state senator and representative Joe J.   Bernal of San Antonio passed away on January 25, 2025, at the age   of 97, bringing a great loss to his family, his friends, and his   community; and          WHEREAS, The son of Jose and Antonia Bernal, Joe Bernal was   born in San Antonio on March 1, 1927, and he grew up with the   companionship of eight siblings; after graduating from Lanier   High School in 1944, he joined the U.S. Army and served with the   Headquarters Squadron, Pacific Air Command, in Manila and Tokyo   during World War II; he attained the rank of sergeant before   receiving his honorable discharge at the age of 19; and          WHEREAS, Mr. Bernal earned a bachelor's degree in   sociology from Trinity University, and he began his career as   an educator with the Kosciusko Independent School District; he   went on to teach at elementary schools in Edgewood ISD and San   Antonio ISD and to obtain a master's degree in education with a   minor in social work from Our Lady of the Lake College; along   the way, he was employed as a social worker at the Inman   Christian Center for several years; he later received a   doctorate in cultural foundations in education from The   University of Texas at Austin; and          WHEREAS, A passionate advocate for education and civil   rights, Mr. Bernal successfully ran for a seat in the Texas House   of Representatives in 1964; he was subsequently elected state   senator by the people of Bexar County and began the first of two   consecutive terms in the Texas Senate in January 1967; over the   course of his tenure as a legislator, he championed bilingual   education and the end of de jure segregation, and in 1969, he   overcame fierce opposition to secure passage of the state's first   bilingual education act; he also played an instrumental role in   establishing UT San Antonio and the UT Health Science Center, and   he helped to build a strong foundation for early childhood   education in Texas; among numerous committee assignments, he   served as chair of the Senate Committees on Poverty in Texas,   Claims, and Federal Programs and Relations; he further   distinguished himself as the first executive director of the   Mexican American Legislative Caucus; and          WHEREAS, While carrying out his duties as a lawmaker,   Senator Bernal was employed as executive director for the   Guadalupe Community Center and then for the Commission for   Mexican American Affairs; an avid supporter of the Mexican   American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, he became a founding   member of the organization's board in 1968, holding that role for   10 years; in 1971, he served as the lead plaintiff in White v.   Regester , a successful challenge to Texas' 1970 congressional   redistricting plans; and          WHEREAS, After concluding his service in the Texas   Legislature in 1973, Senator Bernal became an educational   researcher for the Intercultural Development Research Association   as well as a regional director for ACTION, a federal agency that   coordinated volunteer opportunities; beginning in 1982, he served   as principal of Emma Frey Elementary School in Edgewood ISD for   five years, and he subsequently accepted a position as assistant   superintendent for instructional services in Harlandale ISD; and          WHEREAS, Senator Bernal was elected to the State Board of   Education in 1996, and over the next decade, he continued his   efforts to advocate for bilingual education; he worked   tirelessly to provide classrooms with Spanish-language textbooks   and to have the elementary curriculum translated into Spanish,   and he supported the addition of mariachi band competitions to   the University Interscholastic League; twice reelected to the   board, he served as its vice chair from 2001 to 2003 and chaired   the committee on instruction; and          WHEREAS, Among his many accolades, Senator Bernal was   recognized with the Inspire Award from the SAISD Foundation in   2013, and he and his wife, fellow educator Mary Esther Bernal,   received the Lifetime Achievement Award from MALDEF in 2009; in   2014, Northside ISD named Bernal Middle School in his honor; and          WHEREAS, Above all else, Senator Bernal was devoted to his   family; he and his wife shared a rewarding marriage of six and a   half decades before her passing, and he took great pride in their   four children, Richard, Patrick, Rebecca, and the late Barney   Bernal; over the years, he was further blessed with eight   grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; and          WHEREAS, Joe Bernal made a lasting, positive difference in   the lives of countless Texans through his exceptional   contributions as a public servant, and those who were fortunate   enough to know him will forever treasure their memories of his   generosity, his strength of character, and his love for his   family and community; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 89th   Legislature, hereby pay tribute to the life of the Honorable Joe   J. Bernal and extend heartfelt sympathy to his relatives and many   friends; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be   prepared for his family and that when the Texas Senate adjourns   this day, it do so in memory of Joe Bernal.     Menéndez     Alvarado Hagenbuch Middleton   Bettencourt Hall Miles   Birdwell Hancock Nichols   Blanco Hinojosa of Hidalgo Parker   Campbell Hinojosa of Nueces Paxton   Cook Huffman Perry   Creighton Hughes Schwertner   Eckhardt Johnson Sparks   Flores King West   Gutierrez Kolkhorst Zaffirini     Patrick, President of the Senate             ________________________________          President of the Senate               I hereby certify that the     above Resolution was adopted by     the Senate on June 1, 2025, by a     rising vote.             ________________________________          Secretary of the Senate             ________________________________           Member, Texas Senate