Senate Concurrent Resolution 625

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION EXTENDING THE RECOGNITION AND THANKS OF THE MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE FOR THE EFFECTIVE LEGISLATIVE SERVICE OF MISSISSIPPI REPRESENTATIVE TYRONE ELLIS UPON THE OCCASION OF HIS RETIREMENT AFTER 38 YEARS OF SERVICE IN THE MISSISSIPPI HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

WHEREAS, Representative Tyrone Ellis, who represents District 38 (Clay, Lowndes and Oktibbeha Counties), has announced his retirement after 38 years of outstanding service in the Mississippi House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, in 1979, Representative Ellis was one of the first African-Americans elected to the Mississippi Legislature after Reconstruction. He is one of the longest-serving African-Americans in the Legislature; and

WHEREAS, before assuming his seat as a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from District 38, Representative Ellis studied at Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Illinois, East Mississippi Community College, Ministerial Institute and College, and New Orleans Theological Seminary; and

WHEREAS, Representative Ellis was diligently serving the citizens of his community before his election to the Mississippi House of Representatives as a Consultant and Businessman, as a Real Estate Developer, and as the Pastor of Running Water Baptist Church in Noxubee County, Mississippi; and

WHEREAS, upon his election in 1980, Tyrone Ellis became the distinguished "Gentleman from Oktibbeha" and wasted no time requesting the legislation, amendments and reports that would help effectuate into law policy changes that his constituents had elected him to further, and because of his passion and genuine desire to better this great Magnolia State, he became the first member to serve as Majority Leader of the Mississippi House of Representatives; and

WHEREAS, during his tenure as a legislator from 1980 until 2017, Representative Ellis served on the following committees: Accountability, Efficiency and Transparency; Apportionment and Elections; Corrections; Judiciary B; Judiciary En Banc; and as a ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee; and

WHEREAS, not one to limit his community involvement to the Legislature, Representative Ellis has always been active in his district and dedicated to improving the quality of life for all citizens, as evidenced by his service with the Starkville Habitat for Humanities, the Starkville-Oktibbeha County Boys and Girls Club, and the Oktibbeha County School Board; and

WHEREAS, Representative Ellis is a wonderful example for public servants and we commend his record of achievement and legacy of leadership and dedication to all in Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby extend the recognition and thanks of the Mississippi Legislature for the effective legislative service of Mississippi Representative Tyrone Ellis upon the occasion of his retirement after 38 years of service in the Mississippi House of Representatives, and we pay tribute and cherish fondly his service, his friendship and his enormous civic energy for the citizens of the State of Mississippi.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Representative Tyrone Ellis and his family, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.