The Texas House of Representatives has been a better place for the past 50 years because of the presence of Representative Senfronia Thompson. First elected in 1972, she has served 26 terms in the Texas House and is the longest-serving woman and longest-serving Black lawmaker in the legislature. The 84-year-old legislator got a big surprise this week when she was honored for her historic career of service during the last session of the House of the 88th Legislature.

All rules of the House were suspended as the clerk read in full HR 2185, which recognized Rep. Thompson’s 50 years of unwavering work for justice, equality, and opportunity for all. Stating that she has always been at the forefront of change, the resolution noted such accomplishments as the exertions to combat human trafficking, the passage of the James Bryd Jr. Hate Crime Act, the Sexual Assault Program Fund, the state ’s first and only alimony law, laws creating drug courts, and legislation providing insurance coverage for anti-cancer oral medication, 3D mammograms, HPV and cervical cancer screening, and contraceptives; and giving Texas one of the nation’s toughest prescription drug price transparency laws. Rep. Thompson is also credited with the passage of allowing Medicaid nursing home residents to keep more of their retirement and social security money for personal use, as well as a bill permitting homeowners over the age of 65 to make quarterly property tax payments without penalty; she authored the Chief Justice Jack Pope Act, which increased funding for legal aid to low-income Texans with civil cases, as well as the Michael Morton Act, which instituted important criminal justice reforms; among many other measures to defend the vulnerable, she secured passage of legislation banning racial profiling, strengthening protective orders, shielding unpaid interns from sexual harassment, and increasing sex offender penalties.

Rep. Thompson has done all of this because she knows the law, has the experience, and knows how to work with others to get it done. Rising to become dean, she is notorious for her ability to work across the aisle with all parties.

With a storied career such as Rep. Thompson's, there should be no surprise at the number of honors and awards she has deservingly earned. Some include her induction into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame, being named one of the Top Ten Best Legislators by Texas Monthly, and being the sole recipient of the Rosa Parks Award from the Texas Legislative Black Caucus.

Ms. T was clearly moved and humbled as she spoke from the Speaker’s lectern after the reading of the resolution and several glowing remarks by colleagues.

"I was very impressed to hear all of the things that I have been able to accomplish, but none of those things that I accomplished were without the support and help of both legislatures like you and those of the past. It just shows you what can be accomplish when we work together. And the things that I like about the House-we know how to put partisanship aside on many issues and work on the issues themselves. And those bills that were passed is a testimony to the leadership of the speakers that I was so privileged to serve." Rep. Thompson continued, "I want to thank the good Lord for blessing me to be here, my constituents for being intelligent enough to send me, and my colleagues for (being) gracious enough to tolerate me."