H*4893 Resolution, By Neilson, Alexander, M.O. Alexander, R.L. Altman, Anderson, 
Bailey, J.J. Bailey, B.O. Baker, R.A. Barber, J.M. Baxley, D.M. Beasley, 
D.W. Beatty, L.E. Bennett, Boan, G.A. Brown, H. Brown, J. Brown, D.M. Bruce, 
K.T. Burch, A.W. Byrd, Canty, Carnell, Cato, C.D. Chamblee, H.H. Clyborne, 
Cobb-Hunter, Cooper, K.S. Corbett, R.S. Corning, B. Council, J.L.M. Cromer, 
Delleney, Elliott, L.L. Elliott, Fair, T.L. Farr, J.G. Felder, S.R. Foster, 
R.C. Fulmer, L.E. Gentry, Glover, S.E. Gonzales, H.M. Hallman, J.P. Harrelson, 
J.L. Harris, P.B. Harris, Harrison, Harvin, B.H. Harwell, Haskins, 
B.L. Hendricks, J.H. Hodges, D.N. Holt, W.S. Houck, T.E. Huff, M.A. Hyatt, 
Inabinett, M.F. Jaskwhich, Jennings, J.C. Johnson, Keegan, K.G. Kempe, Kennedy, 
H.H. Keyserling, M.H. Kinon, Kirsh, J.R. Klapman, Koon, Lanford, Littlejohn, 
S.G. Manly, C.V. Marchbanks, Martin, D.E. Martin, L.M. Martin, J.G. Mattos, 
J.G. McAbee, McCraw, J.T. McElveen, A.C. McGinnis, McKay, M. McLeod, 
D.E. McTeer, E.L. Nettles, Phillips, Quinn, J. Rama, Rhoad, Meacham, Riser, 
T.F. Rogers, L.W. Ross, I.K. Rudnick, Scott, Sharpe, J.R. Shirley, 
J.S. Shissias, R. Smith, J.J. Snow, E.C. Stoddard, C.H. Stone, C.L. Sturkie, 
L.S. Taylor, Townsend, J.W. Tucker, Vaughn, C.Y. Waites, D.C. Waldrop, 
C.C. Wells, L.S. Whipper, J.M. White, J.B. Wilder, Wilkes, Wilkins, D. Williams, 
J.B. Williams, S.S. Wofford, D.A. Wright, Young-Brickell and R.M. Young
 A House Resolution commending Speaker Robert J. Sheheen, Counsel to the
 Speaker, Stephen P. Bates, and the other members of the Speaker's staff who
 were instrumental in representing the interests of the South Carolina House of
 Representatives during the reapportionment process, specifically in regard to
 preparing and presenting the reapportionment plans advocated by the House of
 Representatives during the lawsuit of "Burton, et al, V. Sheheen, et al."
 before the Federal Court.

   05/28/92  House  Introduced and adopted HJ-10

A HOUSE RESOLUTION

COMMENDING SPEAKER ROBERT J. SHEHEEN, COUNSEL TO THE SPEAKER, STEPHEN P. BATES, AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE SPEAKER'S STAFF WHO WERE INSTRUMENTAL IN REPRESENTING THE INTERESTS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DURING THE REAPPORTIONMENT PROCESS, SPECIFICALLY IN REGARD TO PREPARING AND PRESENTING THE REAPPORTIONMENT PLANS ADVOCATED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DURING THE LAWSUIT OF BURTON, ET AL. V. SHEHEEN, ET AL. BEFORE THE FEDERAL COURT.

Whereas, the South Carolina House of Representatives, following the release of the 1990 decennial census, undertook the task of legislatively redistricting the South Carolina House, Senate, and Congressional districts during the 1991-92 legislative session, but while plans for the House and Senate were legislatively adopted, no plans were enacted into law; and

Whereas, a lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina in October of 1991, captioned Burton, et al. v. Sheheen, et al., in which Speaker of the House Robert J. Sheheen was named as a defendant in his representative capacity as the presiding officer of the South Carolina House of Representatives; and

Whereas, numerous hearings were held in conjunction with the lawsuit, including a three and a half week trial involving three federal court judges and twenty-six attorneys; and

Whereas, Speaker Robert J. Sheheen submitted to the court on the House's behalf reapportionment plans based on those passed by the House and presented testimony and other evidence to support the adoption of those plans; and

Whereas, the litigation required extensive research, correspondence, preparation of pleadings, analyses of maps and statistics, and zealous advocacy at trial; and

Whereas, the final order of the three-judge panel in the Burton, et al. v. Sheheen, et al. case ordered the implementation of new redistricting plans which are very similar in appearance and effect to those plans submitted to the court by Speaker Sheheen on behalf of the House; and

Whereas, Speaker Sheheen was assisted primarily by Staff Counsel Stephen P. Bates, Senior Assistant Attorney General Treva Ashworth, and Technical Consultant Robert Main, as well as other members of the Speaker's staff during preparation for the litigation, and was represented at trial by Stephen P. Bates; and

Whereas, Speaker Sheheen and the above-named staff members worked tirelessly, providing outstanding service to and representation of the House of Representatives without receiving any compensation beyond their normal salaries; and

Whereas, Speaker Sheheen was the only party to the lawsuit not to retain outside legal counsel, expert witnesses, or support staff and the only public defendant in the case not to incur legal costs at public expense; and

Whereas, the House of Representatives wishes to recognize and thank those who performed those services above and beyond their normal duties in representing the interests of the House during the entire reapportionment process, and during the litigation phase in particular. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives:

That the House hereby commends Speaker Robert J. Sheheen, Counsel to the Speaker, Stephen P. Bates, and the other members of the Speaker's staff which were instrumental in representing the interests of the South Carolina House of Representatives during the reapportionment process, specifically in regard to preparing and presenting the reapportionment plans advocated by the House of Representatives during the lawsuit of Burton, et al. v. Sheheen, et al. before the federal court.

Be it further resolved that the House of Representatives commends Speaker Robert J. Sheheen and his staff for performing that extraordinary task in a dedicated, professional, and fiscally responsible manner, without expending additional funds at the expense of the taxpayers of the State of South Carolina, and congratulates the Speaker, his counsel, and staff on the role they played in the formulation of the reapportionment plans incorporated by court order.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to The Honorable Robert J. Sheheen, Speaker of the House of Representatives.