WHEREAS, Representative Mary Lou Dickerson has honorably served the people of the 36th Legislative District and Washington as a member of this House of Representatives for 17 years, and only one sitting member has served longer; and
     WHEREAS, Mary Lou Dickerson has consistently maintained her values, her composure and determination even in times of great turmoil and strife, always showing unending compassion for neighbors, her community, and the entire state of Washington; and
     WHEREAS, Mary Lou Dickerson has consistently championed legislation for the well-being of children and families, the working poor, people with disabilities, senior citizens, foster children and others who needed a strong voice and a faithful supporter on their side; and
     WHEREAS, Mary Lou Dickerson has tremendous respect for all members of the Legislature and has reached across the aisle and the rotunda to do what is best for the people of Washington; and
     WHEREAS, Mary Lou Dickerson's leadership on raising parental awareness of video game violence led to improvements in the national game rating system and led President Bill Clinton to bring her to the White House Rose Garden national summit on youth violence in 2009; and
     WHEREAS, The Children's Safe Product Act sponsored by Mary Lou Dickerson made Washington the first state in the nation to address the issue of lead and other toxic substances in toys and became a national model on safe children's products for other states; and
     WHEREAS, Mary Lou Dickerson is also responsible for improving the lives of countless children in Washington by going head to head with industry lobbyists to stop toxic chemicals from being used in baby bottles and other products intended for infants and toddlers; and
     WHEREAS, Mary Lou Dickerson and her allies were responsible for bringing a giant baby bottle to the Capitol Campus to illustrate her point; and
     WHEREAS, Mary Lou Dickerson's pioneering work on evidence-based juvenile justice reforms helped Washington to reduce juvenile crime by 40 percent since 2000; and
     WHEREAS, While serving the people of Seattle and Washington tirelessly as a state representative, Mary Lou Dickerson managed to find time to write her book entitled Small Victories and to win the national American Foundation for the Blind Catherine Gallagher Award; and
     WHEREAS, Mary Lou Dickerson recently became the first person to receive the annual Spirit of June Leonard Award, which recognizes the lawmaker who best embodies the vision, principles, and dedication of the late great June Leonard; and
     WHEREAS, Mary Lou Dickerson has worn her rhinestone tiaras with pride both on and off the floor of the House of Representatives; and
     WHEREAS, The world deserves the opportunity to see the miracles that Mary Lou Dickerson can work with a paint brush and easel, in addition to the miracles she has accomplished as a state representative; and
     WHEREAS, Those who work for her will miss her as much as those who work with her; and
     WHEREAS, The Democratic Caucus will miss any future performances of Mary Lou and the 6-Footers;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives celebrate and honor Mary Lou Dickerson's many spectacular accomplishments in the Legislature and her community; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the members of this House of Representatives wish Mary Lou Dickerson the happiest of retirements with her husband John and family in the Seattle community she loves so much and has served so well.