WHEREAS, Senator Max Benitz served a total of twenty-one years as a Washington state legislator for the 8th District, serving first in the House of Representatives from 1968 to 1972, then serving in the Senate from 1974 to 1986; and

WHEREAS, Senator Benitz was known throughout the state for his immense knowledge of agriculture, touring Russia and the Far East to exhibit his expertise in farming, where he was featured in a film by Walter Cronkite comparing food production techniques between the two regions; and

WHEREAS, Senator Benitz was elected President of the National Farm Bureau Board of Directors, and awarded the special privilege of sitting on the National Farm Bureau Board of Directors for two consecutive terms; and

WHEREAS, Senator Benitz fervently worked to stimulate the wine industry, passing laws such as the 1981 Family Wine Act, helping incentivize small farms to experiment with wine making, the 1987 Washington Wine Commission bill, making wine in Washington not only of national importance but of international importance as well; and

WHEREAS, Senator Benitz, known as "Mr. Energy," adamantly supported the promotion of energy in Washington, firmly advocating for the creation of a comprehensive national energy policy, and working alongside engineers and nuclear scientists at Hanford; and

WHEREAS, Senator Benitz was renowned for his pro-nuclear work, receiving special assignments on the Joint Select Committee for Water Resource Policy as well as on the Hazardous Material Planning Committee; and

WHEREAS, Senator Benitz sat on the Committee on Education, and was heavily involved with bringing Washington State University to the Tri-Cities area; and

WHEREAS, Senator Benitz loved his family, which included his wife Marie, his five children, eleven grandchildren, and two great grandchildren at the time of his death in 1990; and

WHEREAS, Senator Benitz was known not only as a beloved family man, but also as a statesman in every meaning of the word, well-liked on both sides of the aisle based on his keen ability to listen to his constituents, use his immense knowledge to make informed decisions, and act on behalf of the state that he adored so much;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate recognize Senator Benitz for his valiant work in the areas of agriculture, viticulture, education, and energy; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Secretary of the Senate to Senator Benitz's family and to the Prosser community.