HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 2018-4685, by Representatives Chopp, Kristiansen, Appleton, Barkis, Bergquist, Blake, Buys, Caldier, Chandler, Chapman, Clibborn, Cody, Condotta, DeBolt, Dent, Doglio, Dolan, Dye, Eslick, Fey, Fitzgibbon, Frame, Goodman, Graves, Gregerson, Griffey, Hansen, Hargrove, Harmsworth, Harris, Hayes, Holy, Hudgins, Irwin, Jenkin, Jinkins, Johnson, Kagi, Kilduff, Kirby, Klippert, Kloba, Kraft, Kretz, Lovick, Lytton, MacEwen, Macri, Manweller, Maycumber, McBride, McCabe, McCaslin, McDonald, Morris, Muri, Nealey, Orcutt, Ormsby, Ortiz-Self, Orwall, Pellicciotti, Peterson, Pettigrew, Pike, Pollet, Reeves, Riccelli, Robinson, Rodne, Ryu, Santos, Sawyer, Schmick, Sells, Senn, Shea, Slatter, Smith, Springer, Stambaugh, Stanford, Steele, Stokesbary, Stonier, Sullivan, Tarleton, Taylor, Tharinger, Valdez, Van Werven, Vick, Volz, Walsh, Wilcox, Wylie, and Young

WHEREAS, Representative Larry Haler was born in Iowa City, Iowa and educated at two of Washington state's finest institutions of higher learning, Pacific Lutheran University and Bellevue-based City University; and

WHEREAS, Representative Larry Haler has over 40 years' experience working in the nuclear industry, most of it focused on nuclear control rooms, safety training, and community relations, and as such has become the Legislature's resident expert on all things Hanford; and

WHEREAS, Representative Larry Haler has had a long and illustrious civic career having been elected to the Richland City Council in 1989, where he served for 15 years, including as Richland's Mayor from 1996 to 2000, before he was elected to the state House of Representatives in 2004; and

WHEREAS, Residents in the 8th Legislative District have shown their support for Representative Larry Haler's character, work ethic, priorities, demeanor, and ideals by electing him to the House of Representatives seven consecutive times; and

WHEREAS, Representative Larry Haler spent much of his legislative career focusing on education, higher education, economic development, protecting taxpayers, and health care for underserved areas; and

WHEREAS, Representative Larry Haler sponsored legislation signed into law by two different governors to protect students from predatory teachers, increase health care access to rural and underserved areas, and to help sick and injured Hanford workers get the help and health care they need; and

WHEREAS, Representative Larry Haler is known for his love of all things science, including gravitational waves, quarks, dark matter, and the mass of neutrinos, and frequently beguiles friends and colleagues alike with discussions of the work being done at the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland; and

WHEREAS, Representative Larry Haler's warm smile, quick wit, and sincere gratitude endeared him to members and staff on both sides of the aisle and in both legislative chambers; and

WHEREAS, Representative Larry Haler's love for the legislative institution, respect for all members and staff, eagerness to serve the public, and genuine distaste for partisan bickering made him a unique and stalwart member of the House of Representatives;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor and recognize Representative Larry Haler for his many years of service, poignant floor speeches, ability to work across the aisle and rotunda, and demeanor as a true statesman; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be immediately transmitted by the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives to Representative Larry Haler and his lovely wife, Jenifer, and their precocious dog, Princess.