ByRepresentatives Jinkins, Wilcox, Appleton, Barkis, Bergquist, Blake, Boehnke, Caldier, Callan, Chambers, Chandler, Chapman, Chopp, Cody, Corry, Davis, DeBolt, Dent, Doglio, Dolan, Duerr, Dufault, Dye, Entenman, Eslick, Fey, Fitzgibbon, Frame, Gildon, Goehner, Goodman, Graham, Gregerson, Griffey, Hansen, Harris, Hoff, Hudgins, Irwin, Jenkin, J. Johnson, Kilduff, Kirby, Klippert, Kloba, Kraft, Kretz, Leavitt, Lekanoff, Lovick, MacEwen, Macri, Maycumber, McCaslin, Mead, Morgan, Mosbrucker, Orcutt, Ormsby, Ortiz-Self, Orwall, Paul, Pellicciotti, Peterson, Pollet, Ramel, Ramos, Riccelli, Robinson, Rude, Ryu, Santos, Schmick, Sells, Senn, Shewmake, Slatter, Smith, Springer, Steele, Stokesbary, Stonier, Sullivan, Sutherland, Tarleton, Thai, Tharinger, Valdez, Van Werven, Vick, Volz, Walen, Walsh, Wylie, Ybarra, and Young

WHEREAS, Representative Eric Pettigrew grew up in South Central Los Angeles, raised by a single mother, and attended Nogales High School, where he excelled on the football field; and

WHEREAS, He received a football scholarship to attend Oregon State University, where he received a degree in sociology and counseling psychology, and to this day remains a stalwart fan of the Oregon Beavers, and allergic to the yellow-and-gold colors of the University of Oregon Ducks; and

WHEREAS, Pettigrew then began his career in public service and nonprofit work, serving as the director of the Minority Youth Health Project, which worked to reduce teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease rates in Seattle, and as Deputy Chief of Staff for Public Safety for Seattle Mayor Norm Rice; and

WHEREAS, In 2002, he was elected to the Washington State House of Representatives, where he advocated on behalf of affordable housing, and equity and opportunity for all when it came to education and jobs; and

WHEREAS, In 2010, Pettigrew was elected chair of the House Democratic Caucus, placing him in a leadership role that he retained throughout the final decade of his legislative career, providing a firm and steady guiding hand to facilitate caucus meetings and meting out justice to members who neglected to mute their cell phones; and

WHEREAS, Pettigrew has been a consistent progressive force in the Legislature, chalking up victories ranging from persons living with spinal cord injuries or Parkinson's disease, to grandmothers raising grandchildren and former convicts hoping to reintegrate into society; and

WHEREAS, Pettigrew reached across the aisle to build relationships with members from every corner of the state and each political party, leading to this Seattle Democrat's enthusiastic role as sponsor and advocate for laws and reforms on behalf of Washington's farmers and ranchers; and

WHEREAS, In his spare time, Pettigrew has worked tirelessly for community groups, including serving as president of the Rainier Valley Chamber of Commerce, and as a board member of the Rainier Vista Boys and Girls Club and the ACT Theatre, along with coaching Little League and youth basketball; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize Pettigrew's record of public service, both in and out of this chamber, on behalf of his district, his colleagues, and the people of the State of Washington.