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2022 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 385
Celebrating the life of Connor Garstka.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 8, 2022
Agreed to by the Senate, March 9, 2022

 

WHEREAS, Connor Garstka, a senior attorney with the Division of Legislative Services in the Finance and Government Section and a beloved son, brother, and friend, died on February 13, 2022; and

WHEREAS, a native of New Hampshire, Connor Garstka graduated magna cum laude from Boston College in 2011 and subsequently earned a law degree from The College of William & Mary, where he received the CALI Excellence for the Future Award for his academic achievements; and

WHEREAS, while a student at The William & Mary Law School, Connor Garstka interned with the Department of Environmental Quality, the Office of the Attorney General, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and the Environmental Protection Agency, gaining a wealth of knowledge on state and federal laws and regulations; and

WHEREAS, in 2015, Connor Garstka assisted the Department of Conservation and Recreation with the development of a Flood Protection Plan and Manual through the Virginia Coastal Policy Center; and

WHEREAS, Connor Garstka joined the Division of Legislative Services on October 25, 2016, and, as a member of the Finance and Government Section, he provided staff support to the House Appropriations, House Finance, and Senate Finance and Appropriations committees, building strong working relationships with members of the General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, admired for his attention to detail, legal acumen, and insightful drafting skills, Connor Garstka contributed to the research, preparation, and revision of hundreds of pieces of complex legislation during regular and special sessions of the General Assembly; and

WHEREAS, Connor Garstka’s personal integrity, commitment to public service, and humble professionalism helped ensure the good and efficient functioning of state government and enabled the members of the General Assembly to better serve the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, a true Renaissance man, Connor Garstka was driven by intellectual curiosity and a pursuit of excellence; he was an avid reader, writer, and poet, as well as a talented musician who played with the band Carmen Ann and the Low Down Gamblers; and

WHEREAS, Connor Garstka was an elegant conversationalist who put others at ease through his genuine warmth, wit, and kindness; his friends and colleagues at the Division of Legislative Services are richer for having had the privilege to know him and work by his side; and

WHEREAS, Connor Garstka will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his parents, Ellen and Alan; his brother, Colin; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Connor Garstka; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Connor Garstka as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.