HR384 • 2026

Commending Estelle Newby.

Education

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Hayes
Last action: 2026-04-24
Official status: Passed
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about Estelle Newby's contributions beyond mentioning education, faith, and community service. The candidate explanation included additional details that were removed due to lack of support in the official text.

Commending Estelle Newby

This bill commends Estelle Newby on her 90th birthday for her contributions to Portsmouth.

What This Bill Does

Honors Estelle Newby on her 90th birthday.
Recognizes her contributions to the Portsmouth community over many years.
Highlights her involvement in education and religious activities.

Who It Names or Affects

Estelle Newby, a resident of Portsmouth who turned 90 on February 2, 2026.

Terms To Know

Jim Crow laws: Laws that enforced racial segregation and discrimination in the United States from the late 19th to mid-20th century.
Civil Rights Movement: A period of social, political, and legal struggles for civil rights by African Americans in the United States between 1954 and 1968.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not provide any financial support or benefits to Estelle Newby.
It is a symbolic gesture of appreciation from the House of Delegates.

Bill History

2026-04-24 House
Bill text as passed House (HR384ER)
2026-03-11 House
Engrossed by House
2026-03-11 House
Agreed to by House by voice vote
2026-03-10 House
Presented and laid on Speaker's table 26108484D
2026-03-10 House
Committee Referral Pending

Official Summary Text

Commending Estelle Newby.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Commending Estelle Newby.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 11, 2026
WHEREAS, Estelle Newby, a distinguished resident of the City of Portsmouth, celebrated her 90th birthday on February 2, 2026; and
WHEREAS, Estelle Newby was born in 1936 in the City of South Norfolk, now Chesapeake, and grew up during a defining era in American history; and
WHEREAS, Estelle Newby came of age under Jim Crow laws and segregation and bore witness to the transformative milestones of the Civil Rights Movement, including the landmark Supreme Court of the United States case
Brown v. Board of Education
in 1954, the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955–1956, and the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965; and
WHEREAS, Estelle Newby has lived through historic advancements in the pursuit of equality and justice, from the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom in 1963 to the election of Barack Obama, the first Black president of the United States, in 2008; and
WHEREAS, Estelle Newby has been guided by her steadfast faith and has remained an active and devoted member of St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church; and
WHEREAS, Estelle Newby has demonstrated an insatiable passion for education, shaping the hearts and minds of young people both through her service at St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church and as a teacher with Portsmouth Public Schools; and
WHEREAS, Estelle Newby is a proud member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., and wears the colors blue and gold with distinction and pride; and
WHEREAS, Estelle Newby enriches her community through her love of cooking, baking, music, and her well-known and cherished fruit salad; and
WHEREAS, Estelle Newby's lifelong commitment to faith, education, service, and community has made her a pillar of Portsmouth and an enduring inspiration to all who know her; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That Estelle Newby hereby be commended on the occasion of her 90th birthday for her legacy of contributions to the Portsmouth community; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Estelle Newby as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for her achievements and best wishes.