WHEREAS, Anthony G. Flynn, Esquire, was appointed to the Delaware Harness Racing Commission in 1988 by Governor Michael N. Castle, and was reappointed in 1994 by Governor Thomas R. Carper; and

WHEREAS, Anthony G. Flynn served as chairman of the Delaware Harness Racing Commission for 13 years, possibly the longest chairmanship in the history of the Commission; and

WHEREAS, Anthony G. Flynn recently retired as Chairman of the Delaware Harness Racing Commission; and

WHEREAS, during his tenure as chairman, Anthony G. Flynn, also known as Tony, directed the comprehensive revision of the Commission Rules; and

WHEREAS, Tony Flynn also oversaw the regulatory side of the implementation of the Horse Racing Redevelopment Act of 1994 as it applied to harness racetracks, including the establishment of the enhanced purse structure as a result of video lottery terminal revenue; and

WHEREAS, Tony Flynn also headed a 2-year effort to modernize the Commission's equine medication program, including working with the General Assembly to implement related legislative initiatives; and

WHEREAS, Tony Flynn also restructured and professionalized the Commission staff, through gaining legislative approval for an Administrator of Racing, 2 Commission investigators, a Commission prosecutor, and a continuing professional education program for Commission officials, with a result being that all of the racing judges in Delaware now are accredited; and

WHEREAS, Tony Flynn also guided the implementation of several important legislative initiatives, including the codification of the Delaware-owned or bred program, the establishment of appropriated special fund budgeting for the Commission, and the creation of a special testing protocol for claimed horses; and

WHEREAS, the above are merely a small sampling of Tony's accomplishments during 13 years of service dedicated to promoting and improving the sport of harness racing in the State of Delaware;

NOW THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the 141^st General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate concurring therein, that the members of the 141^st General Assembly extend sincere thanks to Anthony G. Flynn, Esquire, for his exceptional service to the State as Chairman of the Delaware Harness Racing Commission on the occasion of his retirement from the Commission.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, upon passage of this resolution, a suitably prepared copy be presented to Anthony G. Flynn, Esquire.