2018 -- H 8009

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2018

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF THOMAS NERNEY

     Introduced By: Representatives Tanzi, McEntee, Fogarty, Shekarchi, and Filippi

     Date Introduced: March 28, 2018

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, It is with great sadness that this House has learned of the passing of Thomas

Nerney, the devoted husband of Jean M. Bowen, loving father of Kevin Nerney, and the highly-

respected Executive Director of the Institute on Health and Quality Ethics; and

     WHEREAS, Thomas Nerney was the son of Mary and Thomas Nerney, and the brother

of Mary Nerney, CND, Dr. Anne Balboni, Psy.D, James M. Nerney, and John J. Nerney. He had

attended the City University of New York; and

     WHEREAS, For much of his life, Mr. Nerney endeavored to improve the lives of people

with physical, medical, and developmental disabilities, and most recently, as Executive Director

of The Institute for Health Quality and Quality Ethics, Mr. Nerney was working on the

dissemination and development of a foundation for ethical decision-making based on best

practices and quality; and

     WHEREAS, Combining an equal measure of compassion and a tireless work ethic, Mr.

Nerney was a noted researcher, author, and lecturer on quality and ethics in human services and

public policy issues regarding persons with disabilities. He had recently served as Director for

The Center for Self-Determination, "a national effort to work with states, individuals with

disabilities, family members, and professionals to reform and implement the new health care and

insurance provisions with a values-based self-determination perspective"; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Nerney had served as the Co-Director of the Robert Wood Johnson

Foundation's program entitled "Self-Determination for Persons with Developmental Disabilities,"

was the Principal Investigator for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation project "to determine

changes in cost and quality of life for persons with disabilities when they gain control of the

resources," and had served on the Obama pre-election Policy Committee, to name just a few of

his many missions; and

     WHEREAS, Recognized by his peers for his outstanding efforts, Mr. Nerney was

awarded a certificate in bio-ethics from Georgetown University and both the Kennedy Foundation

Fellowship in Public Policy and the Mary Switzer Distinguished Fellowship from the Institute for

Rehabilitation and Research. In addition, he was the recipient of a graduate fellowship in

philosophy from Trinity College; and

     WHEREAS, Also a man of great faith, Mr. Nerney was a long-time member of the

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of South County; and

     WHEREAS, Thomas Nerney was a gentleman and a humanitarian who left this world a

better place because of his life's endeavors. He enriched the lives of all who knew him and he will

be dearly missed; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby expresses our deepest sympathies on the passing of Thomas

Nerney; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Jean Bowen and Family.

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