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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Lavinia Masters is being inducted into the Texas |
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Women's Hall of Fame on November 9, 2023, by Governor Greg Abbott |
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and the Governor's Commission for Women; and |
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WHEREAS, Recognized for her advocacy and community service, |
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Ms. Masters is the namesake of the Lavinia Masters Act; this |
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important legislation requires that law enforcement agencies test |
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evidence collected after sexual assaults in a timely manner and |
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extends the statute of limitations for cases with untested |
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evidence; and |
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WHEREAS, When she was only 13 years old, Ms. Masters |
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experienced the trauma of sexual assault and the further trauma of a |
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dehumanizing and ineffective system of justice for victims; she |
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relied on a foundation of faith and family to gradually heal, and as |
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an adult, she began to use her voice in behalf of other survivors; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In 2005, Ms. Masters became a leader in the national |
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effort to eliminate the backlog in processing rape kits; at a news |
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conference with the Dallas Police Department, she urged other |
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survivors to come forward and request that their evidence be |
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examined; she testified before the Texas Legislature and the |
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U.S. Congress and spoke to numerous news outlets; recognizing that |
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the issue was international, she even addressed audiences abroad; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Masters joined forces with state legislators in |
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2017 to pursue action on the matter; she served on a sexual assault |
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task force and worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the need for |
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such legislation; when House Bill 8 was passed in 2019, it was |
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fittingly named in her honor; and |
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WHEREAS, Today, as an activist, author, public speaker, and |
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consultant, Ms. Masters encourages others to embrace purposeful |
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living after trauma and speak out; she is also a coach for members |
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of the entertainment industry seeking to remain trauma-informed and |
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survivor-centered; the founder and director of Hope S.A.V.E.S., she |
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has given generously of her time and expertise as a member of many |
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organizations, among them the boards of the Turning Point Rape |
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Crisis Center and the Governor's Sexual Assault Survivors' Task |
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Force; and |
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WHEREAS, Lavinia Masters has inspired innumerable people by |
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effecting positive change and empowering them to do likewise, and |
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she is richly deserving of this prestigious accolade; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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Legislature, 4th Called Session, hereby congratulate Lavinia |
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Masters on her induction into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame and |
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extend to her sincere best wishes for continued success in her |
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endeavors; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Masters as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |