H.R. No. 63

R E S O L U T I O N

WHEREAS, Dr. Lidia Fonseca of McAllen received the Governor's Trophy from the Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities at its Lex Frieden Employment Awards ceremony on October 26, 2023; and

WHEREAS, Each October, in conjunction with National Disability Employment Awareness Month, the Governor's Committee recognizes Texans who have dedicated themselves to empowering their employees, coworkers, and fellow Texans with disabilities; the awards program is named in tribute to disability rights expert Lex Frieden, one of the chief architects of the Americans with Disabilities Act; and

WHEREAS, The committee's highest honor, the Governor's Trophy is presented to a person who has achieved great success in enhancing the empowerment and employment of Texans with disabilities; it acknowledges long-term commitment and exceptional endeavor at both the community and state levels; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Fonseca is the director of programs at Valley Association for Independent Living in McAllen; a passionate champion of disability justice, she works tirelessly to enhance employment opportunities for people with disabilities by coordinating job fairs, assistive technology demonstrations, and employment preparatory programs, as well as ensuring accessibility of facilities; she also advocates for accessible transportation in the rural areas that VAIL serves in her role as president of the Regional Transportation Advisory Panel; making an impact at the state level, she serves as president of TEXCIL, an association of centers for independent living in Texas, and as a member of the board of the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living; and

WHEREAS, Through her outstanding contributions, Lidia Fonseca has advanced the mission of building an inclusive, accessible work environment for Texans with disabilities, and she is richly deserving of this prestigious accolade; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas Legislature, 4th Called Session, hereby congratulate Dr. Lidia Fonseca on receiving the 2023 Governor's Trophy from the Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities Lex Frieden Employment Awards program and extend to her sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Dr. Fonseca as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives.

Guerra

______________________________ Speaker of the House

I certify that H.R. No. 63 was adopted by the House on December 5, 2023, by a non-record vote.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House