By:  Ellis, et al.                                    S.C.R. No. 97
                             SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
    1-1        WHEREAS, African American and Mexican American Texans have
    1-2  enriched the cultural heritage of our state and contributed
    1-3  significantly to the strength of the State of Texas; and
    1-4        WHEREAS, The Capitol grounds contain many statues, monuments,
    1-5  and exhibits that pay tribute to the people, ideals, and events
    1-6  that Texans hold dear; these displays are poignant reminders of the
    1-7  struggles that Texans have endured in the past and the challenges
    1-8  that we face today; and
    1-9        WHEREAS, As Texas enters the 21st century, we pay tribute to
   1-10  the African American and Mexican American citizens who shaped our
   1-11  past and will mold our future; and
   1-12        WHEREAS, It is fitting that we send a message to the African
   1-13  American and Mexican American children in our state conveying the
   1-14  greatness of their heritage and the potential for their future; a
   1-15  privately funded statue or monument depicting the African American
   1-16  and Mexican American Texans on the Texas Capitol grounds would
   1-17  acknowledge the important and valuable resources that Texas has in
   1-18  our African American and Mexican American citizens; and
   1-19        WHEREAS, Chapter 443 of the Government Code authorizes the
   1-20  State Preservation Board to preserve, maintain, and restore the
   1-21  Capitol grounds, which include the Capitol, the General Land Office
   1-22  Building, their contents, their grounds, and monuments and exhibits
   1-23  on the grounds; now, therefore, be it
    2-1        RESOLVED, That the 73rd Legislature of the State of Texas
    2-2  hereby direct the State Preservation Board to include in its
    2-3  long-range master plan for the Capitol grounds a permanent monument
    2-4  in tribute to African American and Mexican American Texans; and, be
    2-5  it further
    2-6        RESOLVED, That an advisory committee of five African American
    2-7  and five Mexican American Texans be established to manage the
    2-8  design development of the monument and raise the funds required,
    2-9  such committee to be comprised of two members of the Texas House of
   2-10  Representatives, two members of the Texas Senate, and six cultural
   2-11  and business leaders of the state with some expertise in
   2-12  fund-raising; a representative of the State Preservation Board
   2-13  shall serve as a liaison to the committee; and, be it further
   2-14        RESOLVED, That the statue shall be totally funded by private
   2-15  donations raised by the advisory committee and that the names of
   2-16  donors shall not be inscribed or placed on the statue; funds shall
   2-17  be transferred to the board when full funding has been achieved;
   2-18  and, be it further
   2-19        RESOLVED, That the State Preservation Board shall review and
   2-20  approve the design and location of the monument and manage its
   2-21  installation, and that the General Services Commission or any other
   2-22  state agency assist the board in the planning and completion of the
   2-23  monument or exhibit as requested.