S.C.R. No. 38
                             SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
    1-1        WHEREAS, Family violence is a severe problem in Texas,
    1-2  accounting for more than 22 percent of violent crime in the state;
    1-3  and
    1-4        WHEREAS, Victims of family violence are frequently
    1-5  handicapped in their efforts to leave their abusers because of lack
    1-6  of support and shelter; and
    1-7        WHEREAS, Current restrictions on food stamp applications may
    1-8  force some victims to return to their abusers due to requirements
    1-9  that a victim must seek and obtain refuge in a battered women's
   1-10  shelter to qualify for immediate reissuance of food stamps; and
   1-11        WHEREAS, In all of Texas there are only 62 full-service
   1-12  battered women's shelters, and these are frequently too crowded to
   1-13  accept new victims; and
   1-14        WHEREAS, The current federal policy frequently punishes
   1-15  victims of family violence; now, therefore, be it
   1-16        RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
   1-17  hereby memorialize the Congress of the United States to enact
   1-18  legislation to amend the food stamp program by adding a special
   1-19  provision to allow food stamp workers to reissue food stamp
   1-20  benefits to family members fleeing from domestic violence,
   1-21  regardless of where they seek refuge, provided the families present
   1-22  evidence that they were or are victims of domestic violence; and,
   1-23  be it further
    2-1        RESOLVED, That the Texas Secretary of State forward official
    2-2  copies of this resolution to the President of the United States,
    2-3  the president of the senate and speaker of the house of
    2-4  representatives of the United States Congress, and all members of
    2-5  the Texas delegation to the Congress with the request that this
    2-6  resolution be entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to
    2-7  the Congress of the United States.