By Rosson S.C.R. No. 96 74R3187 JDB-D CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, The increased participation of women in the Texas 1-2 legal system has helped highlight issues of gender bias and 1-3 discrimination that are interwoven into the traditional practice of 1-4 law in Texas; and 1-5 WHEREAS, The Supreme Court of Texas established a task force 1-6 to study gender bias in the Texas legal system, to determine the 1-7 nature and extent of such bias, and to propose measures for its 1-8 reduction and ultimate elimination; and 1-9 WHEREAS, After extensive study, including surveys, 1-10 interviews, and hearings, the task force determined that gender 1-11 bias exists in the Texas legal system; and 1-12 WHEREAS, The task force has recommended that faculty of Texas 1-13 law schools be encouraged to include in their courses consideration 1-14 of issues of gender bias; and 1-15 WHEREAS, Law school courses not only teach the precedents of 1-16 common law and the interpretation of statutory mandates, but also 1-17 provide an opportunity for formal discussion of issues that may 1-18 result in new legal considerations; and 1-19 WHEREAS, Texas law schools train the state's future judges, 1-20 legislators, and legal advocates whose early legal education forms 1-21 the basis for just adjudication and legislation affecting Texas 1-22 society; now, therefore, be it 1-23 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas 1-24 hereby encourage all Texas law schools to offer courses devoted 2-1 primarily to examination of issues involving gender bias and 2-2 include in all courses relevant issues of gender bias; and, be it 2-3 further 2-4 RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official 2-5 copy of this resolution to the dean of each law school in Texas.