By Hilderbran, Coleman H.C.R. No. 136 75R6998 SMC-D HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, The State of Texas will see its 65-plus population 1-2 double between now and the year 2020 as the Baby Boom generation 1-3 comes of age, transforming our social, cultural, and economic 1-4 identity in ways that will affect each of our citizens; and 1-5 WHEREAS, The Texas Department on Aging is the state agency 1-6 exclusively mandated by statute to serve the state's citizens 60 1-7 years of age or older; the department is charged with promoting 1-8 public and private action and conducting studies to help senior 1-9 Texans achieve their highest level of economic and personal 1-10 self-sufficiency, social involvement, dignity, and good health; and 1-11 WHEREAS, The current shifting of many federal programs to 1-12 state and local governments has already begun to reduce the scope 1-13 and quantity of government services, placing heavy demands on the 1-14 creativity and resources of state agencies, elected officials, and 1-15 service providers; and 1-16 WHEREAS, The Administration on Aging, the federal agency that 1-17 administers the Older Americans Act of 1965 and is responsible for 1-18 a large portion of the budget for the Texas Department on Aging, is 1-19 presently working at a national level with long-range planning on 1-20 many issues relating to retirement, health care, osteoporosis, 1-21 Alzheimer's disease, long-term care, disabilities, caregiver 1-22 support, and more; and 1-23 WHEREAS, Texas, with a senior population that now ranks 1-24 fourth in the nation behind California, New York, and Florida, must 2-1 likewise be prepared for those issues as they relate to our own 2-2 specific demographic and social characteristics; now, therefore, be 2-3 it 2-4 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-5 endorse the efforts of the Texas Department on Aging, as the 2-6 central unit of the state network on aging, to promote the 2-7 formation of a partnership of state government agencies and elected 2-8 officials to identify and address all major public policy issues 2-9 related to the aging population of Texas; and, be it further 2-10 RESOLVED, That the Texas Legislature support the efforts of 2-11 the citizens of Texas, in cooperation with the Texas Department on 2-12 Aging, to form a coalition encompassing representatives of finance, 2-13 law, health care, housing, business and industry, the media, faith 2-14 communities, and senior citizens' groups to develop materials and 2-15 sponsor a public awareness campaign that will help Texans evaluate 2-16 and address individual and family preparedness for their retirement 2-17 and aging from a holistic perspective; and, be it further 2-18 RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official 2-19 copy of this resolution to the executive director of the Texas 2-20 Department on Aging. 2-21 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1 2-22 Amend HCR 136 as follows: 2-23 (1) Page 2, line 15, insert ". . . a public awareness 2-24 campaign called "Aging Texas Well" that will help Texans . . ." 2-25 Hilderbran