1-1     By:  Zaffirini, Carona                                S.C.R. No. 36

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed February 27, 1997; March 4, 1997, read

 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services;

 1-4     March 24, 1997, reported favorably, as amended, by the following

 1-5     vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0; March 24, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6     COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1                            By:  Zaffirini

 1-7     Amend S.C.R. No. 36 on page 1, line 49, in the second WHEREAS

 1-8     clause, by inserting "called 'Aging Texas Well'" between "campaign"

 1-9     and "that"

1-10                        SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

1-11           WHEREAS, The State of Texas will see its 65-plus population

1-12     double between now and the year 2020 as the Baby Boom generation

1-13     comes of age, transforming our social, cultural, and economic

1-14     identity in ways that will affect each of our citizens; and

1-15           WHEREAS, The Texas Department on Aging is the state agency

1-16     exclusively mandated by statute to serve the state's citizens 60

1-17     years of age or older; the department is charged with promoting

1-18     public and private action and conducting studies to help senior

1-19     Texans achieve their highest level of economic and personal

1-20     self-sufficiency, social involvement, dignity, and good health; and

1-21           WHEREAS, The current shifting of many federal programs to

1-22     state and local governments has already begun to reduce the scope

1-23     and quantity of government services, placing heavy demands on the

1-24     creativity and resources of state agencies, elected officials, and

1-25     service providers; and

1-26           WHEREAS, The Administration on Aging, the federal agency that

1-27     administers the Older Americans Act of 1965 and is responsible for

1-28     a large portion of the budget for the Texas Department on Aging, is

1-29     presently working at a national level with long-range planning on

1-30     many issues relating to retirement, health care, osteoporosis,

1-31     Alzheimer's disease, long-term care, disabilities, caregiver

1-32     support, and more; and

1-33           WHEREAS, Texas, with a senior population that now ranks

1-34     fourth in the nation behind California, New York, and Florida, must

1-35     likewise be prepared for those issues as they relate to our own

1-36     specific demographic and social characteristics; now, therefore, be

1-37     it

1-38           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

1-39     endorse the efforts of the Texas Department on Aging, as the

1-40     central unit of the state network on aging, to promote the

1-41     formation of a partnership of state government agencies and elected

1-42     officials to identify and address all major public policy issues

1-43     related to the aging population of Texas; and, be it further

1-44           RESOLVED, That the Texas Legislature support the efforts of

1-45     the citizens of Texas, in cooperation with the Texas Department on

1-46     Aging, to form a coalition encompassing representatives of finance,

1-47     law, health care, housing, business and industry, the media, faith

1-48     communities, and senior citizens' groups to develop materials and

1-49     sponsor a public awareness campaign that will help Texans evaluate

1-50     and address individual and family preparedness for their retirement

1-51     and aging from a holistic perspective; and, be it further

1-52           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official

1-53     copy of this resolution to the executive director of the Texas

1-54     Department on Aging.

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