1-1                                       1

 1-2                          SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 591

 1-3           WHEREAS, The great State of Texas has a rich and proud

 1-4     history which encompasses a variety of cultural and ethnic

 1-5     heritages; and

 1-6           WHEREAS, The many individuals who made this history and

 1-7     brought about the introduction and eventual assimilation of these

 1-8     various cultures into our mutual heritage were laid to rest in now

 1-9     historic cemeteries in communities, towns, cities, on homesteads,

1-10     and in churchyards in the vast geographical area that is Texas;

1-11     and

1-12           WHEREAS, Thousands of these historic Texas cemeteries,

1-13     particularly those in rural areas, are located on private property

1-14     whose owners have no relationship to those interred there; and

1-15           WHEREAS, These historic cemeteries are often in an imperiled

1-16     condition; and

1-17           WHEREAS, Interested citizens and descendants of those buried

1-18     in these historic cemeteries have the right by Texas law to visit

1-19     these sites and maintain them, but are often prevented from

1-20     visiting due to inaccessibility and/or inconvenience, as well as

1-21     a general lack of public awareness concerning the issue of

1-22     cemetery visitation; and

1-23           WHEREAS, SAVE TEXAS CEMETERIES, INCORPORATED, a nonprofit

 2-1     corporation chartered by the State of Texas, has undertaken as one

 2-2     of its stated goals to create a greater public awareness of both

 2-3     the historical and cultural importance of preserving historic

 2-4     Texas cemeteries; and

 2-5           WHEREAS, An essential and inherent element of this stated

 2-6     goal is to provide some measure of guaranteed access to all Texas

 2-7     cemeteries; and

 2-8           WHEREAS, A twice yearly Date of Visitation is proposed, in

 2-9     an effort to accomplish this goal; and

2-10           WHEREAS, These dates should be as follows:  the first Sunday

2-11     in April and the first Sunday in October, to be observed annually;

2-12     and

2-13           WHEREAS, The Texas Senate is proud to sponsor this resolution

2-14     designating the above dates for the purposes of cemetery

2-15     visitation; now, therefore, be it

2-16           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,

2-17     75th Legislature, hereby designate the first Sunday in April and

2-18     the first Sunday in October as Texas Cemetery Visitation Days,

2-19     known hereafter as Texas Cemeteries:  A Bridge to the Past; and,

2-20     be it further

2-21           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared as an

2-22     expression of support for this most important cause, in the hope

2-23     of fostering greater awareness of the rich cultural and historical

2-24     legacy of Texas, especially as it exists in its thousands of

2-25     historic cemeteries.

 3-1                                                              Barrientos

 3-2                                  ______________________________________

 3-3                                          President of the Senate

 3-4                                       I hereby certify that the above

 3-5                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate

 3-6                                  on April 28, 1997.

 3-7                                  ______________________________________

 3-8                                          Secretary of the Senate

 3-9                                  ______________________________________

3-10                                           Member, Texas Senate