By: Ratliff S.C.R. No. 79
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, The people of Texas have received news of the tragic
1-2 events at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, where two
1-3 students murdered 12 schoolchildren, one teacher, and themselves
1-4 with guns and homemade bombs; and
1-5 WHEREAS, These murders have shocked and appalled the nation
1-6 and caused concern for the safety of children in schools and
1-7 communities across the land; and
1-8 WHEREAS, Similar incidents are occurring with alarming
1-9 frequency in schools across the nation and will likely occur
1-10 elsewhere; and
1-11 WHEREAS, Students in Texas schools have recently been found
1-12 with plans to commit various acts of violence against students,
1-13 teachers, and schools; and
1-14 WHEREAS, Violent youth are characterized by conditions such
1-15 as disconnectedness from family and schoolmates, low self-esteem,
1-16 depression, and uncontrollable anger and rage; and
1-17 WHEREAS, These characteristics tend to leave troubled youth
1-18 vulnerable to the negative cultural influences exhibited through
1-19 violent television programming, music, video games, and anti-social
1-20 groups and to the widespread accessibility to guns and other
1-21 instruments of violence; and
1-22 WHEREAS, National attention has focused on strategies to
1-23 reduce easy access to guns, control negative cultural influences,
1-24 establish tighter school security, improve parenting skills,
2-1 develop early intervention methods, and deliver mental health
2-2 services; and
2-3 WHEREAS, These strategies are designed to alleviate the
2-4 conditions that characterize troubled youth, diminish violent
2-5 cultural influences, and restrict access to weapons; and
2-6 WHEREAS, There still remains a critical need to understand
2-7 the root causes of violent behaviors and tendencies and to develop
2-8 effective prevention strategies that will reduce the number of
2-9 youth inclined to inflict violence on others; and
2-10 WHEREAS, The members of the Texas Legislature wish to set in
2-11 motion strategies that will protect all Texas children from acts of
2-12 violence; now, therefore, be it
2-13 RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-14 hereby direct the Texas Department of Health, in collaboration with
2-15 the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Department of Human Services,
2-16 the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, the
2-17 Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, the Texas Department of
2-18 Public Safety, the Department of Protective and Regulatory
2-19 Services, the Criminal Justice Policy Council, and the office of
2-20 the attorney general, within their existing resources, to lead an
2-21 inquiry into youth violence in this state, both real and potential,
2-22 including the incidence and root causes of such violence and ways
2-23 by which such violence can be prevented; and, be it further
2-24 RESOLVED, That this inquiry should include, at a minimum,
2-25 participation of parents, children, actual classroom teachers, and
2-26 school counselors; and, be it further
3-1 RESOLVED, That the agencies submit a full report of their
3-2 findings and recommendations to the 77th Legislature when it
3-3 convenes in January, 2001; and, be it further
3-4 RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official
3-5 copy of this resolution to the commissioner of health, the
3-6 commissioner of education, the commissioner of the Texas Department
3-7 of Human Services, the commissioner of mental health and mental
3-8 retardation, the executive director of the Texas Commission on
3-9 Alcohol and Drug Abuse, the director of the Department of Public
3-10 Safety, the executive director of the Department of Protective and
3-11 Regulatory Services, the executive director of the Criminal Justice
3-12 Policy Council, and the attorney general.