SRC-BWC S.C.R. 17 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.C.R. 17 2001S0244/1By: Barrientos Administration 3/23/2001 As Filed DIGEST State law { Section 2165.256 (State Cemetery and Other Burial Grounds), Government Code} specifies those persons eligible for burial in the State Cemetery and authorizes the legislature to grant eligibility to other persons through the adoption of a concurrent resolution. Commissioner of the Texas Rehabilitation Commission, Vernon "Max" Arrell and his wife, Betty B. Arrell, have expressed a desire to be buried in the State Cemetery. Commissioner Arrell has more than 40 years of public service to the citizens of the State of Texas primarily in the field of rehabilitation of persons with disabilities. He has served as Commissioner of the Texas Rehabilitation Commission for 20 years, the longest tenure of any sitting chief executive officer of any state agency in Texas and has worked to improve opportunities and the quality of life for persons with disabilities. Commissioner Arrell began his public service career in Texas in 1961 as a vocational rehabilitation counselor with the Texas Education Agency's Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, later was promoted to programs consultant, and then became assistant director for special programs. In 1968, he worked for the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation as Assistant Director of Vocational Rehabilitation and later became Director of the Alcoholism and Drug Abuse program. Commissioner Arrell returned to the Vocational Rehabilitation Program in 1970, which was then a division of the newly created Texas Rehabilitation Commission, and served in several executive level positions until 1981, when he was appointed commissioner. During his tenure at the Texas Rehabilitation Commission and its predecessor agency, he had seen the rehabilitation of over one million Texans. He is acknowledged nationally as an expert in the field of vocational rehabilitation and has been appointed to numerous task forces and committee assignments at the request of both federal and state oversight bodies. Commissioner Arrell has devoted his life to public service for this state. PURPOSE As proposed, S.C.R. 17 submits the following resolutions: That the 77th Texas Legislature hereby authorize the burial of Vernon "Max" Arrell and wife, Betty B. Arrell, in the State Cemetery, and to insure that proper application for assignment of burial space is made to the General Services Commission as required by law.