By:  Barrientos                                       S.C.R. No. 17
 1-1                        SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-2           WHEREAS, State law (Section 2165.256, Government Code)
 1-3     specifies those persons eligible for burial in the State Cemetery
 1-4     and authorizes the legislature to grant eligibility to other
 1-5     persons through the adoption of a concurrent resolution; and
 1-6           WHEREAS, Commissioner of the Texas Rehabilitation Commission,
 1-7     Vernon "Max" Arrell and his wife, Betty B. Arrell, have expressed a
 1-8     desire to be buried in the State Cemetery, and their request merits
 1-9     approval based on Commissioner Arrell's more than 40 years of
1-10     public service to the citizens of the State of Texas primarily in
1-11     the field of rehabilitation of persons with disabilities; and
1-12           WHEREAS, Commissioner Arrell has served as Commissioner of
1-13     the Texas Rehabilitation Commission for 20 years, the longest
1-14     tenure of any sitting chief executive officer of any state agency
1-15     in Texas; he has worked tirelessly to improve opportunities and the
1-16     quality of life for persons with disabilities; and
1-17           WHEREAS, Commissioner Arrell began his public service career
1-18     in Texas in 1961 as a vocational rehabilitation counselor with the
1-19     Texas Education Agency's Department of Vocational Rehabilitation
1-20     and rapidly advanced to positions of increasing responsibility as a
1-21     programs consultant and then as assistant director for special
1-22     programs; in 1968, he went to work for the Texas Department of
1-23     Mental Health and Mental Retardation as Assistant Director of
1-24     Vocational Rehabilitation, where his commitment to public service
 2-1     was further recognized by his advancement to Director of the
 2-2     Alcoholism and Drug Abuse program; and
 2-3           WHEREAS, Commissioner Arrell returned to the Vocational
 2-4     Rehabilitation Program in 1970, which was then a division of the
 2-5     newly created Texas Rehabilitation Commission, and served in
 2-6     several executive level positions until 1981, when he was appointed
 2-7     commissioner; and
 2-8           WHEREAS, Commissioner Arrell's tireless efforts to champion
 2-9     the rehabilitation needs of persons with disabilities has
2-10     contributed to the rehabilitation of well over one million Texans
2-11     with disabilities during his tenure at the Texas Rehabilitation
2-12     Commission and its predecessor agency; he is acknowledged
2-13     nationally as an expert in the field of vocational rehabilitation
2-14     and has been appointed to numerous task forces and committee
2-15     assignments at the request of both federal and state oversight
2-16     bodies; and
2-17           WHEREAS, Commissioner Arrell has devoted his life to public
2-18     service and this state; he has served as a statesman to ensure
2-19     people with disabilities are afforded equal opportunities in the
2-20     workplace and in society; he is a man of honor, integrity, and
2-21     character, which are attributes that are ever present in his
2-22     dedication to work and community; now, therefore, be it
2-23           RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-24     hereby authorize the burial of Vernon "Max" Arrell and wife, Betty
2-25     B. Arrell, in the State Cemetery, provided proper application for
2-26     assignment of burial space is made to the General Services
 3-1     Commission as required by law.