1-1     By:  Barrientos                                       S.C.R. No. 17
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed January 24, 2001; January 29, 2001,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Administration;
 1-4     March 27, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 5,
 1-5     Nays 0; March 27, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                        SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
 1-7           WHEREAS, State law (Section 2165.256, Government Code)
 1-8     specifies those persons eligible for burial in the State Cemetery
 1-9     and authorizes the legislature to grant eligibility to other
1-10     persons through the adoption of a concurrent resolution; and
1-11           WHEREAS, Commissioner of the Texas Rehabilitation Commission,
1-12     Vernon "Max" Arrell and his wife, Betty B. Arrell, have expressed a
1-13     desire to be buried in the State Cemetery, and their request merits
1-14     approval based on Commissioner Arrell's more than 40 years of
1-15     public service to the citizens of the State of Texas primarily in
1-16     the field of rehabilitation of persons with disabilities; and
1-17           WHEREAS, Commissioner Arrell has served as Commissioner of
1-18     the Texas Rehabilitation Commission for 20 years, the longest
1-19     tenure of any sitting chief executive officer of any state agency
1-20     in Texas; he has worked tirelessly to improve opportunities and the
1-21     quality of life for persons with disabilities; and
1-22           WHEREAS, Commissioner Arrell began his public service career
1-23     in Texas in 1961 as a vocational rehabilitation counselor with the
1-24     Texas Education Agency's Department of Vocational Rehabilitation
1-25     and rapidly advanced to positions of increasing responsibility as a
1-26     programs consultant and then as assistant director for special
1-27     programs; in 1968, he went to work for the Texas Department of
1-28     Mental Health and Mental Retardation as Assistant Director of
1-29     Vocational Rehabilitation, where his commitment to public service
1-30     was further recognized by his advancement to Director of the
1-31     Alcoholism and Drug Abuse program; and
1-32           WHEREAS, Commissioner Arrell returned to the Vocational
1-33     Rehabilitation Program in 1970, which was then a division of the
1-34     newly created Texas Rehabilitation Commission, and served in
1-35     several executive level positions until 1981, when he was appointed
1-36     commissioner; and
1-37           WHEREAS, Commissioner Arrell's tireless efforts to champion
1-38     the rehabilitation needs of persons with disabilities has
1-39     contributed to the rehabilitation of well over one million Texans
1-40     with disabilities during his tenure at the Texas Rehabilitation
1-41     Commission and its predecessor agency; he is acknowledged
1-42     nationally as an expert in the field of vocational rehabilitation
1-43     and has been appointed to numerous task forces and committee
1-44     assignments at the request of both federal and state oversight
1-45     bodies; and
1-46           WHEREAS, Commissioner Arrell has devoted his life to public
1-47     service and this state; he has served as a statesman to ensure
1-48     people with disabilities are afforded equal opportunities in the
1-49     workplace and in society; he is a man of honor, integrity, and
1-50     character, which are attributes that are ever present in his
1-51     dedication to work and community; now, therefore, be it
1-52           RESOLVED, That the 77th Legislature of the State of Texas
1-53     hereby authorize the burial of Vernon "Max" Arrell and wife, Betty
1-54     B. Arrell, in the State Cemetery, provided proper application for
1-55     assignment of burial space is made to the General Services
1-56     Commission as required by law.
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