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. 1-57 * * * * *