H.R. No. 193



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Donna Hoedt of Angleton lost her life on April 2, 
1996, at the age of 33, when she was murdered by her spouse; even 
though her husband was subsequently convicted of the crime and 
sentenced to life in prison, he retained parental rights over the 
couple's four children; and
	WHEREAS, Seeking to rectify this horrible injustice, Ms. 
Hoedt's mother, Kate Weaver, undertook a lengthy and expensive 
court battle that ultimately awarded her custody of her 
grandchildren; in order to help other families avoid this 
additional victimization, she has led a campaign to bring attention 
to the absence of state laws terminating parental rights of those 
individuals who have been convicted of murdering their partners; 
and
	WHEREAS, To that end, the 79th Texas Legislature has enacted 
into law the Donna Hoedt Act, or House Bill 657, which terminates 
the parent-child relationship of a parent convicted of murdering 
the child's other parent; and
	WHEREAS, Kate Weaver is to be commended for attempting to 
look beyond the painful death of her daughter to seek to ensure the 
emotional and physical well-being of children who have suffered the 
loss of one parent at the hands of the other; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the life of 
Donna Hoedt and recognize the selfless efforts of Kate Weaver to 
right a terrible wrong; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 
prepared for Mrs. Weaver as an expression of high regard by the 
Texas House of Representatives.

                                                                          Bonnen

                                                  ______________________________
                                                       Speaker of the House     

	I certify that H.R. No. 193 was adopted by the House on July 
5, 2005, by a non-record vote.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House