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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The lasting promise of our great nation, that of |
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freedom from oppression and the preservation of individual liberty, |
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is the fundamental theme of the very document upon which our system |
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of government was founded; and |
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WHEREAS, The central importance of the principles outlined in |
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the United States Constitution once prompted President Harry S. |
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Truman to describe it as "a living force"; similarly, President |
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Ronald Reagan evoked the power of the individual liberties |
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safeguarded by the constitution, referring to "a government which |
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empowers its people" as "mankind's best defense against tyranny," |
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and nowhere are these constitutional guarantees regarding the |
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rights of the individual articulated more clearly than in the first |
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10 articles--the aptly named Bill of Rights; and |
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WHEREAS, While the Capitol grounds and adjacent state |
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properties display statues, memorials, and commemorations of |
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people, ideals, and events that demonstrate our country's abiding |
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dedication to the values established by the Bill of Rights, there is |
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no tribute to the document itself; and |
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WHEREAS, Chapter 443 of the Government Code authorizes the |
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State Preservation Board to preserve, maintain, and restore the |
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Capitol grounds and requires proposals to construct a monument or |
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other improvement to the Capitol Complex to be submitted to the |
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board for review; Section 443.0071, Government Code, defines the |
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Capitol Complex to mean the state-owned property within the area |
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bounded on the north by Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard, bounded |
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on the east by Trinity Street, bounded on the south by 10th Street, |
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and bounded on the west by Lavaca Street; and |
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WHEREAS, Furthermore, adjoining portions of the Capitol |
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Complex are grounds preserved and maintained by the Texas Building |
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and Procurement Commission, which is specifically authorized by |
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Section 116.3, Title 1, Texas Administrative Code, to approve |
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modifications or improvements to state-owned property under the |
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commission's jurisdiction; and |
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WHEREAS, Members of the Texas Legislature find a |
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commemorative structure to honor the Bill of Rights to be a worthy |
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addition to the Capitol grounds or adjacent state property and |
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endorse the incorporation there of a work that will convey to |
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visitors a sense of history and the faith in human liberty |
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symbolized by this document; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 80th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby authorize the State Preservation Board and the Texas |
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Building and Procurement Commission, subject to state law and rules |
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of the board and commission, to approve and permit the construction |
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of a monument on the Capitol grounds or adjacent state property |
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commemorating the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the board and commission be encouraged to |
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locate the monument on the Supreme Court Plaza, unless another more |
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appropriate site within the Capitol Complex becomes available; and, |
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be it further |
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RESOLVED, That no public funds be used for the design and |
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construction of the monument and that the State of Texas not |
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facilitate fund-raising nor establish a state fund for the deposit |
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of money raised for the design and construction of the monument; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward an |
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official copy of this resolution to the executive directors of the |
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State Preservation Board and the Texas Building and Procurement |
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Commission. |