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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Each year, the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership |
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Institute and The University of Texas of the Permian Basin host the |
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Texas Leadership Forum, a gathering that brings together future and |
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current leaders of Texas to discuss issues facing the state and |
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develop creative solutions for those problems; and |
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WHEREAS, At the 24th annual forum, held in Austin in October |
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2008, nine Texans were recognized for presenting the best overall |
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solution during the forum’s Search for Solutions competition; their |
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winning proposal strategically addressed the issues of border |
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security and human trafficking by establishing the Border |
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Enforcement Security and Training (BEST) Act, which directs the |
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Department of Public Safety to assign 180 of 300 new employees to |
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the 18 counties of the Texas Border Sheriff’s Coalition; the |
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proposal also creates an education and training program on border |
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security and human trafficking and requires participation in the |
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program by the new DPS employees in the border region; and |
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WHEREAS, Those contributing to the winning proposal were team |
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facilitator David Erinakes, along with team members Aimee Anderson, |
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Craig Caruana, Chuck Moad, Ruby Lichte Powers, Jon Rogers, Gregory |
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Stevenson, Alec Weissgerber, and Kent Willis; and |
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WHEREAS, Judges for the competition were Justice Harriet |
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O’Neill of the Texas Supreme Court, State Representative David |
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Farabee, and Ernest Angelo, Jr., former mayor of Midland and former |
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vice chair of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission; and |
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WHEREAS, The young professionals who gathered for the 2008 |
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Texas Leadership Forum have demonstrated an exemplary commitment to |
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public service, and their creativity, initiative, and |
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resourcefulness will serve this state well in the years to come; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby congratulate the winners of the Search for |
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Solutions competition at the 2008 John Ben Shepperd Texas |
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Leadership Forum and extend to them sincere best wishes for |
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continued success; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for these young leaders as an expression of high regard by |
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the Texas House of Representatives. |