SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 645

WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to recognize the winners of the Search for Solutions competition at the 2008 Texas Leadership Forum; and

WHEREAS, Each year, the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute and The University of Texas of the Permian Basin host the Texas Leadership Forum, a gathering that brings together future and current leaders of Texas to discuss issues facing the state and develop creative solutions for those problems; and

WHEREAS, At the 24th annual forum, held in Austin in October of 2008, nine Texans were recognized for presenting the best overall solution during the forum's Search for Solutions competition; their winning proposal strategically addressed the issues of border security and human trafficking by establishing the Border Enforcement Security and Training Act, or BEST Act; and

WHEREAS, The proposed BEST Act directs the Department of Public Safety to designate 60 percent of projected new employees to the 18 counties of the Texas Border Sheriff's Coalition and creates an education and training program on border security and the issues surrounding human trafficking; it includes a plan to fund the program and to train state employees from other agencies working on the border as well as members of other law enforcement agencies in order to increase their effective utilization of border funding and knowledge; and

WHEREAS, Those contributing to the winning proposal were team facilitator David Erinakes and team members Aimee Anderson, Craig Caruana, Chuck Moad, Ruby Lichte Powers, Jon Rogers, Gregory Stevenson, Alec Weissgerber, and Kent Willis; and

WHEREAS, Judges for the competition were Justice Harriet O'Neill of the Texas Supreme Court, State Representative David Farabee, and Ernest Angelo, Jr., the recipient of the 2008 Outstanding State Leader Award, past Chairman of the Public Safety Commission, and former Mayor of Midland; and

WHEREAS, The young professionals who gathered for the 2008 Texas Leadership Forum have demonstrated an exemplary commitment to public service, and their creativity, initiative, and resourcefulness will serve this state well in the years to come; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 81st Legislature, hereby honor the Texans who presented the best overall policy recommendation during the Search for Solutions competition at the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute's 2008 Texas Leadership Forum and extend to them sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be prepared for these young leaders as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate. Seliger

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on April 17, 2009.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate