H.R. No. 140

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, The volunteers, staff, and board members who make up
	the Texas Court Appointed Special Advocates organization are
	gathering in Austin on February 1, 2011, for CASA Day at the
	Capitol; and
	WHEREAS, Court appointed special advocates are individuals
	who speak up for children removed from their homes due to abuse or
	neglect; sworn in by judges, CASA volunteers make certain that
	these young people have a voice in the family court, social service,
	and foster care systems, and the advocates remain focused on each
	child until he or she is placed in a safe, permanent home and the
	case is closed; often, the volunteers are a rare source of stability
	in the lives of the young people they assist; and
	WHEREAS, The CASA movement began in Seattle in 1977, when a
	judge realized that he needed to know more about the young victims
	of abuse and neglect who appeared in his courtroom; the
	contributions of the volunteers who responded to his request for
	assistance were so valuable that the program quickly spread to
	other states; the first CASA program in Texas began in 1979, and
	there are currently 69 local programs in the state that together
	provide life-changing advocacy to more than half of the children in
	the foster care system; and
	WHEREAS, A diverse group that comes from a broad range of
	backgrounds, CASA volunteers in Texas research a child's situation,
	offer information and recommendations about the individual's best
	interests, and work with the state to find the young person a
	"forever family"; in 2010, more than 6,600 volunteers gave help and
	hope to more than 20,000 children; and
	WHEREAS, Countless residents of Texas benefit from the
	critical services provided by CASA volunteers, whose work ensures
	that a most vulnerable group in our society is not forgotten; now,
	therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas
	Legislature hereby recognize February 1, 2011, as CASA Day at the
	Capitol and commend all those associated with Texas CASA for their
	steadfast commitment and admirable achievements; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
	prepared for the organization as an expression of high regard by the
	Texas House of Representatives.
	Otto
	Nash
	Straus Gonzales of Williamson Morrison
	Aliseda Gonzalez Munoz, Jr.
	Allen Gooden Murphy
	Alonzo Guillen Naishtat
	Alvarado Gutierrez Nash
	Anchia Hamilton Oliveira
	Anderson of Dallas Hancock Orr
	Anderson of McLennan Hardcastle Otto
	Aycock Harless Parker
	Beck Harper-Brown Patrick
	Berman Hartnett Paxton
	Bohac Hernandez Luna Pena
	Bonnen Hilderbran Perry
	Branch Hochberg Phillips
	Brown Hopson Pickett
	Burkett Howard of Fort Bend Pitts
	Burnam Howard of Travis Price
	Button Huberty Quintanilla
	Cain Hughes Raymond
	Callegari Hunter Reynolds
	Carter Isaac Riddle
	Castro Jackson Ritter
	Chisum Johnson Rodriguez
	Christian Keffer Schwertner
	Coleman King of Parker Scott
	Cook King of Taylor Sheets
	Craddick King of Zavala Sheffield
	Creighton Kleinschmidt Shelton
	Crownover Kolkhorst Simpson
	Darby Kuempel Smith of Harris
	Davis of Dallas Landtroop Smith of Tarrant
	J. Davis of Harris Larson Smithee
	S. Davis of Harris Laubenberg Solomons
	Deshotel Lavender Strama
	Driver Legler Taylor of Collin
	Dukes Lewis Taylor of Galveston
	Dutton Lozano Thompson
	Eiland Lucio III Torres
	Eissler Lyne Truitt
	Elkins Madden Turner
	Farias Mallory Caraway Veasey
	Farrar Margo Villarreal
	Fletcher Marquez Vo
	Flynn Martinez Walle
	Frullo Martinez Fischer Weber
	Gallego McClendon White
	Garza Menendez Woolley
	Geren Miles Workman
	Giddings Miller of Comal Zedler
	Gonzales of Hidalgo Miller of Erath Zerwas
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 140 was adopted by the House on February
	1, 2011, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House