SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 616

WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to join Texans across the state in observing March of 2011 as Child Identity Theft Protection and Awareness Month; and

WHEREAS, Identity theft has been the number one customer complaint for 10 consecutive years, with more than 11 million victims in 2009; an identity is stolen every four seconds, and this problem has cost consumers and businesses an estimated $100 billion in the last two years alone; and

WHEREAS, Identity thieves are increasingly targeting children as victims, and it is estimated that one child in each classroom in the United States is affected; these children typically do not discover that their records have been exploited until they make their first economic decisions as adults; and

WHEREAS, The use of Internet social networking sites by young people is widespread and increasing, providing an avenue for identity thieves to prey on those without the formal training or awareness to protect their personal information; and

WHEREAS, It is truly fitting that time be set aside to raise awareness of the problems of identity theft, especially as it relates to children, so that a culture of identity theft prevention is created to reduce this serious problem; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd Legislature, hereby commend all those who are working to combat the problem of child identity theft and call on Texans to observe March of 2011 as Child Identity Theft Protection and Awareness Month; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in honor of this special observance.

Watson

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President of the Senate

I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on March 24, 2011.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate