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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The volunteers, staff, and board members who make up |
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the Texas Court Appointed Special Advocates organization are |
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gathering in Austin on January 30, 2013, for CASA Day at the |
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Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, Court appointed special advocates are individuals |
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who speak up for children removed from their homes due to abuse or |
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neglect; sworn in by judges, CASA volunteers make certain that |
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these young people have a voice in the family court, social service, |
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and foster care systems, and the advocates remain focused on each |
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child until he or she is placed in a safe, permanent home and the |
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case is closed; often, the volunteers are a rare source of stability |
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in the lives of the young people they assist; and |
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WHEREAS, The CASA movement began in Seattle in 1977, when a |
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judge realized that he needed to know more about the young victims |
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of abuse and neglect who appeared in his courtroom; the |
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contributions of the volunteers who responded to his request for |
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assistance were so valuable that the program quickly spread to |
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other states; the first CASA program in Texas began in 1979, and |
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there are currently 69 local programs in the state that together |
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provide life-changing advocacy to more than half of the children in |
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the foster care system; and |
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WHEREAS, A diverse group that comes from a broad range of |
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backgrounds, CASA volunteers in Texas research a child's situation, |
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offer information and recommendations about the individual's best |
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interests, and work with the state to find the young person a |
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"forever family"; in 2012, more than 7,200 volunteers gave help and |
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hope to more than 22,900 children; and |
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WHEREAS, Countless residents of Texas benefit from the |
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critical services provided by CASA volunteers, whose work ensures |
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that a most vulnerable group in our society is not forgotten; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize January 30, 2013, as CASA Day at the |
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Capitol and commend all those associated with Texas CASA for their |
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steadfast commitment and admirable achievements; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the organization as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |
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Otto |
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Straus |
M. Gonzalez of El Paso |
Oliveira |
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Allen |
N. Gonzalez of El Paso |
Orr |
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Anderson |
Gutierrez |
Patrick |
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Aycock |
Harper-Brown |
Perry |
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Bell |
Hernandez Luna |
Phillips |
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Bonnen of Brazoria |
Hilderbran |
Pitts |
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Bonnen of Galveston |
Howard |
Price |
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Capriglione |
Keffer |
Rodriguez of Bexar |
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Carter |
King of Hemphill |
Rodriguez of Travis |
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Clardy |
King of Parker |
Rose |
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Coleman |
King of Taylor |
Sanford |
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Collier |
King of Zavala |
Schaefer |
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Cortez |
Klick |
Sheffield of Bell |
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Craddick |
Kolkhorst |
Sheffield of Coryell |
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Crownover |
Kuempel |
Simpson |
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Davis of Dallas |
Lavender |
Springer |
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J. Davis of Harris |
Leach |
Stephenson |
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S. Davis of Harris |
Lewis |
Stickland |
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Dutton |
Lucio III |
Thompson of Brazoria |
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Eiland |
Marquez |
Thompson of Harris |
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Fallon |
Martinez Fischer |
Turner of Collin |
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Farias |
McClendon |
Turner of Harris |
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Farney |
Menendez |
Turner of Tarrant |
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Fletcher |
Miller of Comal |
Villarreal |
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Flynn |
Miller of Fort Bend |
Vo |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 267 was adopted by the House on January |
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30, 2013, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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