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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Through medical expertise and advances in organ and |
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tissue transplants, more lives are being saved, improved, and |
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prolonged than ever before; and |
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WHEREAS, Such transplants are made possible by organ |
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donations from deceased and living persons, a noble act that gives |
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multitudes of recipients a second chance at life; and |
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WHEREAS, The Glenda Dawson Donate Life Texas registry, |
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created by the Texas House of Representatives and Texas Senate in |
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2005, provides a method for willing donors to record legal consent |
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for organ, eye, and tissue donation, thereby lifting the |
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decision-making burden from families at the time of a loved one's |
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death; and |
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WHEREAS, More than seven million Texans have joined the |
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registry to date, thanks in part to partnerships forged with the |
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Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Department of |
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Transportation that enable citizens to sign up during the driver's |
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license, ID, and vehicle registration processes; gratitude for this |
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endeavor is also owed to the tireless public education efforts of |
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the donation community and their passionate volunteers in Texas; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, While the Donate Life Texas registry is a notable |
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step, more work remains to be done to ensure that the wishes of |
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every potential donor are carried out; the wait for a lifesaving |
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organ transplant continues for more than 123,000 people nationwide, |
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21 of whom are expected to die before this day is over; and |
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WHEREAS, Individuals representing the Texas Transplantation |
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Society and the Glenda Dawson Donate Life Texas registry are united |
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in their mission to educate Texans about the critical and rising |
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need for donors, the transformative impact of donation, and the |
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simple steps that can be taken to register; in 2014, 739 people |
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became organ donors in Texas, resulting in successful transplant |
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operations for 2,600 patients; and |
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WHEREAS, The choice of registering as an organ donor is one |
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that can provide hope beyond measure to men, women, and children in |
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need, and those who have committed to the goal of promoting and |
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facilitating donations truly merit special commendation; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby recognize March 23, 2015, as Donate Life Texas |
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Day at the State Capitol, pay tribute to transplant donors and their |
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families, and encourage all Texans to consider giving the gift of |
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life through organ donation. |
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Zerwas |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 1150 was adopted by the House on March |
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23, 2015, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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