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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Texas is ranked among the worst states in the |
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country for motorists who are injured or killed in alcohol-related |
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vehicular crashes; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2013, Texas counted more than 1,300 deaths caused |
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by drunk drivers, the highest number in the nation; this total |
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reflected almost 40 percent of all traffic deaths in the state, a |
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3.6 percent increase over the previous year; and |
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WHEREAS, Each year, there are thousands of non-fatal |
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alcohol-related crashes as well; there were more than 25,000 in |
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Texas in 2013 alone that involved a driver with a blood alcohol |
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concentration of .01 or higher; these resulted in nearly 16,000 |
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injuries; that year, law enforcement officers made almost 100,000 |
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DWI arrests, resulting in over 71,000 convictions; and |
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WHEREAS, The lives and continued well-being of thousands of |
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Texans are at stake, and it is vital that evidence-based measures be |
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taken to reduce the incidence of alcohol-related crashes; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 86th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby request the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the House |
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of Representatives to provide for a joint interim study regarding |
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driving while intoxicated and driving under the influence |
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incidents, including examination of mortality rates, accidents, |
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rates of intoxication, and the effectiveness of increased penalties |
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for DWI/DUI offenses; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a full report, including findings and |
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recommendations, be submitted to the 87th Texas Legislature before |
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it convenes in January 2021. |