86R28208 JH-F
 
  By: Allen H.R. No. 1268
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, April 2019 has been designated Second Chance Month
  by presidential proclamation, and this observance serves to honor
  those individuals who have successfully reentered society after
  being incarcerated; in addition, the occasion pays tribute to the
  community groups, faith-based organizations, and employers that
  lend a helping hand to former prisoners and that work to reduce
  recidivism; and
         WHEREAS, Men and women who have been incarcerated face
  significant barriers in returning to life outside of a detention
  facility; those who have been able to make that difficult
  transition are worthy of recognition, not only because of the
  challenges they have overcome but also because they provide
  positive examples that help other former prisoners to successfully
  walk the same path; and
         WHEREAS, The Lone Star State is home to a multitude of
  individuals who have transcended their troubled pasts to become
  productive citizens; included among their number are the following
  men and women who are playing prominent roles in the field of public
  policy and other community initiatives; and
         WHEREAS, Following incarceration, Jorge Renaud devoted
  himself to furthering his education and earned his master's degree
  in social work from The University of Texas at Austin; he has worked
  to change policy on the state and local levels and has served as a
  mentor to youth and adults to help them realize their full
  potential; and
         WHEREAS, Douglas Smith became a statewide expert in criminal
  justice policy after his release from prison, and he has counseled
  new leaders on other public policy matters as well; in addition to
  his work as an adjunct professor at UT, he serves as treasurer of
  the Sobering Center Austin board; and
         WHEREAS, Following his detention, Reginald Smith earned his
  bachelor's degree and will soon graduate with a master's degree in
  social work from UT; he is an expert in peer support and reentry and
  serves on the Judicial Commission on Mental Health, as chair of the
  Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable, and as a member of the
  Sobering Center Austin board; and
         WHEREAS, Darwin Hamilton, who successfully completed a
  parole period of 17 years without incident, is a published author
  and a member of the board of Grassroots Leadership; he also chairs
  the Reentry Advocacy Project and is an alumni of JustLeadershipUSA
  and Leadership Austin; and
         WHEREAS, Since her release, Lauren Johnson has dedicated
  herself to effecting policy change at the local and state level, and
  her accomplishments have had a positive impact on thousands of
  Texans; additionally, she is a published author and an alumna of
  JustLeadershipUSA and Leadership Austin; the mother of three boys,
  she gave birth to her first child during incarceration; and
         WHEREAS, Others who have exited the criminal justice system
  and who are making a notable difference in their community include
  Allison Franklin, who is nationally recognized for her work in
  behalf of survivors of human trafficking, Jose Flores, who works to
  prevent youth from becoming juvenile offenders, and Carl Hunter II,
  David Johnson, and Kevin Garrett, who are Peer Policy Fellowship
  trailblazers; moreover, Susanna Bannon, Jacqueline Frost, and
  Lewis Conway Jr. have distinguished themselves in their efforts
  related to education, civic engagement, and policy change; and
         WHEREAS, Many more individuals throughout our state have
  likewise emerged from the criminal justice system to realize
  meaningful goals in a broad range of endeavors, and their
  experiences offer a moving testament to the human potential for
  redemption; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas
  Legislature hereby recognize April 2019 as Second Chance Month and
  commend those who have made a successful transition to life outside
  the corrections system as well as those organizations and
  individuals who have assisted in that process.