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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, For more than a century, the Legislative Reference |
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Library has provided invaluable assistance to Texas lawmakers; and |
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WHEREAS, Signaling to the world that the Texas Legislature |
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early on understood the value of a reference library, leaders of |
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this state reserved a special place at the core of the 1888 Capitol |
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to house this vital resource for current and future generations; |
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the Legislative Reference Library was established on the second |
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floor in the north wing to assist members of the legislature and |
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their staffs, and its resources are also available to the |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker, and their staffs, to the staff of |
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the governor's office, to legislative officers, agencies, and |
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committees, to state agencies and commissions, to librarians and |
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legislators from other states, to members of the press, and to Texas |
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citizens; and |
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WHEREAS, The tools may change through the decades, but the |
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need for information endures, and the library's electronic data |
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systems currently expedite the delivery of knowledge to the |
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legislative community in both direct and indirect ways; the |
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creation, compilation, and utilization of information in a reliable |
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and timely fashion are provided today in a manner unimaginable by |
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the legislature in 1888, yet the importance of the LRL's continued |
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proximity to the seat of Texas government was reaffirmed during the |
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restoration of the Capitol in the 1990s, thus underscoring the |
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intrinsic value of this treasured institution; and |
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WHEREAS, The effectiveness of the library would not be |
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possible without the talented people who staff it; these |
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individuals provide in-depth analyses of legislation from all 50 |
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states, respond to historical legislative queries, and create ad |
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hoc legislative statistical reports for staff in the speaker's and |
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lieutenant governor's offices; during legislative sessions, the |
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library plays an integral part in the legislative process; staff |
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develop electronic records in the Texas Legislative Tracking System |
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for each bill or resolution filed and furnish real-time information |
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to the legislative community, to executive agencies, and to |
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citizens of this state through such proprietary applications as |
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TLIS and TLO; and |
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WHEREAS, Stationed on the floor of the house and senate |
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chambers, library staff enter legislative actions as they occur, |
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and they work closely with the senate and house parliamentarians, |
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senate and house journal clerks, chief clerk of the house, |
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secretary of the senate, and their staffs to ensure that records are |
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accurate and complete; library staff members are also responsible |
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for assigning and entering subject terms and companion |
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relationships, and they review enrolled legislation for effective |
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dates of each measure; in addition, the library operates a |
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toll-free bill status hotline; and |
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WHEREAS, The LRL maintains the most comprehensive physical |
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repository of information relating to the Texas Legislature, |
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including original legislative bill files from the 63rd Session to |
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the present, historical and current publications of legislative |
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committees, state agencies, and institutions of higher education, |
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and legislative legal resources, journals, law reviews, and |
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periodicals; a circulating collection of materials is also made |
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available to the legislative community; and |
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WHEREAS, Each business day, the library compiles select |
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articles from newspapers statewide for the legislative community, |
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and it generates weekly listings of important journal articles and |
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quarterly listings of newsworthy additions to the library's |
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collection; the LRL strives to provide accurate and up-to-date |
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legislative information electronically through a number of |
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databases; the Texas Appointment System contains information on |
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members of state councils, boards, and committees appointed by the |
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governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker; the Legislative |
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Archive System holds the only electronic version of original |
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legislative bill files and documentation, while the Index to |
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Sections Affected is the sole source of information detailing the |
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proposed statutory effect of bills; moreover, the library maintains |
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Texas Legislators: Past & Present, highlighting legislative |
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membership information from 1846 to today, as well as a legislative |
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reports database covering that same period, and it archives |
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gubernatorial executive orders, messages, and proclamations; and |
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WHEREAS, Guided skillfully by director/librarian Mary Camp, |
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the LRL staff includes assistant director/librarian Catherine |
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Wusterhausen, administrative/legislative staff Donald Brower, |
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Elizabeth Buchanan, Michelle Martinez, Kali Palmer, Christopher |
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Taylor, Julia Walden, and Erin Willard, clipping service staffers |
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Vincent Cowan, David Wood, Karen Wright, and Jay Young, and |
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librarians Ali Dzienkowski, Cassandra Gallegos, Sally Harlow, |
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Melanie Harshman, Karen McBurney, Kaelyn Morice, Amanda Norman, Kay |
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Schlueter, Ana Sifuentes-Martinez, Brandon Vasquez, Lindsay |
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Wickham, and Ia Wood; and |
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WHEREAS, These hardworking professionals demonstrate an |
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unyielding commitment to excellence as they carry on the long and |
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storied tradition of their agency, and they may take justifiable |
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pride in the important services they provide to the legislature and |
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to the citizens of the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor the Legislative Reference Library and |
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extend to the staff members sincere appreciation for their |
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outstanding contributions; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the library as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |