Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HCR26 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R691 CBE-D
2	2	By: Dutton H.C.R. No. 26
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5	5	CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
6	6	WHEREAS, Two recent studies present a grim social and
7	7	economic forecast for the large pool of young black men in the
8	8	United States who are tragically disconnected from the American
9	9	mainstream; and
10	10	WHEREAS, In Black Males Left Behind, editor Ronald Mincy, a
11	11	professor at Columbia University's School of Social Work, concludes
12	12	that joblessness and low earnings among "disconnected" young black
13	13	men, in addition to greatly diminishing their own individual
14	14	chances for success in life, contribute to increases in nonmarital
15	15	childbearing and a host of other social problems affecting not only
16	16	the African American community but all Americans; and
17	17	WHEREAS, Similarly, in Reconnecting Disadvantaged Young Men,
18	18	authors Peter Edelman, Harry Holzer, and Paul Offner analyze
19	19	racial, ethnic, educational, and employment characteristics of
20	20	young black men, finding that: (1) only half of black men between
21	21	the ages of 16 and 24 who are not in school are currently working;
22	22	(2) roughly one-third of young black men are in jail or prison or on
23	23	parole or probation at any time; and (3) 10 percent of young black
24	24	men have been disconnected from school and work for a year or more,
25	25	and if incarcerated populations are included, the rate rises to 17
26	26	percent; and
27	27	WHEREAS, A study of young black men in this state would help
28	28	Texas educators, service providers, and policy makers develop a
29	29	uniquely Texas approach to addressing what many social scientists
30	30	believe is America's most significant social problem; and
31	31	WHEREAS, The University of Texas at Austin is ideally
32	32	qualified to lead a study by several Texas public universities on
33	33	the myriad social and economic issues relating to the number of
34	34	young black males in Texas between the ages of 14 and 25 who are
35	35	disconnected from work and family; and
36	36	WHEREAS, A leader in social science research, The University
37	37	of Texas at Austin boasts a School of Social Work that is well known
38	38	for its contributions to a growing body of knowledge about the human
39	39	condition, social issues, and service delivery systems to promote
40	40	the greater public good; now, therefore, be it
41	41	RESOLVED, That the 81st Legislature of the State of Texas
42	42	hereby request The University of Texas at Austin to lead a study by
43	43	several Texas public universities on the social and economic issues
44	44	relating to the number of unskilled black males in Texas between the
45	45	ages of 14 and 25 who are disconnected from work, family, and
46	46	society; and, be it further
47	47	RESOLVED, That the University of Houston, Texas Southern
48	48	University, Prairie View A&M University, Texas Tech University, and
49	49	Texas A&M University also participate in the study, which is to
50	50	include an examination of how young black men in Texas are affected
51	51	by the benefits and detriments of living in this state; and, be it
52	52	further
53	53	RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official
54	54	copy of this resolution to the presidents of The University of Texas
55	55	at Austin, the University of Houston, Texas Southern University,
56	56	Prairie View A&M University, Texas Tech University, and Texas A&M
57	57	University.