H.R. No. 187 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, The Internet and related broadband technology connect more than 1.4 billion people worldwide, and while these advances provide unprecedented opportunities to share information and expand knowledge, they also raise serious data privacy issues; and WHEREAS, Many individuals are unaware of data protection and privacy laws and of steps that can be taken to help protect the privacy of personal information online; Data Privacy Day was first organized in January 2008 to promote awareness and generate discussion about data privacy practices and rights; and WHEREAS, Privacy professionals, academics, legal scholars, business executives, and government officials from the United States, Canada, and Europe are working together again in January 2009 to further the discussion about data privacy and protection; moreover, educators and privacy professionals are discussing data privacy and protection issues with young people in high schools across the country; and WHEREAS, The information age has brought unimagined technological advances with an extraordinary capacity to collect, store, and share data, and understanding data privacy is the first step toward ensuring the privacy of personal information online; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas Legislature hereby recognize January 28, 2009, as Data Privacy Day in Texas and encourage all Texans to learn more about data privacy and to take action to protect their personal information. Giddings ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 187 was adopted by the House on January 28, 2009, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House