| 1 | 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 408 |
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| 2 | 2 | | WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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| 3 | 3 | | recognize Court Appointed Special Advocates of Travis County, also |
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| 4 | 4 | | known as CASA of Travis County, and its many dedicated volunteers, |
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| 5 | 5 | | who are celebrating the organization's 30th anniversary; and |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, CASA of Travis County was created in 1985 to provide |
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| 7 | 7 | | assistance, encouragement, and support to children and youths who |
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| 8 | 8 | | are in the court system as a result of abuse or neglect; and |
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| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, CASA of Travis County is one of the largest CASA |
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| 10 | 10 | | programs in Texas and serves a greater percentage of children in |
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| 11 | 11 | | the county court system than any other major urban CASA program |
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| 12 | 12 | | in Texas; it has more than 600 volunteers who act as guardians ad |
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| 13 | 13 | | litem for more than 1,600 children each year; and |
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| 14 | 14 | | WHEREAS, CASA volunteers are unique among volunteers as |
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| 15 | 15 | | they are regarded with the same importance and value in the court |
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| 16 | 16 | | system as any professional lawyer or social worker; their |
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| 17 | 17 | | advocacy on behalf of young people and their responsibilities |
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| 18 | 18 | | under the Texas Family Code are substantial; and |
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| 19 | 19 | | WHEREAS, Some of Travis County's most intelligent, |
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| 20 | 20 | | compassionate, dedicated, and resourceful citizens volunteer for |
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| 21 | 21 | | the CASA program; their extensive training prepares them to serve |
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| 22 | 22 | | as education advocates for the school-aged children they serve; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | WHEREAS, CASA volunteers also work with teenagers leaving |
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| 24 | 24 | | the foster care system to help them become successful, independent |
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| 25 | 25 | | adults, and they work to reduce the disproportionate number of |
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| 26 | 26 | | African American children in the foster care system; and |
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| 27 | 27 | | WHEREAS, CASA of Travis County has won national |
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| 28 | 28 | | recognition for its innovative program to find long-lost |
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| 29 | 29 | | relatives to provide support and connection to youth in foster |
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| 30 | 30 | | care; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | WHEREAS, Over the last 30 years CASA of Travis County has |
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| 32 | 32 | | advocated for the best interests of more than 10,000 children who |
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| 33 | 33 | | have experienced abuse or neglect; and |
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| 34 | 34 | | WHEREAS, The CASA program and its dedicated volunteers |
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| 35 | 35 | | truly make a difference in the lives of many young people in |
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| 36 | 36 | | Travis County at a time when they are the most vulnerable, and the |
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| 37 | 37 | | support and encouragement these youths receive will continue to |
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| 38 | 38 | | have a positive impact on them for the rest of their lives; now, |
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| 39 | 39 | | therefore, be it |
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| 40 | 40 | | RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 84th |
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| 41 | 41 | | Legislature, hereby commend CASA of Travis County and its many |
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| 42 | 42 | | volunteers for their selfless service and extend to them best wishes |
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| 43 | 43 | | for a wonderful 30th anniversary celebration; and, be it further |
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| 44 | 44 | | RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared to |
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| 45 | 45 | | commemorate this significant occasion. |
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| 46 | 46 | | Watson |
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| 47 | 47 | | ________________________________ |
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| 48 | 48 | | President of the Senate |
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| 49 | 49 | | I hereby certify that the |
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| 50 | 50 | | above Resolution was adopted by |
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| 51 | 51 | | the Senate on March 23, 2015. |
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| 52 | 52 | | ________________________________ |
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| 53 | 53 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 54 | 54 | | ________________________________ |
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| 55 | 55 | | Member, Texas Senate |
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