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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, For more than a decade, Hal Talton has distinguished |
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| 6 | 7 | | himself through his exemplary service as chief of staff and general |
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| 7 | 8 | | counsel to State Representative Four Price; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, Since joining Representative Price's office in |
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| 9 | 10 | | January 2011, Mr. Talton has devoted himself tirelessly to meeting |
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| 10 | 11 | | the needs of constituents in House District 87, and he has worked to |
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| 11 | 12 | | promote rural areas in order to ensure they are recognized for their |
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| 12 | 13 | | value in providing Texans and the world with food, fuel, and fiber; |
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| 13 | 14 | | he has championed greater access to broadband and health care for |
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| 14 | 15 | | rural areas, including hospitals, telemedicine, and telehealth, |
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| 15 | 16 | | and he has been instrumental in making sure that rural communities |
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| 16 | 17 | | have equal access to match grant funding for mental health |
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| 17 | 18 | | programs; and |
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| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Talton's dedication to advancing health care |
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| 19 | 20 | | extends throughout Texas, and his interest in this issue has led him |
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| 20 | 21 | | to tour numerous hospitals, health science universities, and |
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| 21 | 22 | | state-supported living centers; he has also sought to ensure that |
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| 22 | 23 | | mental health is taken as seriously as other health conditions, |
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| 23 | 24 | | working to secure insurance parity for persons with mental illness |
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| 24 | 25 | | and striving to improve student mental health and the nexus between |
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| 25 | 26 | | mental health and criminal justice; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, This skilled public servant has been instrumental to |
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| 27 | 28 | | the passage of much legislation and has played a vital role in |
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| 28 | 29 | | Representative Price's accomplishments, including assistance for |
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| 29 | 30 | | injured Texans, the brain health of student-athletes, and the |
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| 30 | 31 | | reorganization for greater efficiency of the state's health care |
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| 31 | 32 | | agencies during the Sunset Commission process as well as bills |
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| 32 | 33 | | addressing water issues, the potential expansion of Interstate 27, |
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| 33 | 34 | | broadband, and health care; and |
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| 34 | 35 | | WHEREAS, Over the course of his tenure, Mr. Talton has made |
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| 35 | 36 | | frequent visits to the Panhandle area; he has met with local elected |
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| 36 | 37 | | officials and school superintendents, and he has toured oil |
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| 37 | 38 | | refineries, schools, universities, cattle feed yards, irrigation |
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| 38 | 39 | | sites, wind farms, health care sites, and the facilities of Bell; in |
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| 39 | 40 | | Austin, he has been an inspiring mentor to many newcomers to the |
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| 40 | 41 | | legislative process and a welcoming host to visitors to |
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| 41 | 42 | | Representative Price's office at the Capitol; and |
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| 42 | 43 | | WHEREAS, Mr. Talton earned his bachelor's and master's |
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| 43 | 44 | | degrees in business administration from East Texas State |
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| 44 | 45 | | University, and he received his law degree from the University of |
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| 45 | 46 | | Arkansas at Fayetteville; he also holds a graduate certificate in |
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| 46 | 47 | | health care administration from Texas State University; and |
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| 47 | 48 | | WHEREAS, Hal Talton's passion for the lawmaking process, |
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| 48 | 49 | | dedication to good public policy, and commitment to excellence have |
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| 49 | 50 | | greatly benefited citizens in House District 87 and throughout |
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| 50 | 51 | | Texas and earned him the respect and admiration of his peers at the |
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| 51 | 52 | | State Capitol and beyond, and he may indeed reflect with pride on |
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| 52 | 53 | | his many contributions to the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it |
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| 53 | 54 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 54 | 55 | | Legislature hereby congratulate Hal Talton on his outstanding |
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| 55 | 56 | | service as chief of staff and general counsel to State |
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| 56 | 57 | | Representative Four Price and extend to him sincere best wishes for |
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| 57 | 58 | | continued success in his important work; and, be it further |
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| 58 | 59 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 59 | 60 | | prepared for Mr. Talton as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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| 60 | 61 | | House of Representatives. |
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