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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The passing of Kate Garrison of Collin County on |
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| 6 | 7 | | August 26, 2021, has brought a profound loss to her friends and |
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| 7 | 8 | | colleagues, as well as to all those whose lives she touched through |
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| 8 | 9 | | her advocacy for Texans with disabilities; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, Born and raised in Peekskill in New York's lower |
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| 10 | 11 | | Hudson Valley, Kate Garrison earned her bachelor's degree in |
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| 11 | 12 | | sociology from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where she was a |
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| 12 | 13 | | member of the Alpha Kappa Delta honor society; she enjoyed a varied |
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| 13 | 14 | | career during which she worked for major corporations as a human |
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| 14 | 15 | | resources professional and training consultant; at other times, she |
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| 15 | 16 | | was employed as a preschool teacher and horseback riding |
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| 16 | 17 | | instructor, and she was also a standout competitive polo player in |
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| 17 | 18 | | the 1980s and 1990s; and |
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| 18 | 19 | | WHEREAS, Ms. Garrison's life took a pivotal turn when she |
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| 19 | 20 | | suffered a fall that left her without the use of her lower body; her |
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| 20 | 21 | | experiences gave her keen insight into accessibility issues and the |
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| 21 | 22 | | everyday struggles faced by people with disabilities, and her |
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| 22 | 23 | | commitment to ensuring equal voting rights led to the creation of |
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| 23 | 24 | | curbside voting standards in Collin County; seeking to build upon |
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| 24 | 25 | | the momentum of that victory, she went on to deliver a powerful |
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| 25 | 26 | | testimony before the Texas Legislature in her quest to establish |
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| 26 | 27 | | curbside voting standards statewide; and |
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| 27 | 28 | | WHEREAS, A stalwart Democrat who dedicated everything she had |
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| 28 | 29 | | to her ideals, Ms. Garrison served as founding president of the |
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| 29 | 30 | | Collin County Democrats with Disabilities, as vice chair of the |
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| 30 | 31 | | Texas Democrats with Disabilities, and as a precinct chair in |
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| 31 | 32 | | Plano; she enjoyed warm friendships with many of those who shared |
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| 32 | 33 | | her devotion to the causes she held dear, and through her actions |
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| 33 | 34 | | and her example, she inspired others to believe that they too could |
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| 34 | 35 | | make a difference; and |
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| 35 | 36 | | WHEREAS, Kate Garrison earned the admiration and affection of |
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| 36 | 37 | | those around her through her unfaltering determination and strength |
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| 37 | 38 | | in the face of adversity, and she will be profoundly missed by all |
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| 38 | 39 | | who had the privilege of sharing in her extraordinary life; now, |
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| 39 | 40 | | therefore, be it |
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| 40 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 41 | 42 | | Legislature, 2nd Called Session, hereby pay tribute to the memory |
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| 42 | 43 | | of Kate Garrison and extend heartfelt condolences to her friends |
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| 43 | 44 | | and supporters; and, be it further |
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| 44 | 45 | | RESOLVED, That when the Texas House of Representatives |
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| 45 | 46 | | adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Kate Garrison. |
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