| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 1176 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 5 | | WHEREAS, April 2023 has been recognized by presidential |
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| 6 | 6 | | proclamation as Second Chance Month to honor those who have |
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| 7 | 7 | | successfully reentered society after being incarcerated and to pay |
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| 8 | 8 | | tribute to the community groups, faith-based organizations, and |
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| 9 | 9 | | employers that are helping to reduce recidivism among former |
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| 10 | 10 | | inmates; and |
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| 11 | 11 | | WHEREAS, Individuals who have been incarcerated face |
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| 12 | 12 | | significant barriers in returning to life outside of a detention |
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| 13 | 13 | | facility; those who have successfully made that transition are |
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| 14 | 14 | | worthy of recognition, not only because of the challenges they have |
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| 15 | 15 | | overcome but also because of the positive example they provide to |
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| 16 | 16 | | others who are walking the same path; and |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, The State of Texas is home to many men and women who |
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| 18 | 18 | | have transcended their troubled pasts to become productive |
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| 19 | 19 | | citizens; among their numbers are Cynthia Simons and Justin |
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| 20 | 20 | | Martinez, who have dedicated themselves to assisting formerly |
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| 21 | 21 | | incarcerated Texans in rebuilding their lives; and |
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| 22 | 22 | | WHEREAS, Since her release from prison, Cynthia Simons has |
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| 23 | 23 | | become a champion for incarcerated women and their families and has |
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| 24 | 24 | | made a significant difference through her efforts as a peer leader |
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| 25 | 25 | | and reentry specialist; she has served as a member of the |
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| 26 | 26 | | Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable and of the board of |
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| 27 | 27 | | MEASURE, a Black-led organization that works to promote data equity |
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| 28 | 28 | | to address community policing as well as health, education, and |
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| 29 | 29 | | economic disparities; she is an advocate for the liberation of |
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| 30 | 30 | | Black people across the State of Texas, and she has played a pivotal |
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| 31 | 31 | | role in restoring parental rights to families torn apart by |
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| 32 | 32 | | incarceration; and |
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| 33 | 33 | | WHEREAS, After being incarcerated, Justin Martinez completed |
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| 34 | 34 | | his master's degree in legal studies with a paralegal |
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| 35 | 35 | | certification; he has since become a policy analyst, and through |
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| 36 | 36 | | his research and advocacy, he strives to dismantle systems of |
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| 37 | 37 | | oppression and to help Texans break the cycle of incarceration; and |
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| 38 | 38 | | WHEREAS, Many more individuals throughout our state have |
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| 39 | 39 | | likewise emerged from the criminal justice system to realize |
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| 40 | 40 | | meaningful goals in a broad range of endeavors, and their |
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| 41 | 41 | | experiences offer a moving testament to the human potential for |
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| 42 | 42 | | redemption; now, therefore, be it |
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| 43 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 44 | 44 | | Legislature hereby recognize April 2023 as Second Chance Month, |
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| 45 | 45 | | honor Cynthia Simons and Justin Martinez for their contributions as |
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| 46 | 46 | | activists for criminal justice reform and rehabilitation, and |
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| 47 | 47 | | commend those organizations and individuals who are assisting |
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| 48 | 48 | | former inmates in reintegrating into society. |
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| 49 | 49 | | J. Johnson of Harris |
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| 50 | 50 | | ______________________________ |
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| 51 | 51 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 52 | 52 | | I certify that H.R. No. 1176 was adopted by the House on April |
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| 53 | 53 | | 25, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
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| 54 | 54 | | ______________________________ |
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| 55 | 55 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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