Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HR1559 Compare Versions

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Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	H.R. No. 1559
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4	4	R E S O L U T I O N
5	5	WHEREAS, The Association for Texas Advocates is celebrating
6	6	40 years of exemplary service to adults with intellectual and
7	7	developmental disabilities and their families in 2023; and
8	8	WHEREAS, Founded in 1983, Texas Advocates is a statewide
9	9	self-advocacy organization run by and for people with intellectual
10	10	and developmental disabilities; the nonprofit now has some 20
11	11	chapters and 500 members in towns and cities from the Rio Grande
12	12	Valley to the Texas Panhandle and from El Paso to Texarkana; and
13	13	WHEREAS, Texas Advocates has steadfastly provided adult
14	14	Texans with intellectual and developmental disabilities with a
15	15	range of programs to promote their well-being, connect them to
16	16	their communities, and enrich their lives; the organization is
17	17	currently offering peer mentoring services at residential
18	18	institutions, operating 15 Next Chapter Book Clubs to help
19	19	participants discover the joy of reading, and preparing to train 40
20	20	of its members to become leaders in Texas organizations and
21	21	governmental entities by 2027; and
22	22	WHEREAS, Every year, Texas Advocates sponsors a
23	23	well-attended annual conference for adults with intellectual and
24	24	developmental disabilities, their families, and organizations and
25	25	businesses that serve them, and this year, the conference will take
26	26	place in the city of Denton; during each state legislative session,
27	27	the association sends representatives to discuss the needs of its
28	28	clients and the cause of disability rights with state lawmakers,
29	29	and it collaborates with like-minded organizations to provide
30	30	current data and cogent information to elected officials in the
31	31	interim as well; and
32	32	WHEREAS, Texas Advocates is one of the few organizations of
33	33	its kind whose leadership structure includes an individual with an
34	34	intellectual disability as its co-executive director, who works in
35	35	tandem with an experienced nonprofit executive; its current
36	36	co-executive directors are Brooke Hohfeld and Deborah Wallace, who
37	37	are doing an exemplary job of leading the organization with the
38	38	support of the Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities, the
39	39	Tocker Foundation, and other donors; and
40	40	WHEREAS, For four decades, the Association for Texas
41	41	Advocates has supported and empowered countless clients across the
42	42	state through its initiatives and advocacy efforts, and it is a
43	43	pleasure to join in recognizing the organization on this special
44	44	milestone in its history; now, therefore, be it
45	45	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
46	46	Legislature hereby honor the Association for Texas Advocates on its
47	47	40th anniversary and commend the organization's leadership team,
48	48	support staff, contractors, volunteers, and members for their
49	49	outstanding contributions to its success; and, be it further
50	50	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
51	51	prepared for Texas Advocates as an expression of high regard by the
52	52	Texas House of Representatives.
53	53	Talarico
54	54	______________________________
55	55	Speaker of the House
56	56	I certify that H.R. No. 1559 was adopted by the House on May
57	57	9, 2023, by a non-record vote.
58	58	______________________________
59	59	Chief Clerk of the House