| 1 | 1 | | H.R. No. 426 |
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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, The volunteers, staff, and board members who make up |
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| 6 | 6 | | the Texas Court Appointed Special Advocates network are gathering |
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| 7 | 7 | | in Austin on March 1, 2023, for CASA Day at the State Capitol; and |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Texas CASA is part of a national volunteer movement |
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| 9 | 9 | | that began in 1977 and enlists local community volunteers to |
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| 10 | 10 | | support children and families involved in the foster care system; |
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| 11 | 11 | | beginning in 1979 with the first CASA program in Dallas, and |
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| 12 | 12 | | followed by the formation of Texas CASA in 1989, judges and |
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| 13 | 13 | | communities across the state have worked to expand CASA's services; |
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| 14 | 14 | | and |
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| 15 | 15 | | WHEREAS, Providing 73 local programs in 219 of the state's |
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| 16 | 16 | | 254 counties, Texas CASA has grown to become one of the largest such |
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| 17 | 17 | | initiatives in the nation; through their advocacy efforts in the |
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| 18 | 18 | | 2022 fiscal year, CASA volunteers made a difference for nearly |
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| 19 | 19 | | 24,000 youth by helping to build family connections and working to |
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| 20 | 20 | | address each child's mental, medical, and educational needs during |
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| 21 | 21 | | their time in foster care; and |
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| 22 | 22 | | WHEREAS, CASA volunteers are appointed by a judge to provide |
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| 23 | 23 | | valuable information and to make informed recommendations to courts |
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| 24 | 24 | | that serve the best interests of each child; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | WHEREAS, The CASA network in Texas works tirelessly to ensure |
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| 26 | 26 | | that the organization grows in size in order to serve more children |
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| 27 | 27 | | and families and grows in understanding and practice to ensure that |
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| 28 | 28 | | CASA serves those children and families as informed, collaborative |
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| 29 | 29 | | partners in an ever-evolving system of care; and |
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| 30 | 30 | | WHEREAS, All those associated with CASA are truly deserving |
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| 31 | 31 | | of recognition for their important work and service to the State of |
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| 32 | 32 | | Texas, its courts, its children, and its families; now, therefore, |
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| 33 | 33 | | be it |
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| 34 | 34 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas |
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| 35 | 35 | | Legislature hereby recognize March 1, 2023, as CASA Day at the State |
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| 36 | 36 | | Capitol and commend the organization for its diligent efforts to |
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| 37 | 37 | | aid abused and neglected children in the State of Texas; and, be it |
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| 38 | 38 | | further |
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| 39 | 39 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 40 | 40 | | prepared for CASA as an expression of high regard by the Texas House |
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| 41 | 41 | | of Representatives. |
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| 42 | 42 | | Frank |
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| 43 | 43 | | ______________________________ |
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| 44 | 44 | | Speaker of the House |
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| 45 | 45 | | I certify that H.R. No. 426 was adopted by the House on March |
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| 46 | 46 | | 1, 2023, by a non-record vote. |
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| 47 | 47 | | ______________________________ |
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| 48 | 48 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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