88S40317 KSM-D
By: Thimesch H.R. No. 20
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, Lavinia Masters is being inducted into the Texas
Women's Hall of Fame on November 9, 2023, by Governor Greg Abbott
and the Governor's Commission for Women; and
WHEREAS, Recognized for her advocacy and community service,
Ms. Masters is the namesake of the Lavinia Masters Act; this
important legislation requires that law enforcement agencies test
evidence collected after sexual assaults in a timely manner and
extends the statute of limitations for cases with untested
evidence; and
WHEREAS, When she was only 13 years old, Ms. Masters
experienced the trauma of sexual assault and the further trauma of a
dehumanizing and ineffective system of justice for victims; she
relied on a foundation of faith and family to gradually heal, and as
an adult, she began to use her voice in behalf of other survivors;
and
WHEREAS, In 2005, Ms. Masters became a leader in the national
effort to eliminate the backlog in processing rape kits; at a news
conference with the Dallas Police Department, she urged other
survivors to come forward and request that their evidence be
examined; she testified before the Texas Legislature and the
U.S. Congress and spoke to numerous news outlets; recognizing that
the issue was international, she even addressed audiences abroad;
and
WHEREAS, Ms. Masters joined forces with state legislators in
2017 to pursue action on the matter; she served on a sexual assault
task force and worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the need for
such legislation; when House Bill 8 was passed in 2019, it was
fittingly named in her honor; and
WHEREAS, Today, as an activist, author, public speaker, and
consultant, Ms. Masters encourages others to embrace purposeful
living after trauma and speak out; she is also a coach for members
of the entertainment industry seeking to remain trauma-informed and
survivor-centered; the founder and director of Hope S.A.V.E.S., she
has given generously of her time and expertise as a member of many
organizations, among them the boards of the Turning Point Rape
Crisis Center and the Governor's Sexual Assault Survivors' Task
Force; and
WHEREAS, Lavinia Masters has inspired innumerable people by
effecting positive change and empowering them to do likewise, and
she is richly deserving of this prestigious accolade; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
Legislature, 4th Called Session, hereby congratulate Lavinia
Masters on her induction into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame and
extend to her sincere best wishes for continued success in her
endeavors; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
prepared for Ms. Masters as an expression of high regard by the
Texas House of Representatives.