Texas 2023 - 88th 4th C.S.

Texas House Bill HR20 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	H.R. No. 20
2	2
3	3
4	4	R E S O L U T I O N
5	5	WHEREAS, Lavinia Masters is being inducted into the Texas
6	6	Women's Hall of Fame on November 9, 2023, by Governor Greg Abbott
7	7	and the Governor's Commission for Women; and
8	8	WHEREAS, Recognized for her advocacy and community service,
9	9	Ms. Masters is the namesake of the Lavinia Masters Act; this
10	10	important legislation requires that law enforcement agencies test
11	11	evidence collected after sexual assaults in a timely manner and
12	12	extends the statute of limitations for cases with untested
13	13	evidence; and
14	14	WHEREAS, When she was only 13 years old, Ms. Masters
15	15	experienced the trauma of sexual assault and the further trauma of a
16	16	dehumanizing and ineffective system of justice for victims; she
17	17	relied on a foundation of faith and family to gradually heal, and as
18	18	an adult, she began to use her voice in behalf of other survivors;
19	19	and
20	20	WHEREAS, In 2005, Ms. Masters became a leader in the national
21	21	effort to eliminate the backlog in processing rape kits; at a news
22	22	conference with the Dallas Police Department, she urged other
23	23	survivors to come forward and request that their evidence be
24	24	examined; she testified before the Texas Legislature and the
25	25	U.S. Congress and spoke to numerous news outlets; recognizing that
26	26	the issue was international, she even addressed audiences abroad;
27	27	and
28	28	WHEREAS, Ms. Masters joined forces with state legislators in
29	29	2017 to pursue action on the matter; she served on a sexual assault
30	30	task force and worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the need for
31	31	such legislation; when House Bill 8 was passed in 2019, it was
32	32	fittingly named in her honor; and
33	33	WHEREAS, Today, as an activist, author, public speaker, and
34	34	consultant, Ms. Masters encourages others to embrace purposeful
35	35	living after trauma and speak out; she is also a coach for members
36	36	of the entertainment industry seeking to remain trauma-informed and
37	37	survivor-centered; the founder and director of Hope S.A.V.E.S., she
38	38	has given generously of her time and expertise as a member of many
39	39	organizations, among them the boards of the Turning Point Rape
40	40	Crisis Center and the Governor's Sexual Assault Survivors' Task
41	41	Force; and
42	42	WHEREAS, Lavinia Masters has inspired innumerable people by
43	43	effecting positive change and empowering them to do likewise, and
44	44	she is richly deserving of this prestigious accolade; now,
45	45	therefore, be it
46	46	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas
47	47	Legislature, 4th Called Session, hereby congratulate Lavinia
48	48	Masters on her induction into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame and
49	49	extend to her sincere best wishes for continued success in her
50	50	endeavors; and, be it further
51	51	RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
52	52	prepared for Ms. Masters as an expression of high regard by the
53	53	Texas House of Representatives.
54	54	Thimesch
55	55	______________________________
56	56	Speaker of the House
57	57	I certify that H.R. No. 20 was adopted by the House on
58	58	November 17, 2023, by a non-record vote.
59	59	______________________________
60	60	Chief Clerk of the House