Bill Text: TX HR20 | 2023 | 88th Legislature 4th Special Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Congratulating Lavinia Masters on her induction into the Texas Women's Hall of Fame.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-11-17 - Reported enrolled [HR20 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HR20-Enrolled.html
| H.R. No. 20 | ||
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| 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. | ||
| Thimesch | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 20 was adopted by the House on | ||
| November 17, 2023, by a non-record vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
