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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Sandra Talton rendered outstanding service as the |
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committee director for the House Select Committee on Mental Health |
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during the 2016 interim and for the House Committee on Public Health |
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during the 85th Legislative Session; and |
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WHEREAS, While serving the select committee, Ms. Talton ably |
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assisted its chair, State Representative Four Price, and the |
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members of the committee; she helped them conduct eight |
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comprehensive days of hearings, which covered every aspect of the |
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mental health and substance use disorder issues that the committee |
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was assigned to study; the members heard testimony from the public |
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and expert witnesses from diverse professional fields, including |
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health care, law enforcement, and the judiciary, and Ms. Talton |
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provided crucial support in securing input from urban, suburban, |
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and rural areas alike; in carrying out its duties, the committee |
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examined a wide range of subjects, among them the early |
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identification of mental illness, insurance, and access to |
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treatment; moreover, she assisted in the committee's study of |
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specific populations, such as children, veterans, the homeless, and |
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persons incarcerated in the criminal justice system or confined to |
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state mental facilities; and |
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WHEREAS, Ms. Talton made on-site visits to several state, |
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county, and private mental health treatment facilities throughout |
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the state, and she conducted numerous meetings with stakeholders, |
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including county and law enforcement associations and mental health |
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advocacy organizations; in addition, she served as initial drafter |
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and editor of the comprehensive report that the committee produced |
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summarizing its findings and recommendations; the report contains |
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the signatures of all committee members, and it received widespread |
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acclaim from media and behavioral health stakeholders; and |
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WHEREAS, In her role as committee director of the House |
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Committee on Public Health, Ms. Talton ably assisted Chair Price |
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and the members in hearing 161 items of legislation, including more |
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than half of all filed sunset bills; the committee had a total of |
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329 bills and resolutions referred to it, the third-largest total |
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of legislative measures referred among all house committees; it has |
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jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to the protection of |
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public health, mental health, the development of programs, and the |
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prevention and treatment of mental illness, as well as oversight of |
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the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the Texas |
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Department of State Health Services, and 22 other health or |
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health-related state agencies; and |
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WHEREAS, Prior to these committee director assignments, |
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Ms. Talton assisted Representative Price as lead staffer in his |
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work as chair of the Article II Subcommittee of the House |
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Appropriations Committee and in his work as co-chair of the Health |
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and Human Services Transition Legislative Oversight Committee, |
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which is monitoring the reorganization of the Texas Health and |
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Human Services Commission; and |
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WHEREAS, A graduate of Harding University, Ms. Talton was a |
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member of its honors American Studies Program, and she also holds a |
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master of business administration degree from Texas State |
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University; she is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma Honor Society; and |
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WHEREAS, Throughout her service as committee director, |
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Sandra Talton demonstrated consummate professionalism and |
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consistent and stellar dedication to the public policy of Texas and |
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to the well-being of the state's citizens, and she is indeed |
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deserving of thanks and acknowledgment for her accomplishments; |
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now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commend Sandra Talton for her exemplary service |
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as committee director for the House Select Committee on Mental |
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Health and for the House Committee on Public Health and extend to |
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her sincere appreciation for her contributions; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Ms. Talton as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives. |
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Price |
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Allen |
Gonzales of Williamson |
Ortega |
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Alonzo |
González of El Paso |
Paddie |
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Anderson of Dallas |
Guillen |
Perez |
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Anderson of McLennan |
Gutierrez |
Phelan |
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Biedermann |
Howard |
Reynolds |
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Bonnen of Brazoria |
Isaac |
Rodriguez of Bexar |
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Bonnen of Galveston |
Israel |
Rodriguez of Travis |
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Burkett |
Johnson of Dallas |
Romero, Jr. |
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Burns |
Johnson of Harris |
Rose |
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Cain |
King of Hemphill |
Schofield |
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Canales |
King of Parker |
Schubert |
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Capriglione |
King of Uvalde |
Shaheen |
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Cosper |
Landgraf |
Stephenson |
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Davis of Dallas |
Longoria |
Thompson of Brazoria |
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Davis of Harris |
Lozano |
Thompson of Harris |
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Dean |
Lucio III |
Tinderholt |
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Gervin-Hawkins |
Nevárez |
Zedler |
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______________________________ |
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Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.R. No. 2726 was adopted by the House on May 29, |
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2017, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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