Bill Text: TX HR545 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Recognizing the "Getting to the Heart of the Matter" program sponsored by The Arc of Texas.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Passed) 2011-03-15 - Reported enrolled [HR545 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HR545-Enrolled.html
| H.R. No. 545 | ||
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| WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is pleased to | ||
| recognize The Arc of Texas program "Getting to the Heart of the | ||
| Matter" for facilitating better understanding between El Paso | ||
| lawmakers and their constituents with intellectual and | ||
| developmental disabilities; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The program was designed to address the fact that, | ||
| all too often, constituents with intellectual and developmental | ||
| disabilities and their families are unable to adequately | ||
| communicate to their elected officials the circumstances that arise | ||
| in their everyday lives; and | ||
| WHEREAS, "Getting to the Heart of the Matter," which paired | ||
| El Paso policy makers with constituents with intellectual and | ||
| developmental disabilities, was designed by The Arc of Texas, | ||
| supported financially by the Texas Council for Developmental | ||
| Disabilities, and facilitated locally by El Paso community | ||
| organizer Sandie Olivar; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Under the program, State Representative Joe Pickett | ||
| spent time with Matthew Collins, a Bel Air High School student who | ||
| has autism, and his parents, Sylvia and Tim Collins; Representative | ||
| Pickett also visited Matthew's class at school; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Ashley Bullard, a graduating senior from Chapin High | ||
| School who is confined to a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy, met | ||
| with State Representative Marisa Marquez, and the two spent time | ||
| together during the school day; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Advocate Jane Jones, who uses a wheelchair due to a | ||
| neuromuscular disorder, met with State Representative Joe Moody for | ||
| lunch; Ms. Jones is dependent on the mass transit system to get to | ||
| and from work, so she obtained a motorized runabout for | ||
| Representative Moody to use so that he could also experience the | ||
| challenges faced by persons with limited mobility; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Apolonia Alvarez-Lozano is a Volar Center for | ||
| Independent Living employee, a member of El Paso's Local Advocacy | ||
| Collaboration, and an Arc of Texas volunteer; she helped guide El | ||
| Paso County judge Veronica Escobar around El Paso via a motorized | ||
| runabout to experience the barriers that a person in a wheelchair | ||
| faces on a daily basis; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The "Getting to the Heart of the Matter" program has | ||
| provided an opportunity for elected officials to speak to their | ||
| constituents and their families in an environment in which all | ||
| participants are encouraged to ask questions, engage in | ||
| discussions, and learn from one another; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas | ||
| Legislature hereby recognize the "Getting to the Heart of the | ||
| Matter" program and extend to all those associated with The Arc of | ||
| Texas sincere best wishes for continued success with this important | ||
| initiative; and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
| prepared for the organization as an expression of high regard by the | ||
| Texas House of Representatives. | ||
| Marquez | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 545 was adopted by the House on March | ||
| 3, 2011, by a non-record vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
