Bill Text: TX SR245 | 2011-2012 | 82nd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Recognizing Sylvia, Tim, and Matthew Collins for their participation in the Arc of Texas' Getting to the Heart of the Matter program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-02-14 - Reported enrolled [SR245 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-SR245-Enrolled.html
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| WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to | ||
| recognize Sylvia, Tim, and Matthew Collins for their | ||
| participation in the Arc of Texas' "Getting to the Heart of the | ||
| Matter" program, which facilitates better understanding between | ||
| lawmakers and constituents with intellectual and developmental | ||
| disabilities; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Matthew Collins is a bright, energetic teenager | ||
| with autism who enjoys swimming, bowling, and baseball; and | ||
| WHEREAS, A student at Bel Air High School in El Paso, | ||
| Matthew is a favorite of his teachers, teammates, and fellow | ||
| students; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Matthew's parents, Sylvia and Tim, are advocates | ||
| for their son and other children with disabilities and have | ||
| devoted themselves to seeing children with disabilities like | ||
| Matthew experience all they can in life; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Sylvia has been active in the Miracle League of El | ||
| Paso since its founding, serving as Team Mother for the Dodgers | ||
| baseball team for the last four years; she has served as | ||
| secretary for the Children's Disability Information Coalition | ||
| and has volunteered for Mentes Brillantes, a Spanish language | ||
| support and information network for parents of children with | ||
| autism; she has also been an active volunteer with both the | ||
| Autism Society of El Paso and local Special Olympics; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Matthew's father, Tim Collins, is a former El Paso | ||
| County Child Welfare Board member and current vice president of | ||
| the Autism Society of El Paso; he has been active with the Miracle | ||
| League of El Paso, serving as coach for the Dodgers baseball | ||
| team, and he has been Matthew's guide and supporter with Special | ||
| Olympics Aquatics; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Sylvia, Tim, and Matthew Collins participated in | ||
| the "Getting to the Heart of the Matter" program, which paired El | ||
| Paso policymakers with constituents with intellectual and | ||
| developmental disabilities; and | ||
| WHEREAS, As part of the program, Representative Joe | ||
| Pickett spent almost an entire day with Matthew and his parents | ||
| and had the opportunity to see firsthand some of the challenges | ||
| Matthew faces at school; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Representative Pickett remarked, "Talking with | ||
| Mr. and Mrs. Collins and seeing how they manage time and the | ||
| demands that they must meet daily was very enlightening. I | ||
| learned a great deal about how budget decisions and policy | ||
| sometimes create greater obstacles than intended. If every | ||
| elected official spent a few hours with people like the Collins | ||
| family, it wouldn't take long to be able to hone in and find | ||
| workable solutions"; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 82nd | ||
| Legislature, hereby commend Sylvia, Tim, and Matthew Collins; | ||
| and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for | ||
| them as an expression of esteem from the Texas Senate. | ||
| Rodriguez | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| President of the Senate | ||
| I hereby certify that the | ||
| above Resolution was adopted by | ||
| the Senate on February 14, 2011. | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| Member, Texas Senate | ||
