Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

   
      88(4) HR 20 - Enrolled version - Bill Text
      
            H.R.  No.  20
         
               R E S O L U T I O N
            
                          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



	R E S O L U T I O N
	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