Bill Text: TX HR1020 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

---

Bill Title: Recognizing March 19, 2013, as Homelessness Awareness Day.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2013-03-20 - Reported enrolled [HR1020 Detail]

Download: Texas-2013-HR1020-Introduced.html

---

83R12920 BK-D
By: Hunter H.R. No. 1020

R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, In the wake of the recent economic downturn, more
and more Americans are facing homelessness or the prospect of
losing their homes, including an increasing number who do not fit
the commonly held stereotype of the homeless; and
WHEREAS, A homeless person is generally defined as an
individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime
residence, or whose primary nighttime residence is a public or
private place not designed for regular sleeping accommodation; and
WHEREAS, While it is impossible to measure the rate of
homelessness with perfect accuracy, the Texas Homeless Network
estimates that close to 80,000 Texans experience homelessness on
any given day, with 265,000 experiencing homelessness over the span
of a year; and
WHEREAS, A sobering consequence of the nationwide economic
recession is the growing number of families and children
experiencing homelessness; according to a recent point-in-time
count, families now account for 40 percent of the state's homeless
population, and 3 percent of the homeless are unaccompanied minors;
children who lack safe and permanent housing often suffer from
health and emotional problems as well as impeded academic progress,
with fewer than one in four graduating from high school; and
WHEREAS, The State of Texas is home to a great number of
charities, government agencies, businesses, and advocacy groups
that are committed to serving homeless populations and developing
solutions to prevent and reduce homelessness in our communities;
and
WHEREAS, To that end, advocates from across the state are
gathering in Austin on March 19, 2013, to observe Homelessness
Awareness Day at the State Capitol; this occasion presents a
worthwhile opportunity to promote greater understanding of issues
facing homeless individuals and to foster solidarity in statewide
endeavors to end homelessness, a problem whose implications for the
future of our society cannot be overstated; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas
Legislature hereby recognize March 19, 2013, as Homelessness
Awareness Day and commend the state's homelessness advocates for
their important work.