HR1504 - Commending the staff of the Legislative Reference Library for their work during the 89th Legislative Session.

  89R34033 KSM-D     By: Geren H.R. No. 1504       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, For more than a century, the Legislative Reference   Library has provided invaluable assistance to Texas lawmakers; and          WHEREAS, Signaling to the world that the Texas Legislature   early on understood the need for expert assistance from   professional library staff and the value of a specialized reference   library, leaders of this state reserved a special place at the core   of the 1888 Capitol to house this vital resource for current and   future generations; the Legislative Reference Library was   established on the second floor in the north wing to assist members   of the Legislature and their staffs, and its resources are also   available to the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker, and their   staffs, to the staff of the governor's office, to legislative   officers, agencies, and committees, to state agencies and   commissions, to librarians and legislators from other states, to   members of the press, and to Texas citizens; and          WHEREAS, The tools may change through the decades, but the   need for information endures, and the library's electronic data   systems currently expedite the delivery of knowledge to the   legislative community and the people of Texas in both direct and   indirect ways; the creation, compilation, and utilization of   information in a reliable and timely fashion are provided today in a   manner unimaginable by the Legislature in 1888, yet the importance   of the library's continued proximity to the seat of Texas   government was reaffirmed during the restoration of the Capitol in   the 1990s, thus underscoring the intrinsic value of this treasured   institution; and          WHEREAS, The effectiveness of the library would not be   possible without the talented people who staff it; these   individuals provide in-depth analyses of legislation from all 50   states, respond to historical legislative queries, and create ad   hoc legislative statistical reports for staff in the Speaker's and   Lieutenant Governor's offices; during legislative sessions, the   library plays an integral part in the legislative process; staff   develop electronic records in the Texas Legislative Tracking System   for each bill or resolution filed and furnish real-time information   to the legislative community, to executive agencies, and to   citizens of this state through such proprietary applications as   TLIS and TLO; and          WHEREAS, Stationed on the floor of the House and Senate   chambers, library staff record critical legislative actions as they   occur, and they work closely with the Senate and House   parliamentarians, the Senate and House journal clerks, the chief   clerk of the House, the secretary of the Senate, and their staffs to   ensure that these records are accurate and complete; library staff   members are also responsible for assigning and entering subject   terms and companion relationships to facilitate legislative   research, and they review enrolled legislation for the effective   dates of each measure; in addition, the library operates a   toll-free bill status hotline for the public; and          WHEREAS, As the statutory custodian of legislative records,   the library maintains the most comprehensive physical repository of   information relating to the Texas Legislature, including original   legislative bill files, historical and current publications of   legislative committees, state agencies, and institutions of higher   education, and legislative legal resources, journals, law reviews,   and periodicals; a circulating collection of materials is also made   available to the legislative community; and          WHEREAS, The library has undertaken an ambitious and ongoing   project to digitize historical legislative records and   information, including the House and Senate journals, to ensure   that this information is available to scholars and the public to   foster better understanding of the history of Texas and the   Legislature's role in that history; and          WHEREAS, Each business day, the library compiles select   articles from newspapers statewide for the legislative community,   and it generates weekly listings of important journal articles and   monthly listings of newsworthy additions to the library's   collection; the library provides accurate and up-to-date   legislative information electronically through a number of   databases; the Texas Appointment System contains information on   members of state councils, boards, and committees appointed by the   governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Speaker; the Legislative   Archive System holds the only electronic version of original   legislative bill files and documentation, while the Index to   Sections Affected is the sole source of information detailing the   proposed statutory effect of bills; moreover, the library maintains   Texas Legislators: Past & Present, highlighting legislative   membership information from 1846 to today, as well as a legislative   reports database covering that same period, and it archives   gubernatorial executive orders, messages, and proclamations; and          WHEREAS, Guided skillfully by director Mary Camp, the LRL   staff includes assistant director Catherine Wusterhausen,   librarians Tricia Bailey, Ali Dzienkowski, Colton Chambers, Ia   Wood, Karen McBurney, Linna Dean, and Melanie Harshman, archivists   Kaelyn Morice, Megan North, and Marrisa Talamantes, legislative   assistants Donald Brower, Michelle Martinez, Kelvin Mote, Kali   Palmer, Julia Walden, and Jay Young, library assistants Megan   Hodson, Bailey Williams, Josh Sklar, and Fernanda Zamora, and   clipping service staff David Wood, Christopher Taylor, and Vincent   Cowan; and          WHEREAS, These hardworking and dedicated professionals   demonstrate an unyielding commitment to excellence as they carry on   the long and storied tradition of their agency, and they may take   justifiable pride in the important services they provide to the   Legislature and to the citizens of the Lone Star State; now,   therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas   Legislature hereby honor the Legislative Reference Library and   extend to the staff members sincere appreciation for their   outstanding contributions; and, be it further          RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be   prepared for the library as an expression of high regard by the   Texas House of Representatives.