Bill Text: TX HR1117 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Recognizing April 2019 as Alcohol Responsibility Month.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2019-04-05 - Reported enrolled [HR1117 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HR1117-Enrolled.html
| H.R. No. 1117 | ||
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| WHEREAS, The dangers of drunk driving and underage drinking | ||
| are issues of concern to every Texan; and | ||
| WHEREAS, While concerted law enforcement and education | ||
| efforts have done much to curb drunk driving over the past few | ||
| decades, more than 10,000 alcohol-related deaths still occur on our | ||
| nation's roadways each year; and | ||
| WHEREAS, A total of 1,468 Texans died in drunk driving | ||
| crashes in 2017; although this number is above the national | ||
| average, alcohol-impaired driving fatalities overall have been on | ||
| the decline at both the state and national levels, and our state has | ||
| seen a 7.5 percent decrease in such fatalities among drivers under | ||
| the age of 21 in the last decade alone; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The State of Texas has worked to reduce the | ||
| incidence of impaired driving through the use of DWI courts, law | ||
| enforcement training, No Refusal campaigns, ignition interlock | ||
| devices, alcoholism treatment, and other lifesaving | ||
| countermeasures; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Underage drinking, which continues to be a | ||
| persistent problem despite a decline to record-low levels in 2018, | ||
| is an area of particular focus for our state; the number of Texans | ||
| between the ages of 12 and 20 reporting alcohol consumption in the | ||
| past month is now around 17 percent, a decrease of 36 percent since | ||
| 2008, and the continued cooperation of state law enforcement | ||
| agencies, alcohol awareness organizations, and responsible parents | ||
| can play an instrumental role in ensuring that our youth avoid | ||
| impaired driving; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Research shows that parents can help prevent | ||
| underage drinking and alcohol abuse by beginning conversations with | ||
| their children about alcohol use at an early age and by continuing | ||
| to speak with them about the issue throughout childhood, | ||
| adolescence, and early adulthood; with the help of | ||
| Responsibility.org and other organizations, 73 percent of | ||
| teenagers now identify parents as the leading influence in their | ||
| decisions regarding alcohol, representing a 33 percent increase | ||
| since 1991; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The recognition of April as Alcohol Responsibility | ||
| Month offers a welcome opportunity to call attention to the work | ||
| that must be done to further reduce the tragic impact of drunk | ||
| driving and underage drinking in Texas; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas | ||
| Legislature hereby recognize April 2019 as Alcohol Responsibility | ||
| Month and encourage all Texans to make responsible decisions | ||
| regarding the consumption of alcohol and to support efforts to | ||
| reduce drunk driving and underage drinking. | ||
| King of Uvalde | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 1117 was adopted by the House on April | ||
| 4, 2019, by a non-record vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
