SUPPORT HCR 66

87R13794 BPG-D

By: Wu H.C.R. No. 66

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Asians account for five percent of Texas' population and are the fastest growing racial group in the state; and

WHEREAS, Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of hate crimes and incidents of hate directed at Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), with the use of terms such as "Chinese virus," "Wuhan virus," and "kung-flu" perpetuating this disturbing escalation; and

WHEREAS, The group Stop AAPI Hate began collecting incident reports on March 19, 2020, and in under four months, it received 63 from Texas alone; while shunning and verbal harassment, including racial slurs and name-calling, accounted for most of the incidents, physical assaults constituted 22 percent of reports from the state, more than twice the national rate of nine percent; and

WHEREAS, One high-profile act of violence occurred on March 14, 2020, when a 19-year-old man, looking for someone to blame for the COVID-19 pandemic, attacked an Asian American family with a knife in Midland; the FBI called the case a hate crime; and

WHEREAS, In Houston's Chinatown, rumors spread on social media falsely claiming that an Asian supermarket in the area was shut down by the government due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19); customers avoided the area, driving losses that reached 70 percent for many Asian American businesses; businesses owned by Asian Americans have also been targeted for vandalism during the COVID-19 pandemic; and

WHEREAS, Nationally, Stop AAPI Hate received more than 2,800 firsthand accounts of anti-Asian hate by the end of 2020; over 7 percent of these involved Asian Americans over the age of 60; attacks have continued to occur in 2021, leaving many seniors afraid to walk in their own neighborhoods; two terrible incidents captured on video include a vicious assault on a 91-year-old in the Chinatown neighborhood of Oakland, California, and another on an 84-year-old San Franciscan, who later died; and

WHEREAS, The number of victims is likely higher than official tallies, since many incidents are not reported to law enforcement, due to past negative experiences with law enforcement or a lack of faith in a response; nevertheless, Asian American families are well aware of the growing frequency of violence and harassment, prompting many to keep their children at home learning remotely, rather than returning to schools as they reopen; and

WHEREAS, The pandemic has brought the problem of anti-AAPI racism to the forefront, and it is imperative that this issue be addressed; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby strongly condemn racism against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas call on state law enforcement officials, working with federal and local officials, to investigate and prosecute all credible reports of hate crimes and incidents and threats against AAPIs in Texas; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas express its support for public and private efforts to eradicate anti-AAPI racism in all its forms.

Visit the site: https://capitol.texas.gov/billlookup/History.aspx?LegSess=87R&Bill=HCR66