Senate Bill sb0248

    Florida Senate - 2005        (NP)                       SR 248

    By Senator Hill





    1-273-05

  1                    Senate Resolution No. ____

  2         A resolution honoring Florida's Legal Services

  3         and Legal Aid Attorneys and recognizing April

  4         6, 2005, as "Legal Aid Day" in Tallahassee.

  5  

  6         WHEREAS, more than 13 percent of all Floridians are

  7  living in poverty, and

  8         WHEREAS, in passing the Florida Access to Civil Legal

  9  Assistance Act, the Florida Legislature has recognized the

10  importance of civil legal assistance to the poor and the need

11  to improve their access to justice, and

12         WHEREAS, in 1973, the Florida Bar and representatives

13  of the Governor formed Florida Legal Services, Inc., to expand

14  the availability of civil legal assistance to the poor in

15  Florida, and

16         WHEREAS, Florida Legal Services, Inc., has become the

17  lead organization for preserving and improving legal

18  assistance to indigent and vulnerable Floridians through

19  direct representation, legislative and administrative

20  advocacy, training, technical support, and coordination of

21  effort for the local legal services and legal aid offices that

22  provide legal assistance in all of the state's 67 counties,

23  and

24         WHEREAS, by working with local Legal Services and Legal

25  Aid Attorneys throughout the state, and in conjunction with

26  Florida legislators, Florida Legal Services, Inc., has

27  successfully obtained legal protections for people moving from

28  welfare to work, legal protection for Medicaid recipients,

29  regulation of day-labor operations, legal protections for the

30  homeless, legal protections for residential tenants,

31  restrictions on predatory mortgage-lending practices, and

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    Florida Senate - 2005        (NP)                       SR 248
    1-273-05




 1  landmark legislation regulating title loans and payday loans,

 2  and

 3         WHEREAS, Florida's Legal Services and Legal Aid

 4  Attorneys demonstrate commitment, dedication, and excellence

 5  in securing access to justice for Florida's most vulnerable

 6  and needy residents, NOW, THEREFORE,

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 8  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:

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10         That April 6, 2005, is recognized as "Legal Aid Day" in

11  Tallahassee in honor of the contributions that Legal Services

12  and Legal Aid Attorneys have made and continue to make towards

13  guaranteeing access to justice for the poor in Florida.

14         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution,

15  with the Seal of the Senate affixed, be presented to each

16  Legal Services and Legal Aid Attorney in this state as a token

17  of the sentiments of the Florida Senate.

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