A concurrent RESOLUTION

 

TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR LAURA SLADE HUDSON FOR HER YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE IN ADVOCATING FOR CRIME VICTIMS AND FOR HER PUBLIC POLICY ACCOMPLISHMENTS ON BEHALF OF CRIME VICTIMS AND ALL SOUTH CAROLINIANS.

 

Whereas, Laura Hudson began her lifelong career as a public policy advocate for crime victims in 1982 when she founded the Lexington/Richland chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), serving for a decade as its first president and as its legislative liaison for a dozen years. She would later serve as state chairwoman for MADD South Carolina and on the National Legislative Committee of MADD National; and

 

Whereas, her advocacy efforts have not been limited to victims of alcohol-related crimes. She served as the executive director of the South Carolina Victim Assistance Network (SCVAN) from 1994 to 2000, and continues to serve as its public policy coordinator, a function she has performed for nearly a quarter of a century. She also served as the executive director of Citizens Advocating for Decency and a Revival of Ethics (CADRE) for a decade, has served as a member of the Child Fatality Advisory Board since 1998, and is a member of the board of directors of the state chapter of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a service she has provided for over three decades; and

 

Whereas, Laura Hudson's effectiveness as a public policy advocate for crime victims is evident through the success she has had either initiating or shepherding through the General Assembly more than 150 pieces of DUI legislation, 25 child protection bills, 10 pieces of CDV legislation, and more that 85 bills concerning crime victims generally. She also spearheaded the creation of funding for crime victim compensation and services. She is most fond of "leveling the playing field" and "balancing the scales" for crime victims, and considers the General Assembly's passage of the South Carolina Constitutional Amendment for Victims of Crime a game changer; and

 

Whereas, she has helped inform and shape public policy by serving on the Highway Patrol Task Analysis Committee, the Governors Task Force on Highway Safety, the University of South Carolina Internet Victim Information System Advisory Task Force, the Governor's Advisory Victim Service Coordinating Committee, the South Carolina Victim Assistance Standards and Certification Board, and the Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) Task Force.  She has also served on the boards of the South Carolina Magistrates Council, the State Victim Assistance Academy, the South Carolina Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team, and the South Carolina Baptist Convention's Christian Issues Committee; and

 

Whereas, working to educate the public, Laura Hudson has been a guest instructor at the University of South Carolina, a guest speaker at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy, an instructor at the South Carolina Victim Assistance Basic Training Institute, and a guest panelist and spokesperson on public and commercial television stations and an op-ed writer in statewide newspapers for SCVAN, CADRE, and MADD.  She was a guest on the Geraldo Rivera Show on the obscenity issue; and

 

Whereas, as a Traffic Accident Victim Advocate (TAVA), she procured a grant to create the first highway patrol victim advocacy program in the nation and was responsible for raising $48,000 as a gift from MADD to the South Carolina Highway Patrol for in-car video cameras; and

 

Whereas, as a wife, stepmother, foster mother, and grandmother, Laura Hudson found the time and energy to help countless victims and assist legislators in their duties.  As a Christian, she considers her work a ministry.  Her efforts have been honored with many awards, including the Order of the Palmetto in 2006, the state's highest civilian award; the South Carolina Law Enforcement 1996 Outstanding Achievement Award; SCVAN's 1990 Distinguished Humanitarian Award; MADD National President's Award for Legislative Efforts in 1989; the March of Dimes Woman of Achievement Award in 1989; and the National Victim Compensation Board Award in 1988.  Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

 

That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, recognize and honor Laura Slade Hudson for her years of dedicated service in advocating for crime victims and for her public policy accomplishments on behalf of crime victims and all South Carolinians.

 

Be it further resolved that the copy of this resolution be presented to Laura Slade Hudson.

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