FEATURED: Beginning in 2024, every March 4 in Texas will be observed as “COVID-19 Heroes and Memorial Day” under a new state law developed by Rep. R.D. “Bobby” Guerra, D-McAllen, seen here on the floor of the House of Representatives in January 2021. His House Bill 2166 establishes a uniform statewide date to honor Texans who put their own health and safety on the line, especially during the worst periods of the coronavirus pandemic, to keep society from falling apart. In addition, “COVID-19 Heroes and Memorial Day” will be a time to memorialize the almost 95,000 people in Texas who have lost their lives to COVID-19 since March 4, 2020 – the date that airborne disease was first diagnosed in Texas.
Photograph By HOUSE PHOTOGRAPHY
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“COVID-19 Heroes and Memorial Day” which begins March 4, 2024, championed by Valley lawmakers Rep. Guerra, Sen. LaMantia, and Rep. Muñoz, and endorsed by DHR Health, approved by the Texas Legislature and Gov. Abbott
By DAVID A. DÍAZ
[email protected]
Beginning in 2024, every March 4 in Texas will be observed as “COVID-19 Heroes and Memorial Day” under a new state law developed by Rep. R.D. “Bobby” Guerra, D-McAllen, which establishes a uniform statewide date to honor Texans who put their own health and safety on the line, especially during the worst periods of the coronavirus pandemic, to keep society from falling apart.
Texans such as “medical and health care providers, first responders, law enforcement personnel, retail employees, key federal, state and local government staff members, agricultural, utility, public works, and transportation employees, and many other individuals were heroes,” Guerra said. “They worked tirelessly and put their lives in harm’s way to keep Texans safe during a time of unprecedented crisis.”
In addition, “COVID-19 Heroes and Memorial Day” will be a time to memorialize the almost 95,000 people in Texas who have lost their lives to COVID-19 since March 4, 2020 – the date that airborne disease was first diagnosed in Texas.
House Bill 2166 was supported by DHR Health, the Valley-wide major hospital system which received statewide and national attention for saving countless lives and administering more than 350,000 (three hundred fifty thousand) COVID-19 vaccinations in South Texas since March 4, 2020.
DHR Health’s vital contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic were recognized by Gov. Greg Abbott in a proclamation the governor issued in October 2021.
“As Governor of Texas, I am honored to thank you for your service to the state of Texas as a major vaccination hub. Your hard work has helped to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in our community while also safeguarding crucial state resources and ensuring the protection of our most vulnerable citizens,” Abbott said.
“I often say that it is not our challenges that defines us, but rather how we rise about them,” the governor continued. “You have demonstrated this ideal through your tireless efforts to serve your fellow Texans, and on behalf of the entire state, I thank you. You truly exemplify the very best of the Lone Star State.”
https://www.facebook.com/DHRhealth/photos/a.143357815708113/4735716269805555/?type=3
As primary author of House Bill 2166, Guerra was the legislator who filed that measure and guided it through the legislative process (also called the primary author) during the 88th Texas Legislature’s regular session.
“Filed” is used to refer to a measure that has been introduced into the legislative process and given a number.
House Bill 2166, which was signed by the governor, goes into effect on Friday, September 1, 2023.
All Rio Grande Valley state senators and state representatives voted for House Bill 2166.
A bill is a type of legislative measure that requires passage by the Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives and action by the governor in order to become effective. A bill is the primary means used to create and change the laws of the state.
Legislation is a proposed or enacted law or group of laws.
House Bill 2166 – which includes Guerra’s fellow Valley lawmaker, Rep. Sergio Muñoz, Jr., D-Mission, as an author – is not a state holiday, such as Thanksgiving or Christmas, Guerra explained.
But it is sure to take great significance by establishing March 4 as “a day of observance to remember the loved ones we lost to COVID-19 and to honor the heroes who kept us safe,” said Guerra. “Many of us lost someone we know to COVID-19.”
House Bill 2166 “requires that COVID-19 Heroes and Memorial Day be regularly observed by appropriate ceremonies and activities,” according to the language of that measure.
Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, and Rep. Alma Allen, D-Houston, also played important roles by serving as authors with Guerra of House Bill 2166, Guerra noted.
As sponsor of House Bill 2166, LaMantia guided Guerra’s House Bill 2166 through the Senate.
The idea for the “COVID-19 Heroes and Memorial Day” for Texas came from Guerra.
“We developed the bill without outside input, but worked with organizations representing those many essential and courageous workers and asked for their support and to help encourage their respective senators and state representatives to vote for “COVID-19 Heroes and Memorial Day”,” he said. “As a result, the votes in the House and the Senate for House Bill 2166 were unanimous.”
Individuals representing themselves and/or organizations which registered in favor of House Bill 2166 before the House Committee on Public Health during its public hearing on Monday, April 24, 2023 were, listed in alphabetical order:
Alvarado, Aidan (Self, Laredo Firefighters Association); Boston, Jessica (Texas Association for Home Care and Hospice); Dowling, Matt (Texas Medical Association); Hiller, Bobby (Texas Orthopaedic Association); Hunt, Ray (Self; Houston Police Officers’ Union); Knaupe, Gregg (Texas Hospital Association); Milligan, Maureen (Texas Hospitals of Texas); Morris, Tory (Self); Parnell, James (Dallas Police Association); Quintana, LeRessa (Community Health Systems); Reed, Dallas (Texas Municipal Police Association); Rice, Leela (Texas Council of Community Centers); Streufert, Kelsey (Texas Restaurant Association); Szimapski, Jennifer (Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas (CLEAT); Travis, Clayton (Texas Pediatric Society); Van Maanen, Cynthia (Travis County Democratic Party); Vasek, Heather (DHR Health (Hidalgo County); Wilson, Stacy (Children’s Hospital Association of Texas); Vasek, Heather (DHR Health (Hidalgo County)); Wilson, Stacy (Children’s Hospital Association of Texas); and Yarbrough, Brian (University Health Services, Inc).
Guerra, who serves as Chair, House Committee on Resolutions Calendar, believes that with such widespread support for “COVID-19 Heroes and Memorial Day”, he is confident that beginning on March 4, 2023 – and on the day each year – individuals, along with leaders of organizations, public and private businesses, communities small and large, and local, regional and state governments will host formal and public ceremonies to honor those heroes and remember loved ones lost.
COVID-19, which became a pandemic, has caused millions of deaths around the world as well as lasting health problems in many who survived the illness.
A pandemic is a widespread occurrence of an infectious disease over a whole country or the world at a particular time.
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus
A total of 8,447,168 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Texas between March 4, 2020 through Spring 2023. At least one in 307 residents have died from the coronavirus, at total of 94,581 deaths as of March 23, 2023, according to the New York Times.
The Centers for Disease Control reports the first laboratory-confirmed case of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus in the U.S. from samples taken on January 18, 2020 in Washington state and on the same day activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to respond to the emerging outbreak.
Effective on Thursday, May 11, 2023, President Biden declared both the public health emergency and the national state of emergency for COVID-19 to be over.
https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/05/09/fact-sheet-end-of-the-covid19-public-health-emergency.html
More about DHR Health
Physician-Led Healthcare for America (PHA), an organization which promotes, educates, and advocates for exceptional patient centered care through physician leadership, praised DHR Health for their actions during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Responding to the COVID-19 crisis, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance stepped up when the community needed their help during several COVID-19 surges,” PHA reported on its online publication. “Given the pandemic-induced hospital bed shortage, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance rapidly dedicated COVID-19 units, eventually converting its rehabilitation hospital into a dedicated COVID-19 hospital with more than 100 beds in under 10 days.
“Such s the product of physician-driven innovation – out of necessity – in care delivery,” PHA noted.
https://physiciansled.com/covid-19-dhr-responded/
Doctors Hospital at Renaissance, Ltd (“DHR”) and its general partner, RGV Med, Inc. (“RGV Med”) own and operate a 583 licensed beds in five hospitals across the Rio Grande Valley. DHR Health is one of the nation’s largest independent health systems and the largest physician-owned hospitals in the United States.
DHR Health is a health system that operates two general acute hospitals, the only dedicated women’s hospital south of San Antonio, a rehabilitation hospital, a behavioral hospital, and more than 70 clinics Valley-wide.
DHR Health offers the most comprehensive and advanced healthcare services in the Rio Grande Valley including – but not limited to – advanced cancer services, the only transplant program in the Rio Grande Valley, and as of September 8, 2021, the first 24/7 Designated Level One Trauma Center south of San Antonio.
On Tuesday, November 16, 2021, Driscoll Health System held a groundbreaking ceremony for Driscoll Children’s Hospital Rio Grande Valley, located at 2820 W. Michelangelo Drive in Edinburg, which is being built on the site of the DHR Health campus, next to DHR Health’s The Women’s Hospital at Renaissance. DHR Health was instrumental in working with Driscoll Children’s Hospital to bring the first true freestanding children’s hospital to the Valley.
The new, independently operated eight-level pediatric hospital will further the mission of Driscoll Children’s Hospital founder Clara Driscoll to provide medical care to all the children of South Texas. The building is expected to be completed later in 2023.
The Driscoll Children’s Hospital Rio Grande Valley represents a combined investment of more than $105 million with DHR Heath. Driscoll Children’s Hospital Rio Grande Valley will operate with more than 500 employees, creating significant economic impact and new job opportunities for clinical, ancillary and support staff in the Valley.
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Stephanie Chiarello contributed to this article. For more on this and other Texas legislative news stories that affect the Rio Grande Valley metropolitan region, please log on to Titans of the Texas Legislature (TitansoftheTexasLegislature.com).
