Bill Text: TX HCR42 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Designating Winnie as the official Rice Capital of Texas for a 10-year period ending in 2033.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-06-09 - Signed by the Governor [HCR42 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HCR42-Enrolled.html
| H.C.R. No. 42 | ||
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| WHEREAS, For over half a century, Winnie has been known far | ||
| and wide as the host of the Texas Rice Festival, a celebration of | ||
| the local rice harvest and the integral role that the rice industry | ||
| has played in the area's history, development, and culture; and | ||
| WHEREAS, First cultivated locally around 1900, rice has long | ||
| been essential to the regional economy; the Texas Rice Festival | ||
| originated in 1968 as a special event held by St. Louis Catholic | ||
| Church of Winnie to commemorate the conclusion of the growing | ||
| season; its popularity stirred further interest among area farmers, | ||
| and they banded together to establish the Texas Rice Festival and | ||
| obtain a charter for the celebration in October 1969; Winnie was | ||
| selected to be the host town before the inaugural Rice Festival was | ||
| held on October 3, 1970, and the event has continued to be organized | ||
| each year around the first weekend of October; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Five years after the first Rice Festival took place, | ||
| the board of directors recognized the need for more space to | ||
| accommodate the growth of the event, and the decision was made to | ||
| relocate it from downtown Winnie to Winnie-Stowell Park on LeBlanc | ||
| Road; initially a one-day affair, it has since expanded to multiple | ||
| days of activities, including parades, musical performances, car | ||
| and livestock shows, photography and art exhibits, and a barbecue | ||
| cook-off; the festival also features a slate of pageants, where | ||
| youth of all ages compete for such titles as Senior Queen, Miss | ||
| LaPetite, and Little Rice King; moreover, awards are presented to | ||
| honor the Farmer of the Year and other deserving members of the | ||
| community; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The enduring popularity of the Texas Rice Festival | ||
| is a testament to the pride that local residents take in the rich | ||
| agricultural heritage of the Winnie area, and the town's connection | ||
| to the festival and to the tasty and versatile grain that inspired | ||
| it is indeed deserving of special recognition; now, therefore, be | ||
| it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the 88th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
| hereby designate Winnie as the official Rice Capital of Texas; and, | ||
| be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section | ||
| 391.003(e), Government Code, this designation remain in effect | ||
| until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally | ||
| passed by the legislature. | ||
| Leo-Wilson | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I certify that H.C.R. No. 42 was adopted by the House on May | ||
| 2, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 2, 2 present, not | ||
| voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| I certify that H.C.R. No. 42 was adopted by the Senate on May | ||
| 17, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| APPROVED: __________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| __________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
