Bill Text: TX HCR69 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Enrolled

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Bill Title: Designating the city of Jasper as the official Butterfly Capital of Texas.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 2)

Status: (Passed) 2015-06-10 - Signed by the Governor [HCR69 Detail]

Download: Texas-2015-HCR69-Enrolled.html

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H.C.R. No. 69

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The annual migration of the monarch butterfly, the
State Insect of Texas, is one of the wonders of the natural world,
and every year the city of Jasper is fortunate to have a front row
seat to this spectacular journey; and
WHEREAS, Each August and September, members of the species,
known scientifically as Danaus plexippus, begin a journey of
approximately 1,500 miles from their summer breeding grounds in
eastern North America to their winter home in the mountains of
central Mexico, generally covering 25 to 30 miles per day; then,
between March and June, the butterflies return north, often
traveling as far as Canada; along their flight northward, and after
the monarchs reach their summer haunts, the female of the species
lays her eggs on freshly sprouted milkweed plants; and
WHEREAS, Jasper lies in the middle of one of the three major
flyways for the monarch butterfly, and the community celebrates its
part in this annual event with the Butterfly Festival on the first
Saturday of each October, during the height of the fall migration;
during the festival, a Butterfly House is installed in the
Butterfly Gardens at the Jasper Arboretum, where visitors can learn
about the migration and life cycle of these amazing insects; the
festival also features a variety of activities for children and
adults, including scavenger hunts and butterfly releases, as well
as musical performances and displays of arts and crafts; and
WHEREAS, The Butterfly Festival is part of an even broader
local effort focused on the monarch butterfly; residents of Jasper
have devoted countless hours to fostering our understanding of
monarchs and to creating conditions to support their survival; led
by the city's Master Gardeners, they are tagging monarchs for
scientific study, raising monarchs for release, planting milkweed
where the butterflies can lay their eggs, and growing a variety of
nectar plants to provide the monarchs with suitable food; and
WHEREAS, Each year, the people of Jasper are fortunate
witnesses to one of the grandest shows in nature, and by creating a
welcoming environment for these beautiful creatures, they help to
make their community an integral part of a wonderful natural
process that has endured for millennia; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas
hereby designate the city of Jasper as the official Butterfly
Capital of Texas.
White of Tyler
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 69 was adopted by the House on May
5, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 2, 4 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.C.R. No. 69 was adopted by the Senate on May
20, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor