Bill Text: TX HR491 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Recognizing March 7, 2023, as Texas Bays and Estuaries Day at the State Capitol.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-03-07 - Reported enrolled [HR491 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HR491-Enrolled.html
| H.R. No. 491 | ||
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| WHEREAS, Texas Bays and Estuaries Day at the State Capitol is | ||
| taking place on March 7, 2023, to raise awareness of the critical | ||
| importance of our state's precious coastal water resources; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The Texas coast is home to nearly 7 million people | ||
| across 18 counties; treasured by citizens throughout the state, it | ||
| spans over 3,000 miles of bay shorelines and includes coastal | ||
| prairies, saltmarsh wetlands, beaches, dunes, estuaries, and other | ||
| ecosystems; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The eight major bay systems of Texas, Sabine Lake, | ||
| Galveston Bay, Matagorda Bay, San Antonio Bay, Aransas Bay, Corpus | ||
| Christi Bay, Upper Laguna Madre, and Lower Laguna Madre, connect | ||
| inflows from inland streams and rivers with oceanic tidal waters | ||
| from the Gulf of Mexico; this process results in the creation of | ||
| estuaries composed of freshwater mixed with saltwater; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Our state's bays and estuaries serve as habitats for | ||
| numerous species of fish and other wildlife, including endangered | ||
| species, and contain coastal lands that are protected under the | ||
| federal Coastal Zone Management Act; the coast's diverse natural | ||
| environments also provide outstanding opportunities for nature | ||
| enthusiasts and preservationists from all over the world; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Ranching, farming, fishing, and petroleum are among | ||
| the industries that operate along the Texas coast; bays and | ||
| estuaries help sustain waterborne commerce, energy and chemical | ||
| manufacturing businesses, military operations, commercial fishing, | ||
| and recreational activities and tourism, all of which contribute | ||
| significantly to our state's economy; these areas also play a vital | ||
| role in protecting communities from storms and floods and in | ||
| providing shoreline stabilization and erosion prevention, thus | ||
| helping to mitigate environmental damage while safeguarding lives | ||
| and property; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The bays and estuaries of the Texas coastline are of | ||
| tremendous environmental, recreational, and economic value to the | ||
| Lone Star State, in addition to offering incomparable scenic beauty | ||
| for all Texans to enjoy, and Texas Bays and Estuaries Day presents a | ||
| welcome opportunity to highlight the necessity of preserving and | ||
| maintaining these areas for the benefit of future generations; now, | ||
| therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 88th Texas | ||
| Legislature hereby recognize March 7, 2023, as Texas Bays and | ||
| Estuaries Day at the State Capitol and commend all those who are | ||
| working to protect and preserve the bays and estuaries of the Texas | ||
| coast. | ||
| Hunter | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 491 was adopted by the House on March | ||
| 7, 2023, by a non-record vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
