Bill Text: TX HR767 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commemorating Tejano Day 2025.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Passed) 2025-04-21 - Reported enrolled [HR767 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HR767-Enrolled.html
| H.R. No. 767 | ||
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| WHEREAS, Many proud Texans are gathering in celebration of | ||
| Tejano Day on April 6, 2025; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Tejano men and women were the founders of the | ||
| state's oldest permanent communities, including the cities of San | ||
| Antonio, Nacogdoches, Victoria, Goliad, and El Paso; members of the | ||
| Navarro, Ruiz, Menchaca, Arocha, and Seguin families were | ||
| instrumental in settling the region and negotiating peace with the | ||
| Comanches and other tribes; the present-day names of many of our | ||
| state's waterways and other natural features were bestowed by | ||
| Tejanos of Spanish, Mexican, African, and Indigenous descent; and | ||
| WHEREAS, On April 6, 1813, Tejanos became the first settlers | ||
| to proclaim independence for Texas; that year, many of them fought | ||
| the Spanish in the Battle of Medina, the deadliest military action | ||
| in Texas history; prominent Tejanos José Antonio Navarro and José | ||
| Francisco Ruiz were signers of the Texas Declaration of | ||
| Independence in 1836; among the numerous Tejanos who sacrificed | ||
| their lives during the Texas Revolution were two heroes of the | ||
| Alamo, Gregorio Esparza and José Toribio Losoya; troops led by | ||
| Plácido Benavides fought bravely across South Texas, and the men of | ||
| Juan Seguín's company helped secure the decisive victory at the | ||
| Battle of San Jacinto; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Many Tejanos were early champions of free speech, | ||
| freedom of the press, and public education, and that tradition has | ||
| continued; in the 20th century, prominent advocates for these | ||
| essential values included journalist Jovita Idár, bilingual | ||
| education activist Felix Tijerina, and civil rights attorney | ||
| John J. Herrera; countless Tejanos have served with enormous | ||
| distinction in the armed forces, among them recipients of the | ||
| military's highest commendation for valor, the Medal of Honor; | ||
| World War II veteran Héctor P. García founded the American GI Forum | ||
| of Texas to secure the rights of fellow Hispanic veterans; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Today, Texas culture reflects the wide-ranging | ||
| contributions of Tejanos; their rodeos, expert horsemanship, and | ||
| longhorn cattle-raising traditions became part of Western | ||
| identity; Tejanos fused the flavors and ingredients of Mexico and | ||
| the United States to create the iconic Tex-Mex cuisine, and they | ||
| combined musical styles to develop popular new genres; Lydia | ||
| Mendoza, Flaco Jiménez, Selena, and other Tejano greats have | ||
| influenced artists throughout Texas and far beyond our borders; and | ||
| WHEREAS, In 2021, the Texas Legislature officially | ||
| designated April 6 as Tejano Day, and this annual observance | ||
| provides a welcome opportunity to recognize the vital role that | ||
| Tejanos have played in the epic saga of the Lone Star State for more | ||
| than 300 years; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas | ||
| Legislature hereby commemorate Tejano Day 2025. | ||
| Guerra | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Speaker of the House | ||
| I certify that H.R. No. 767 was adopted by the House on April | ||
| 17, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 133, Nays 7, 2 present, not | ||
| voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
