H.C.R. No. 186
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-1 WHEREAS, In 1995, the State of Texas will mark the
1-2 sesquicentennial of its annexation to the United States, an
1-3 occasion that warrants appropriate observances in commemoration of
1-4 the historic entry into the Union of the former republic; and
1-5 WHEREAS, Executive Order AWR 94-18, signed by the governor on
1-6 April 15, 1994, established a Sesquicentennial Committee co-chaired
1-7 by State Senator John T. Montford and State Representative Jerry K.
1-8 Johnson; and provided that ex officio members of the committee
1-9 consist of one representative each from the Texas Historical
1-10 Commission, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, the
1-11 Institute of Texan Cultures, the Center for American History, and
1-12 the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; the committee was charged
1-13 to coordinate and assist in the planning of statewide
1-14 sesquicentennial celebrations and was empowered to appoint advisory
1-15 members and designate subcommittees as deemed appropriate and
1-16 necessary to the achievement of its purposes; and
1-17 WHEREAS, Much planning has already gone into the
1-18 sesquicentennial, the first major event for which occurs on June 16
1-19 in the chamber of the Texas House of Representatives to unveil a
1-20 commemorative postage stamp honoring Texas' 150th anniversary as a
1-21 state; this date coincides with the calling of the Congress of the
1-22 Republic of Texas by President Anson Jones to consider the
1-23 alternative of annexation; and
1-24 WHEREAS, Festivities continue on July 4 in Austin to
2-1 commemorate the date on which a Texas convention assembled to
2-2 approve annexation and draw up a state constitution; and
2-3 WHEREAS, On October 13, occasioned by individual community
2-4 celebrations throughout the state, Texans will commemorate the
2-5 ratification by voters of the first Texas state constitution, to be
2-6 followed on December 15 in Austin by a symbolic ceremony to
2-7 recreate the certification of the election of the new state's
2-8 government officials; and
2-9 WHEREAS, On December 28 and 29, attention focuses on Dallas
2-10 for a reenactment by national and state officials of the acceptance
2-11 by the United States Congress of the constitution and the signing
2-12 of the annexation document proclaiming Texas the 28th state; other
2-13 events will be held throughout the state; and
2-14 WHEREAS, Scheduled events conclude on February 19, 1996,
2-15 marking the final step in Texas' passage to statehood, the
2-16 relinquishment of authority by President Jones to Governor James P.
2-17 Henderson and the raising of the Union flag at a ceremony in
2-18 Austin; and
2-19 WHEREAS, The committee and event organizers are to be
2-20 commended for their initial efforts toward the promotion of the
2-21 state's history and heritage, and it is fitting that a body of
2-22 knowledgeable and active Texans be named to elaborate on plans for
2-23 the celebration of the statehood sesquicentennial; now, therefore,
2-24 be it
2-25 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
2-26 hereby endorse and announce the Sesquicentennial Committee's
2-27 creation and appointment of the Events Subcommittee for the
3-1 observance of the State of Texas Sesquicentennial; and, be it
3-2 further
3-3 RESOLVED, That the subcommittee include the following citizen
3-4 members: Mr. Jim Sears of Irving, who shall serve as chair;
3-5 Mr. Neal Johnson of Austin, who shall serve as vice chair;
3-6 Mrs. Louise Caldwell of Dallas; Ms. Brigitte Saidi of San Antonio;
3-7 Dr. Ray Stephens of Denton; Mrs. Willie Lee Gay of Houston;
3-8 Ms. Linda Harper of Irving; Mr. Chris Semos of Dallas; Mr. Robert
3-9 Power of Irving; Ms. Liz Carpenter of Austin; Dr. Felix D. Almaraz,
3-10 Jr., of San Antonio; Mrs. Sandra Hardie of Irving; Mr. Bob Bolen of
3-11 Fort Worth; Ms. Carol Susat of Irving; Dr. Archie P. McDonald of
3-12 Nacogdoches; Mrs. Bette Smith Mullins of Dallas; Mrs. Sid R. Bass
3-13 of Fort Worth; Mr. Randy M. Lee of Austin; and Mr. R. Sam Bolen of
3-14 Dallas; and, be it further
3-15 RESOLVED, That the subcommittee include the following members
3-16 of the Texas Legislature: Senator Chris Harris of Arlington;
3-17 Senator Mike Moncrief of Fort Worth; Senator Bill Ratliff of Mount
3-18 Pleasant; Representative Tony Goolsby of Dallas; Representative Bob
3-19 Hunter of Abilene; Representative Dan Kubiak of Rockdale; and
3-20 Representative Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio; and, be it
3-21 further
3-22 RESOLVED, That the subcommittee include the following
3-23 representatives from state agencies and universities: Mr. Antonio
3-24 (Tony) O. Garza, Jr., Secretary of State; Mr. Curtis Tunnell,
3-25 executive director of the Texas Historical Commission; Mr. William
3-26 D. Gooch, director and librarian of the Texas State Library and
3-27 Archives Commission; Mr. Rex Ball, director of the Institute of
4-1 Texan Cultures of The University of Texas at San Antonio;
4-2 Mr. Andrew Sansom, executive director of the Texas Parks and
4-3 Wildlife Department; Mr. Don E. Carlton, director of the Center for
4-4 American History at The University of Texas at Austin; Ms. Brenda
4-5 Arnett, executive director of the Texas Department of Commerce; Dr.
4-6 Michael Moses, commissioner of the Texas Education Agency;
4-7 Mr. Harry Montgomery, program director at the Texas Higher
4-8 Education Coordinating Board; Mr. John Paul Batiste, executive
4-9 director of the Texas Commission on the Arts; Mr. James J. Bisson,
4-10 assistant executive director for motorist services of the Texas
4-11 Department of Transportation; and Ms. Margaret Blagg, director of
4-12 the Capitol Complex Visitors Center of the State Preservation
4-13 Board; and, be it further
4-14 RESOLVED, That any citizen member vacancies be filled by the
4-15 co-chairs of the Sesquicentennial Committee, that agency or
4-16 university officials vacate their subcommittee service and be
4-17 replaced by their successors should they leave or resign their
4-18 current government or academic position, and that legislators
4-19 similarly vacate their service should they leave or resign from the
4-20 senate or house, their respective replacements to be named from the
4-21 chamber of origin by the lieutenant governor or speaker, as
4-22 appropriate; and, be it further
4-23 RESOLVED, That subcommittee members, in accordance with the
4-24 terms of Executive Order AWR 94-18, serve without compensation or
4-25 reimbursement of actual expenses; and, be it further
4-26 RESOLVED, That the subcommittee meet at the call of the
4-27 chair, have authority to adopt any rules necessary for its own
5-1 procedures, and operate within the requirements of the open records
5-2 law, open meetings law, and Administrative Procedure Act; and, be
5-3 it further
5-4 RESOLVED, That the committee be authorized specifically to:
5-5 (1) coordinate state and local events relating to the
5-6 celebration of the sesquicentennial of Texas statehood;
5-7 (2) encourage individuals, private organizations, and
5-8 local governments to organize appropriate commemorative activities;
5-9 and
5-10 (3) gather and disseminate information to the Texas
5-11 public and prospective visitors regarding those events and
5-12 activities; and, be it further
5-13 RESOLVED, That at the conclusion of the event to be held on
5-14 February 16, 1996, the subcommittee shall expire.