1-1 By: Johnson (Senate Sponsor - Montford) H.C.R. No. 186
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 12, 1995;
1-3 May 15, 1995, read first time and referred to Committee on
1-4 Administration; May 18, 1995, reported adversely, with favorable
1-5 Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0;
1-6 May 18, 1995, sent to printer.)
1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.C.R. No. 186 By: Moncrief
1-8 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-9 WHEREAS, In 1995, the State of Texas will mark the
1-10 sesquicentennial of its annexation to the United States, an
1-11 occasion that warrants appropriate observances in commemoration of
1-12 the historic entry into the Union of the former republic; and
1-13 WHEREAS, Executive Order AWR 94-18, signed by the governor on
1-14 April 15, 1994, established a Sesquicentennial Committee co-chaired
1-15 by State Senator John T. Montford and State Representative Jerry K.
1-16 Johnson; and provided that ex-officio members of the Committee
1-17 consist of one representative each from the Texas Historical
1-18 Commission, the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, the
1-19 Institute of Texan Cultures, the Center for American History, and
1-20 the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; the committee was charged
1-21 to coordinate and assist in the planning of statewide
1-22 sesquicentennial celebrations and was empowered to appoint advisory
1-23 members and designate subcommittees as deemed appropriate and
1-24 necessary to the achievement of its purposes; and
1-25 WHEREAS, Much planning has already gone into the
1-26 sesquicentennial, the first major event for which occurs on June 16
1-27 in the chamber of the Texas House of Representatives to unveil a
1-28 commemorative postage stamp honoring Texas' 150th anniversary as a
1-29 state; this date coincides with the calling of the Congress of the
1-30 Republic of Texas by President Anson Jones to consider the
1-31 alternative of annexation; and
1-32 WHEREAS, Festivities continue on July 4 in Austin to
1-33 commemorate the date on which a Texas convention assembled to
1-34 approve annexation and draw up a state constitution; and
1-35 WHEREAS, On October 13, occasioned by individual community
1-36 celebrations throughout the state, Texans will commemorate the
1-37 ratification by voters of the first Texas state constitution, to be
1-38 followed on December 15 in Austin by a symbolic ceremony to
1-39 recreate the certification of the election of the new state's
1-40 government officials; and
1-41 WHEREAS, On December 28 and 29, attention focuses on Dallas
1-42 for a reenactment by national and state officials of the acceptance
1-43 by the United States Congress of the constitution and the signing
1-44 of the annexation document proclaiming Texas the 28th state; other
1-45 events will be held throughout the state; and
1-46 WHEREAS, Scheduled events conclude on February 19, 1996,
1-47 marking the final step in Texas' passage to statehood, the
1-48 relinquishment of authority by President Jones to Governor James P.
1-49 Henderson and the raising of the Union flag at a ceremony in
1-50 Austin; and
1-51 WHEREAS, The committee and event organizers are to be
1-52 commended for their initial efforts toward the promotion of the
1-53 state's history and heritage, and it is fitting that a body of
1-54 knowledgeable and active Texans be named to elaborate on plans for
1-55 the celebration of the statehood sesquicentennial; now, therefore,
1-56 be it
1-57 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
1-58 hereby endorse and announce the Sesquicentennial Committee's
1-59 creation and appointment of the Events Subcommittee for the
1-60 observance of the State of Texas Sesquicentennial; and, be it
1-61 further
1-62 RESOLVED, That the subcommittee include the following citizen
1-63 members: Mr. Jim Sears of Irving, who shall serve as chair;
1-64 Mr. Neal Johnson of Austin, who shall serve as vice chair;
1-65 Mrs. Louise Caldwell of Dallas; Ms. Brigitte Saidi of San Antonio;
1-66 Dr. Ray Stephens of Denton; Mrs. Willie Lee Gay of Houston;
1-67 Ms. Linda Harper of Irving; Mr. Chris Semos of Dallas; Mr. Robert
1-68 Power of Irving; Ms. Liz Carpenter of Austin; Dr. Felix D. Almaraz,
2-1 Jr., of San Antonio; Mrs. Sandra Hardie of Irving; Mr. Bob Bolen of
2-2 Fort Worth; Ms. Carol Susat of Irving; Dr. Archie P. McDonald of
2-3 Nacogdoches; Mrs. Bette Smith Mullins of Dallas; Mrs. Sid R. Bass
2-4 of Fort Worth; Mr. Randy M. Lee of Austin; and Mr. R. Sam Bolen of
2-5 Dallas; and, be it further
2-6 RESOLVED, That the subcommittee include the following members
2-7 of the Texas Legislature: Senator Chris Harris of Arlington;
2-8 Senator Mike Moncrief of Fort Worth; Senator Bill Ratliff of Mount
2-9 Pleasant; Representative Tony Goolsby of Dallas; Representative Bob
2-10 Hunter of Abilene; Representative Dan Kubiak of Rockdale; and
2-11 Representative Leticia Van de Putte of San Antonio; and, be it
2-12 further
2-13 RESOLVED, That the subcommittee include the following
2-14 representatives from state agencies and universities: Mr. Antonio
2-15 (Tony) O. Garza, Jr., Secretary of State; Mr. Curtis Tunnell,
2-16 executive director of the Texas Historical Commission; Mr. William
2-17 D. Gooch, director and librarian of the Texas State Library and
2-18 Archives Commission; Mr. Rex Ball, director of the Institute of
2-19 Texan Cultures of The University of Texas at San Antonio;
2-20 Mr. Andrew Sansom, executive director of the Texas Parks and
2-21 Wildlife Department; Mr. Don E. Carlton, director of the Center for
2-22 American History at the University of Texas at Austin; Ms. Brenda
2-23 Arnett, executive director of the Texas Department of Commerce; Dr.
2-24 Michael Moses, commissioner of the Texas Education Agency;
2-25 Mr. Harry Montgomery, program director at the Texas Higher
2-26 Education Coordinating Board; Mr. John Paul Batiste, executive
2-27 director of the Texas Commission on the Arts; Mr. James J. Bisson,
2-28 assistant executive director for motorist services of the Texas
2-29 Department of Transportation; and Mrs. Margaret Blagg, director of
2-30 the Capitol Complex Visitors Center of the State Preservation
2-31 Board; and, be it further
2-32 RESOLVED, That any citizen member vacancies be filled by the
2-33 co-chairs of the Sesquicentennial Committee, that agency or
2-34 university officials vacate their subcommittee service and be
2-35 replaced by their successors should they leave or resign their
2-36 current government or academic position, and that legislators
2-37 similarly vacate their service should they leave or resign from the
2-38 senate or house, their respective replacements to be named from the
2-39 chamber of origin by the lieutenant governor or speaker, as
2-40 appropriate; and, be it further
2-41 RESOLVED, That subcommittee members, in accordance with the
2-42 terms of Executive Order AWR 94-18, serve without compensation or
2-43 reimbursement of actual expenses; and, be it further
2-44 RESOLVED, That the subcommittee meet at the call of the
2-45 chair, have authority to adopt any rules necessary for its own
2-46 procedures, and operate within the requirements of the open records
2-47 law, open meetings law, and Administrative Procedure Act; and, be
2-48 it further
2-49 RESOLVED, That the committee be authorized specifically to:
2-50 (1) coordinate state and local events relating to the
2-51 celebration of the sesquicentennial of Texas statehood;
2-52 (2) encourage individuals, private organizations, and
2-53 local governments to organize appropriate commemorative activities;
2-54 and
2-55 (3) gather and disseminate information to the Texas
2-56 public and prospective visitors regarding those events and
2-57 activities; and, be it further
2-58 RESOLVED, That at the conclusion of the event to be held on
2-59 February 16, 1996, the subcommittee shall expire.
2-60 * * * * *