By Palmer                                            H.C.R. No. 176

         75R9987 SGW-D                           

                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 1-1           WHEREAS, The State of Texas is a great and diverse region

 1-2     that offers a cornucopia of cultural and artistic wealth; these

 1-3     abundant  riches lie in both its grand heritage, forged from many

 1-4     distinct peoples and cultures, and in the boundless creativity of

 1-5     its citizens; and

 1-6           WHEREAS, Established by the legislature in 1965, the Texas

 1-7     Commission on the Arts has as its mission the conservation of

 1-8     Texas' rich and diverse heritage through the advancement of the

 1-9     arts and cultural industries; this commission is a public sector

1-10     advocate that makes artistic, educational, and enrichment

1-11     opportunities possible for all Texans, thus ensuring that the arts

1-12     continue to grow as a major contributor to the cultural and

1-13     economic well-being of our citizenry; and

1-14           WHEREAS, The Texas cultural endowment fund, whose grants are

1-15     distributed by the Texas Commission on the Arts, is a

1-16     public/private initiative authorized by the legislature for the

1-17     purpose of  providing a stable funding source to enhance the

1-18     performing, visual, and literary arts and education; it is intended

1-19     to encourage economic development and advance the quality of life

1-20     for  Texas' communities and to ensure the future of the arts

1-21     throughout the state; and

1-22           WHEREAS, In 1993, the Texas Legislature created the Texas

1-23     "State of the Arts" license plate program as a way for the Texas

1-24     Commission on the Arts to generate funds from the private sector to

 2-1     promote the arts in Texas; as one of the main sources of revenue

 2-2     for the cultural endowment fund, this program should receive a

 2-3     level of support and promotion that befits the importance of its

 2-4     role; now, therefore, be it

 2-5           RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas

 2-6     hereby encourage the Department of Public Safety of the State of

 2-7     Texas to publicize these license plates more widely as a method to

 2-8     increase revenue in the Texas cultural endowment fund, and thereby

 2-9     provide more funding for the arts in Texas; and, be it further

2-10           RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official

2-11     copy of this resolution to the director of the Department of Public

2-12     Safety of the State of Texas.