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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The cruise operations in the homeport of Galveston |
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have an enormous economic impact on Texas; the city hosted some |
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655,000 passenger and crew visits in 2011, which accounted for |
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$1.13 billion in direct spending; in addition, the industry was |
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responsible for generating over 17,300 Texas jobs and paying $917 |
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million in wage income; and |
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WHEREAS, South of Galveston, between Calhoun and Cameron |
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Counties, Texas is home to several growing cities, robust tourism, |
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and a wealth of natural resources; the area also hosts three major |
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deepwater ports, any of which might be a viable site for a cruise |
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line headquarters or a port of embarkation; and |
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WHEREAS, Florida and California, respectively, benefit the |
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most from the North American cruise industry; Florida operates five |
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cruise ports, including Port Canaveral, Port Everglades, |
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Jacksonville, Miami, and Tampa, and California is home to four, in |
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Los Angeles, Long Beach, San Diego, and San Francisco; an |
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additional Texas cruise ship port between Calhoun and Cameron |
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Counties could offer an attractive vacation option for a |
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significant portion of the state's residents and be an economic |
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boon to the state as a whole; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 83rd Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby request the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house |
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of representatives to provide for a joint interim legislative study |
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regarding the development of a cruise industry on the Texas coast |
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between Calhoun and Cameron Counties, including its potential |
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economic impact and options for incentives to attract the cruise |
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industry to South Texas; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the committee's proceedings and operations be |
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governed by such general rules and policies for joint interim |
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committees as the 83rd Legislature may adopt. |