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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The cruise operations in the home port of Galveston |
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have an enormous economic impact on Texas; the city hosted more than |
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900,000 passenger and crew visits in 2017, which accounted for |
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$1.42 billion in direct spending; in addition, the industry was |
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responsible for generating over 25,000 Texas jobs and paying $1.62 |
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billion in wage income; and |
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WHEREAS, South of Galveston, between Calhoun and Cameron |
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Counties, from the tip of the Golden Crescent, along the Coastal |
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Bend, to the Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas is home to several |
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growing cities, robust tourism, and a wealth of natural resources; |
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the area, with more than 150 miles of Gulf shoreline, also harbors |
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three major deepwater ports, any of which might be a viable site for |
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a cruise 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, and each state |
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operates multiple cruise ports; and |
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WHEREAS, An additional Texas cruise ship port between Calhoun |
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and Cameron Counties could offer an attractive vacation option for |
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a 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 86th 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 create a joint interim committee to conduct a |
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study regarding the development of a cruise industry on the Texas |
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coast 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 86th Texas Legislature may adopt; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That the committee submit a full report, including |
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findings and recommendations, to the 87th Texas Legislature before |
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it convenes in January 2021. |