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SENATE RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to |
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recognize the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, which, in |
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partnership with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, is |
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celebrating 100 years of Texas State Parks in 2023; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1923, Governor Pat Neff convinced the state |
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legislature to create a six-member State Parks Board to locate |
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sites for the establishment of a state parks system, citing the |
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need for overnight camping spots for the rising number of people |
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traveling by car; and |
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WHEREAS, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Civilian |
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Conservation Corps was formed in 1933 in an effort to help the |
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country's unemployed citizens rise from the Great Depression; |
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the program organized young men into companies and dispersed them |
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to parks across the state to build features pavilions, bridges, |
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refectories, lodges, cabins, and picnic areas; the design of |
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these new projects reflected a natural style and utilized local |
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wood and stonework, which provided aesthetically pleasing and |
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structurally sound facilities and park areas, including the |
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iconic pavilion at Garner State Park and features of state parks |
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at Palo Duro Canyon, Abilene, Lockhart, Bastrop, Fort Davis, and |
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more; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1963, Governor John Connally merged the State |
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Parks Board with the Texas Game and Fish Commission to form the |
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Texas Parks and Wildlife Department; this initiated the "Golden |
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Age of Texas State Parks," which brought increased revenue |
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streams to contribute to the refurbishment of existing parks and |
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the development of new parks such as those at Pedernales Falls, |
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Mustang Island, Galveston Island, McKinney Falls, and Lost |
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Maples; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1993, state lawmakers dedicated a portion of |
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state taxes from the sale of sporting goods to provide stable |
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funding for parks, and in 2019, Texas voters passed a |
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constitutional amendment that ensures all sales tax from |
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sporting goods will go to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department |
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and Texas Historical Commission for the support of state parks |
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and state historic sites in perpetuity; and |
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WHEREAS, The Centennial Celebration will focus on four |
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main goals: to engage new and diverse audiences, pursue |
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partnerships, celebrate 100 years of stewardship, and invest for |
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the future; and |
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WHEREAS, Park lovers everywhere will celebrate the |
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centennial of our state park system, which showcases the |
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diversity of Texas' natural beauty, from forests and prairies to |
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arid mountains, cool rivers, and the windswept coast; and |
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WHEREAS, Texas State Parks are economic drivers in rural |
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communities and provide outdoor recreational opportunities to a |
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growing population of Texans while conserving the natural and |
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cultural resources of our great state; parks provide outdoor |
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recreational access to many Texans who might not otherwise be |
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able to experience the physical, emotional, and mental |
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well-being that can be gained by participating in outdoor |
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activities and spending time in nature; and |
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WHEREAS, Texas State Parks' resources contribute to the |
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clean water relied on by people and by wildlife, and state parks |
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encompass 481,000 acres of Texas aquifers, rivers, and |
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reservoirs; parks also provide some 640,000 acres of critical |
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wildlife habitat, including habitat that benefits more than 50 |
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threatened and endangered species; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th |
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Legislature, hereby join in celebrating 2023 as the Texas State |
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Parks Centennial; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared for |
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the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as an expression of |
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esteem from the Texas Senate. |