Texas House Bill HCR71

Texas 2013 - 83rd Regular

Caption

Urging the United States Congress to request that the U.S. Postmaster General designate a ZIP code that includes all properties within the city of Prairie View.

Impact

The absence of a unique ZIP code for Prairie View has severe implications for various city operations, particularly concerning emergency services. City officials and residents have reported that confusion stemming from the current postal arrangement can delay response times from police, fire, and medical services. Furthermore, census data collection has been compromised, as many questionnaires intended for Prairie View residents have been misdelivered to neighboring towns. The proposed solution seeks to enhance not only the accuracy of postal delivery but also the overall efficiency of city governance and emergency response protocols.

Summary

HCR71 is a concurrent resolution urging the United States Congress to request that the U.S. Postmaster General designate a specific ZIP code for the city of Prairie View, Texas. The current postal arrangements have created significant challenges for residents and businesses due to the lack of a dedicated ZIP code. Currently, only the U.S. Post Office at Prairie View A&M University has a ZIP code associated with Prairie View, while the rest of the city's addresses are categorized under Waller or Hempstead. This situation complicates mail delivery and has a range of unintended consequences for the local community, including confusion over addresses that impacts emergency services and official communications.

Contention

While the resolution itself does not appear to have notable opposition detailed in discussions, one potential point of contention may arise regarding federal versus local control over postal designations. Discussions around HCR71 suggest an alignment within the local community, demonstrating a unified request to rectify the postal situation. Nevertheless, the implications of the resolution could spark broader debates about the processes involved in postal code delineation and the administrative challenges that cities face in advocating for such changes.