H.R. No. 322 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, Public-spirited citizens of Matagorda County are gathering in Austin to celebrate Matagorda County Day at the State Capitol on February 10, 2015; and WHEREAS, Taking its name from the Spanish phrase meaning "thick brush," this region of prairie, salt marshes, and coastal waterways was visited by the French explorer La Salle in 1685; the area constituted part of Stephen F. Austin's first colony, and settlers began arriving through Matagorda Bay during the winter of 1821-1822; in 1829, the town of Matagorda was established as a military post, and in 1836, Matagorda County became one of the original 23 counties of the Republic of Texas; and WHEREAS, Matagorda ranked as the second-largest seaport in Texas for a time and served as a shipping point for cotton, sugar, and livestock raised in the county; when the boll weevil endangered the cotton crop in the early 20th century, farmers began to grow rice, and the discovery of oil and sulfur further diversified the county's economy; and WHEREAS, Ranching, farming, and petroleum remain important, and the county also benefits from the presence of the South Texas Project nuclear plant, which generates enough electricity to power approximately two million homes in Texas; Bay City, the county seat, is a center of the petrochemical industry and recently became the home of TenarisBayCity, an international pipe manufacturing company, while the port at Palacios is home to the largest fishing fleet on the Texas Gulf Coast; and WHEREAS, Visitors and residents alike enjoy the county's fine beaches and its many opportunities for fishing and water sports, while birders from across the nation are drawn to the Mad Island Marsh Preserve and Wildlife Management Area; Bay City is the location of several major annual attractions--the annual county fair, livestock show, and rodeo, which take place in the early spring, and the Rice Festival, which is held in the fall; in between those dates, Palacios hosts the Texas Fishermen's Seafood Festival, in December, and a reenactment of La Salle's landing every Fourth of July; and WHEREAS, Matagorda County is an area of abundant natural resources and rich history, and its residents may take great pride in their notable heritage as they look forward to a future filled with promise; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby recognize February 10, 2015, as Matagorda County Day at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting delegation sincere best wishes for a meaningful and memorable visit to Austin. Bonnen of Brazoria Straus Guerra Otto Straus Guerra Otto Straus Guerra Otto Allen Guillen Paddie Allen Guillen Paddie Allen Guillen Paddie Alonzo Gutierrez Parker Alonzo Gutierrez Parker Alonzo Gutierrez Parker Alvarado Harless Paul Alvarado Harless Paul Alvarado Harless Paul Anchia Hernandez Peña Anchia Hernandez Peña Anchia Hernandez Peña Anderson of Dallas Herrero Phelan Anderson of Dallas Herrero Phelan Anderson of Dallas Herrero Phelan Anderson of McLennan Howard Phillips Anderson of McLennan Howard Phillips Anderson of McLennan Howard Phillips Ashby Huberty Pickett Ashby Huberty Pickett Ashby Huberty Pickett Aycock Hughes Price Aycock Hughes Price Aycock Hughes Price Bell Hunter Raney Bell Hunter Raney Bell Hunter Raney Blanco Isaac Raymond Blanco Isaac Raymond Blanco Isaac Raymond Bohac Israel Reynolds Bohac Israel Reynolds Bohac Israel Reynolds Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Riddle Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Riddle Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Riddle Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rinaldi Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rinaldi Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rinaldi Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar Burns Keough Rodriguez of Travis Burns Keough Rodriguez of Travis Burns Keough Rodriguez of Travis Burrows King of Hemphill Romero, Jr. Burrows King of Hemphill Romero, Jr. Burrows King of Hemphill Romero, Jr. Button King of Parker Rose Button King of Parker Rose Button King of Parker Rose Canales King of Taylor Sanford Canales King of Taylor Sanford Canales King of Taylor Sanford Capriglione King of Uvalde Schaefer Capriglione King of Uvalde Schaefer Capriglione King of Uvalde Schaefer Clardy Klick Schofield Clardy Klick Schofield Clardy Klick Schofield Coleman Koop Shaheen Coleman Koop Shaheen Coleman Koop Shaheen Collier Krause Sheets Collier Krause Sheets Collier Krause Sheets Cook Kuempel Sheffield Cook Kuempel Sheffield Cook Kuempel Sheffield Craddick Landgraf Simmons Craddick Landgraf Simmons Craddick Landgraf Simmons Crownover Larson Simpson Crownover Larson Simpson Crownover Larson Simpson Dale Laubenberg Smith Dale Laubenberg Smith Dale Laubenberg Smith Darby Leach Smithee Darby Leach Smithee Darby Leach Smithee Davis of Dallas Longoria Spitzer Davis of Dallas Longoria Spitzer Davis of Dallas Longoria Spitzer Davis of Harris Lozano Springer Davis of Harris Lozano Springer Davis of Harris Lozano Springer Deshotel Lucio III Stephenson Deshotel Lucio III Stephenson Deshotel Lucio III Stephenson Dukes Márquez Stickland Dukes Márquez Stickland Dukes Márquez Stickland Dutton Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Dutton Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Dutton Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Elkins Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Elkins Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Elkins Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Faircloth McClendon Tinderholt Faircloth McClendon Tinderholt Faircloth McClendon Tinderholt Fallon Menéndez Turner of Collin Fallon Menéndez Turner of Collin Fallon Menéndez Turner of Collin Farias Metcalf Turner of Harris Farias Metcalf Turner of Harris Farias Metcalf Turner of Harris Farney Meyer Turner of Tarrant Farney Meyer Turner of Tarrant Farney Meyer Turner of Tarrant Farrar Miles VanDeaver Farrar Miles VanDeaver Farrar Miles VanDeaver Fletcher Miller of Comal Villalba Fletcher Miller of Comal Villalba Fletcher Miller of Comal Villalba Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo Frank Moody Walle Frank Moody Walle Frank Moody Walle Frullo Morrison White of Bell Frullo Morrison White of Bell Frullo Morrison White of Bell Galindo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler Galindo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler Galindo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler Geren Murphy Workman Geren Murphy Workman Geren Murphy Workman Giddings Murr Wray Giddings Murr Wray Giddings Murr Wray Goldman Naishtat Wu Goldman Naishtat Wu Goldman Naishtat Wu Gonzales Nevárez Zedler Gonzales Nevárez Zedler Gonzales Nevárez Zedler González Oliveira Zerwas González Oliveira Zerwas González Oliveira Zerwas ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 322 was adopted by the House on February 10, 2015, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Straus Guerra Otto Allen Guillen Paddie Alonzo Gutierrez Parker Alvarado Harless Paul Anchia Hernandez Peña Anderson of Dallas Herrero Phelan Anderson of McLennan Howard Phillips Ashby Huberty Pickett Aycock Hughes Price Bell Hunter Raney Blanco Isaac Raymond Bohac Israel Reynolds Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Riddle Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rinaldi Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar Burns Keough Rodriguez of Travis Burrows King of Hemphill Romero, Jr. Button King of Parker Rose Canales King of Taylor Sanford Capriglione King of Uvalde Schaefer Clardy Klick Schofield Coleman Koop Shaheen Collier Krause Sheets Cook Kuempel Sheffield Craddick Landgraf Simmons Crownover Larson Simpson Dale Laubenberg Smith Darby Leach Smithee Davis of Dallas Longoria Spitzer Davis of Harris Lozano Springer Deshotel Lucio III Stephenson Dukes Márquez Stickland Dutton Martinez Thompson of Brazoria Elkins Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris Faircloth McClendon Tinderholt Fallon Menéndez Turner of Collin Farias Metcalf Turner of Harris Farney Meyer Turner of Tarrant Farrar Miles VanDeaver Fletcher Miller of Comal Villalba Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo Frank Moody Walle Frullo Morrison White of Bell Galindo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler Geren Murphy Workman Giddings Murr Wray Goldman Naishtat Wu Gonzales Nevárez Zedler González Oliveira Zerwas