Texas House Bill HCR82

Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Caption

Requesting the lieutenant governor and the speaker to create a joint interim committee to study the development and potential economic impact of a cruise industry on the Texas coast between Calhoun and Cameron Counties.

Impact

Among its key provisions, the resolution emphasizes the need to explore potential sites for cruise ports in South Texas, leveraging its vast coastline and existing deepwater ports. It aims to evaluate the economic benefits of establishing additional cruise shipping operations, drawing comparisons to the economic successes seen in states like Florida and California, which have thriving cruise industries. The study will also look at incentive options to attract cruise operators to Texas.

Summary

HCR82 is a concurrent resolution that urges the Lieutenant Governor and the Speaker of the House to create a joint interim committee tasked with studying the development of a cruise industry on the Texas coast, particularly in the area between Calhoun and Cameron Counties. This resolution highlights the significant economic impact that cruise operations have had in Texas, particularly in Galveston, where cruise operations generated around $1.42 billion in direct spending and created over 25,000 jobs in 2017.

Contention

While the resolution itself does not specify any particular points of contention, it invites necessary discussions around state plans for tourism development and the balance between local community interests and the potential influx of tourism through the cruise industry. The findings and recommendations from the committee, set to report back to the 87th Legislature, will likely yield varied opinions from stakeholders in the tourism sector, local governments, and environmental groups regarding the proposed development of new cruise ports.