Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HR802 Compare Versions

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1		-	H.R. No. 802
	1	+	86R14620 SME-F
	2	+	By: Leach H.R. No. 802
2	3
3	4
4	5		R E S O L U T I O N
5	6		WHEREAS, Residents from Collin County are gathering in Austin
6	7		on March 26 and 27, 2019, to celebrate Collin County Days at the
7	8		State Capitol; and
8	9		WHEREAS, Collin County is one of the largest and
9	10		fastest-growing counties in the state; more than 90 percent of its
10	11		workforce over the age of 25 hold a high school diploma and about
11	12		half have earned at least a bachelor's degree; such highly skilled
12	13		workers also make the county a leader in job growth; and
13	14		WHEREAS, With a population of 283,000, Plano is the largest
14	15		city in the county and home to a number of iconic global
15	16		corporations, including Toyota Motor North America, Liberty Mutual
16	17		Insurance, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Boeing Global Services, NTT DATA,
17	18		JCPenney, FedEx Office, Frito-Lay, and Capital One; in 2018, the
18	19		city was recognized as the best place to live in America by
19	20		AreaVibes, the best city to buy a house in America by Niche, and the
20	21		best city for jobs in America by Forbes, while maintaining its
21	22		status as one of the safest cities in America by WalletHub and among
22	23		the top five best-performing cities in America by the Milken
23	24		Institute; this thriving municipality boasts nationally recognized
24	25		schools, award-winning parks, a lively historic downtown district,
25	26		and multicultural neighborhoods that appeal equally to families,
26	27		young singles, and retirees; its excellent restaurants, vibrant
27	28		shopping districts, exciting entertainment venues, and active
28	29		local arts scene all contribute to the city's high quality of life;
29	30		and
30	31		WHEREAS, County seat and home of the McKinney National
31	32		Airport, the city of McKinney hosts such major employers as the
32	33		aerospace division of Raytheon Company, Encore Wire Corporation,
33	34		Emerson Process Management, and Torchmark Corporation; recent
34	35		relocations include PACCAR and Moss Construction, and the community
35	36		continues to cultivate its own businesses, including Playful, a
36	37		virtual reality gaming company; in addition, Independent Bank is
37	38		completing construction of its new headquarters; furthermore, the
38	39		city's historic downtown encompasses more than 130 boutiques; this
39	40		rapidly growing community currently has a population of nearly
40	41		188,000, a 230 percent increase from 2011; the McKinney National
41	42		Airport maintains its status as an economic engine with a $16
42	43		million construction project that will update and expand its
43	44		facilities, including a new state-of-the-art FBO terminal and an
44	45		additional 40,000-square-foot hangar; and
45	46		WHEREAS, Allen is a dynamic and welcoming home to more than
46	47		103,000 residents and has been ranked among the safest, most
47	48		affordable, and most family-friendly cities nationwide, and the
48	49		city continues to enhance the Texas workforce through the addition
49	50		and expansion of such international companies as NETSCOUT, Boss
50	51		Fight Entertainment, and CyrusOne; in 2017, the city was named the
51	52		number two "Best Place to Live" and number one "Best Place to Live
52	53		in the South" by Money magazine, and the city received the coveted
53	54		National Recreation and Park Association Gold Medal Award in 2016
54	55		for its creation and stewardship of more than 1,100 acres of
55	56		parkland, 67 parks and facilities, and 62 miles of hike-and-bike
56	57		trails; moreover, its volunteer efforts were recognized with the
57	58		2016 Keep Texas Beautiful Governor's Community Achievement Award
58	59		for efforts in environmental education, community beautification,
59	60		and litter prevention; and
60	61		WHEREAS, Defining "Progress in Motion," Frisco is one of the
61	62		fastest-growing cities in the country and the fastest-growing
62	63		community over the past decade, according to the United States
63	64		census bureau; it has maintained its quality of life amid rapid
64	65		development, and the Dallas Morning News named Frisco among its top
65	66		10 suburbs for schools, safety, families with children, young
66	67		adults, empty nesters, and "Best Overall" neighborhoods; known for
67	68		top-notch public safety services, the city received the highest
68	69		rating for fire protection, and it enjoys one of the lowest crime
69	70		rates, as well as low taxes; this once-small town is home to Collin
70	71		College, Preston Ridge Campus, world-class venues, and seven
71	72		professional sports organizations, namely the Frisco RoughRiders,
72	73		Dallas Stars, FC Dallas, Texas Legends, Dallas Rattlers, Dallas
73	74		Cowboys, and the PGA of America; active residents have access to 49
74	75		parks, 86 miles of trails, and an athletic center featuring an
75	76		outdoor water park; health care facilities include three hospitals,
76	77		and the favorable business climate supports more than nine million
77	78		square feet of retail and restaurants; among the cultural amenities
78	79		are three museums and hundreds of public and private art
79	80		installations displayed throughout Frisco's approximately
80	81		70-square-mile area; and
81	82		WHEREAS, The city of Wylie, Wylie Independent School
82	83		District, Wylie Chamber of Commerce, and Wylie Economic Development
83	84		Corporation work in concert to build a strong community that
84	85		strives to honor the past, embrace the present, and plan for the
85	86		future, while valuing unity, relationships, and trust, as evidenced
86	87		by a recent report naming Wylie the best small city in the country
87	88		in which to raise a family and the hottest suburb in Texas; Wylie
88	89		fosters a spirit of cooperation, and with a thriving business
89	90		environment and outstanding schools, it is a place people treasure
90	91		and proudly call home; and
91	92		WHEREAS, The city of Richardson, which is known globally for
92	93		its high-tech business leadership, is home to the Telecom Corridor
93	94		area and was named the International Business Capital of North
94	95		Texas by the 82nd Texas Legislature; Richardson is a major
95	96		employment center, with companies including Blue Cross and Blue
96	97		Shield of Texas, Fossil, RealPage, Fujitsu Network Communications,
97	98		and Cisco Systems having headquarters in the city; other major
98	99		employers include State Farm, Raytheon, UnitedHealthcare, Texas
99	100		Instruments, and AT&T; Richardson offers a high quality of life, a
100	101		diverse array of neighborhoods, and easy access to a multimodal
101	102		transportation infrastructure; the city has repeatedly been
102	103		recognized as one of the top places to live, work, and obtain an
103	104		education by national and local media; in 2018, CBS News ranked
104	105		Richardson the 16th-best city in the United States to live, and it
105	106		finished ninth nationally among top cities for STEM workers by
106	107		Livability; Richardson is home to The University of Texas at
107	108		Dallas, the fastest-growing university in the state, and the city
108	109		remains dedicated to continued improvement as well as to the
109	110		principles of open government and two-way communication with
110	111		residents; and
111	112		WHEREAS, The city of Murphy, a diverse, historically
112	113		significant residential community in southeastern Collin County,
113	114		continues to create a distinctive ambience of homeowner pride and
114	115		neighborhood vitality, and it has maintained its designation as a
115	116		Top 10 Best Suburb by D Magazine since the inception of the ratings;
116	117		Murphy's commitment to an enhanced quality of life is reflected in
117	118		the number and level of excellence in its parks system, as well as
118	119		its highly regarded year-round special events; the emerging
119	120		business community offers a wide range of desirable retail and
120	121		culinary options, and residents enjoy the safety and security of
121	122		professionally managed public safety functions; and
122	123		WHEREAS, Recognized by D Magazine as a top 10 suburb, Prosper
123	124		ranked number one on the Dallas Business Journal's 2018 list of
124	125		fastest-growing cities and is currently experiencing a 13 percent
125	126		annual growth rate; located where the northern edge of Dallas'
126	127		Golden Corridor meets the booming U.S. 380 Corridor, the town is
127	128		poised for explosive commercial, office, and retail growth and
128	129		continued residential development, issuing 915 single-family
129	130		housing permits and permits for 865,000 square feet of commercial
130	131		development in 2018, with an additional million square feet of
131	132		shovel-ready projects due to break ground in 2019; Prosper is home
132	133		to several top housing developers, including Blue Star Land,
133	134		LandPlan Development, and the Tellus Group; the Prosper Independent
134	135		School District has been voted by the Dallas Morning News as one of
135	136		the Top 10 Places to Work in Dallas/Fort Worth for five consecutive
136	137		years, and the district continues to be one of the state and
137	138		national leaders in student growth; recognized as a Tree City USA
138	139		and certified as a Scenic City silver-level community, Prosper has
139	140		more than 350 acres of open space and over 22 miles of hike-and-bike
140	141		trails; moreover, the city's outstanding police department offers
141	142		such community outreach and crime prevention programs as Citizens
142	143		on Patrol, the Citizens Police Academy, the Community Safety
143	144		Initiative, and Smart911; and
144	145		WHEREAS, Having been a platinum-level Scenic City in Texas
145	146		since 2011, Fairview has also been recognized as a Tree City USA
146	147		community and earned a Growing Green Cities Award, and it is home to
147	148		the first street in Texas to be illuminated by LED lighting; the
148	149		town is a three-time recipient of the Texas Municipal League
149	150		Municipal Excellence Award and on an annual basis continues to earn
150	151		the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial
151	152		Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association; the
152	153		Fairview Economic Development Corporation was awarded a
153	154		Certificate of Achievement for Economic Excellence by the Texas
154	155		Economic Development Council in 2017, and the Texas Chapter of the
155	156		American Planning Association honored Fairview with a Certificate
156	157		of Achievement for Planning Excellence in 2015, 2016, and 2017; in
157	158		addition, the town's Veterans Park has been recognized with a
158	159		Patriotic Achievement Award from the Military Order of the World
159	160		Wars; Fairview also features two of the Top 25 Best School Districts
160	161		in Texas as ranked by Niche and continues to be ranked as one of the
161	162		safest and most desirable places to live in Texas; and
162		-	WHEREAS, With 78 square miles of land, Celina has the
163		-	~~second-~~largest geographic footprint of any city in Collin County;
	163	+	WHEREAS, With 78 square miles of land, Celina has the second-
	164	+	largest geographic footprint of any city in Collin County;
164	165		strategic growth plans allow the city to manage new development
165	166		along the Dallas North Tollway, Preston Road, and future Collin
166	167		County Outer Loop corridors; Celina is one of the fastest-growing
167	168		communities in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, having issued 1,249
168	169		single-family housing permits in 2018; the city's robust "Texas
169	170		historic" downtown is filled with a number of unique shops,
170	171		offices, and award-winning restaurants, including Tender
171	172		Smokehouse, which was rated the number two best place to eat on
172	173		Yelp; its school district was recognized for its academic
173	174		achievements with a prestigious "A" rating, and the city has
174	175		received numerous accolades for its outstanding budgeting and
175	176		financial reporting; residents and visitors come together to enjoy
176	177		a number of special events throughout the year, including Movie
177	178		Nights on the Square, Oktoberfest, Splash & Blast, and Cajun Fest;
178	179		Celina's natural rural beauty, coupled with its exquisite
179	180		recreational fields and amenities, creates a welcoming, small
180	181		country-feel culture; and
181	182		WHEREAS, Lucas has maintained a peaceful, rural lifestyle,
182	183		helping to sustain a high quality of life for its citizens; the city
183	184		is pleased to offer 25 miles of trails along Lake Lavon for
184	185		equestrian enthusiasts and continues to focus on wildlife habitat
185	186		preservation, making it the perfect home for the Blackland Prairie
186	187		Raptor Center; moreover, exceptional schools and a vibrant
187	188		residential market, combined with one of the lowest tax rates in
188	189		Collin County, make Lucas an excellent value for its residents; and
189	190		WHEREAS, The citizens of Parker are proud to be living in D
190	191		Magazine's number two suburb in the DFW Metroplex, and they also
191	192		enjoy a low municipal tax rate; the residents number more than
192	193		5,000, and they cherish their uniquely "country" lifestyle;
193	194		characterized by its large lots and comfortable atmosphere, Parker
194	195		is known to millions of television viewers as the home of the
195	196		legendary Southfork Ranch from Dallas; and
196	197		WHEREAS, Boasting an area of 64 square miles and the access of
197	198		three major highways, Anna is a family-friendly community with
198	199		hometown appeal; the city, Anna Independent School District, Anna
199	200		Community Development Corporation, and the Greater Anna Chamber of
200	201		Commerce often collaborate to maintain a small community atmosphere
201	202		as the area undergoes rapid urbanization, and it was ranked among
202	203		the safest cities in Texas in 2018 by a SafeWise report; Collin
203	204		McKinney, one of the 5 drafters and 59 signers of the Texas
204	205		Declaration of Independence, lived in Anna for a number of years;
205	206		and
206	207		WHEREAS, Farmersville, located 15 miles east of McKinney,
207	208		took its name from the primary occupation of its original
208	209		residents; established in 1849 as a settlement on the
209	210		Jefferson-McKinney Road and near the Republic of Texas National
210	211		Road, the town was incorporated in 1873; agriculture kept pace as it
211	212		became a trade center, and in the 1930s, Farmersville shipped over
212	213		1,000 carloads of onions annually, earning the nickname "Onion
213	214		Capital of North Texas"; the city may be best known for native son
214	215		Audie Murphy, who listed Farmersville as his hometown when he
215	216		enlisted in the army during WWII and returned home to a hero's
216	217		welcome in 1945; he had earned every army citation for valor, was a
217	218		recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor, and was posthumously
218	219		awarded the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor; Farmersville has a
219	220		nationally recognized Main Street Program, with many historic
220	221		downtown buildings, eateries, and shopping attractions; near the
221	222		restored Onion Shed is the trailhead for the 130-mile Northeast
222	223		Texas Trail, a beautiful site for walking, hiking, and bicycling;
223	224		and
224	225		WHEREAS, Settled in the mid-1850s, the city of Lavon is
225	226		nestled along the southeastern shore of Lake Lavon, and it is home
226	227		to approximately 3,800 residents who enjoy the friendliness of the
227	228		small-town atmosphere combined with the benefits of living near an
228	229		exciting metro area; the city's growing parks and trail system,
229	230		planned capital improvements, attraction of quality business
230	231		development, growth opportunities, and commitment to service
231	232		contribute to an outstanding quality of life; and
232	233		WHEREAS, The city of Melissa is one of the fastest-growing
233	234		communities in Collin County, gaining roughly one new family per
234	235		day; residents enjoy a friendly atmosphere and close access to a
235	236		number of amenities, as well as more square feet per dollar for the
236	237		price of homes; Melissa is beginning to grow commercially to
237	238		provide its citizens with even more amenities; and
238		-	WHEREAS, Other
239		-	communities add much to Collin County's
	239	+	WHEREAS, Other communities add much to Collin County's
240	240		allure; the growing community of Blue Ridge is committed to
241	241		revitalizing its downtown by providing a small-town rural feel;
242	242		with its beautiful rolling hills, open skies with magnificent
243	243		sunrises and sunsets, and friendly residents, Blue Ridge has a
244	244		quaint charm all of its own; Cattlemans Cafe, established in 1953
245	245		and featured in D Magazine and on Texas Country Reporter, adds to
246	246		the town's neighborly atmosphere with its outstanding chicken fried
247	247		steak; known as the "Home of the Last Texas Prairie in Collin
248	248		County," the drive to Blue Ridge is replete with scenic open spaces
249	249		dotted with cattle and horses; and
250	250		WHEREAS, Located in the center of Collin County, the city of
251	251		Princeton is a planned community that was named the number one place
252	252		for first-time home buyers in the DFW area by NerdWallet in 2016;
253	253		the city has continued to lead Collin County as one of its
254	254		fastest-growing cities with an average 20 percent growth rate since
255	255		2017, and it issued more than 900 single-family permits in 2018;
256	256		Princeton cultivates a small-town atmosphere by prioritizing the
257	257		addition of new parks, trails, and open space, and it maintains a
258	258		low crime rate by national standards; the city places emphasis on an
259	259		open and transparent government, and it has been recognized with
260	260		the Government Finance Officers Association's Distinguished Budget
261	261		Presentation Award annually since 2015 and its Certificate for
262	262		Excellence in Financial Reporting annually since 2013; the
263	263		Princeton Independent School District earned an "A" rating from the
264	264		state, and it is home to the CATE Center, which provides vocational
265	265		training across numerous skill-based fields; moreover, the
266	266		district participates in the Jump Start Program and offers students
267	267		the opportunity to receive an associate's degree while attending
268	268		high school; and
269	269		WHEREAS, Sachse is a vibrant, diverse, well-educated, and
270	270		growing community that offers its residents a high quality of life
271		-	while retaining its small-town charm; recently named the
272		-	~~11th-~~safest city in Texas, the community prides itself on providing
273		-	~~its~~ families with a safe place to live; with its prime location
274		-	~~along~~ the President George Bush Turnpike, Sachse has become a
275		-	~~regionally~~ significant point of access for the fastest-growing city
276		-	~~in eastern~~ Collin County; it is the home of an increasingly large
277		-	~~retail trade~~ area that recently announced a $250 million mixed-used
278		-	~~development~~ that includes new residential and more than 400,000
279		-	~~square feet of~~ commercial space; and
	271	+	while retaining its small-town charm; recently named the 11th-
	272	+	safest city in Texas, the community prides itself on providing its
	273	+	families with a safe place to live; with its prime location along
	274	+	the President George Bush Turnpike, Sachse has become a regionally
	275	+	significant point of access for the fastest-growing city in eastern
	276	+	Collin County; it is the home of an increasingly large retail trade
	277	+	area that recently announced a $250 million mixed-used development
	278	+	that includes new residential and more than 400,000 square feet of
	279	+	commercial space; and
280	280		WHEREAS, Also contributing to the development of Collin
281	281		County are the residents of Copeville, Lowry Crossing, Nevada, New
282	282		Hope, Royse City, St. Paul, Westminster, and Weston, along with
283	283		parts of Dallas and Garland, and these communities play an
284	284		important part in the county's flourishing, diversified economy and
285	285		its quality of life; and
286	286		WHEREAS, The citizens of this notable North Texas county are
287	287		working to preserve the best of their past even as they look forward
288	288		to a bright and promising future, and they are sure to figure
289	289		prominently in the growth and prosperity of the Lone Star State in
290	290		the years ahead; now, therefore, be it
291	291		RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 86th Texas
292	292		Legislature hereby recognize March 26 and 27, 2019, as Collin
293	293		County Days at the State Capitol and extend to the visiting
294	294		delegation sincere best wishes for a meaningful and memorable stay
295	295		in Austin.
296		-	Leach
297		-	Sanford
298		-	Shaheen
299		-	Holland
300		-	Noble
301		-	______________________________
302		-	Speaker of the House
303		-	I certify that H.R. No. 802 was adopted by the House on March
304		-	27, 2019, by a non-record vote.
305		-	______________________________
306		-	Chief Clerk of the House