| 2 | | - | (In the Senate - Filed March 12, 2021; April 1, 2021, read |
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| 3 | | - | first time and referred to Committee on Water, Agriculture & Rural |
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| 4 | | - | Affairs; April 20, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote: |
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| 5 | | - | Yeas 9, Nays 0; April 20, 2021, sent to printer.) |
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| 6 | | - | Click here to see the committee vote |
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| 7 | 2 | | |
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| 8 | 3 | | |
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| 9 | 4 | | SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION |
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| 10 | 5 | | WHEREAS, The Northeast Texas Trail is a 130-mile-long |
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| 11 | 6 | | converted rail corridor, stretching from Farmersville through 19 |
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| 12 | 7 | | rural towns and 7 counties to New Boston; and |
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| 13 | 8 | | WHEREAS, Since 2012, the Northeast Texas Trail Coalition has |
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| 14 | 9 | | advocated for turning this previously unused land into a |
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| 15 | 10 | | comprehensive system of parks, paths, and protected natural areas; |
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| 16 | 11 | | under the group's vision, the NETT will be the longest pedestrian, |
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| 17 | 12 | | bicycle, and equestrian trail in Texas, and it will link population |
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| 18 | 13 | | centers, public facilities, and neighborhoods across the region; |
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| 19 | 14 | | and |
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| 20 | 15 | | WHEREAS, The construction of the NETT is expected to help |
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| 21 | 16 | | revitalize the communities along the trail's route, many of which |
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| 22 | 17 | | are severely disadvantaged; according to a 2014 economic impact |
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| 23 | 18 | | assessment, the project is a low-cost investment that will create |
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| 24 | 19 | | jobs, increase tourism, conserve valuable land, and bolster |
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| 25 | 20 | | property values; furthermore, studies show that when citizens have |
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| 26 | 21 | | access to safe and well-maintained outdoor spaces that can be used |
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| 27 | 22 | | for recreation, relaxation, and exercise, their overall quality of |
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| 28 | 23 | | life is improved; and |
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| 29 | 24 | | WHEREAS, The development of the Northeast Texas Trail is |
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| 30 | 25 | | likely to have a positive impact on the health, welfare, and |
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| 31 | 26 | | economic prosperity of the region's rural communities, and the |
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| 32 | 27 | | possibility of making it a part of the Texas Parks and Wildlife |
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| 33 | 28 | | system should be explored; now, therefore, be it |
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| 34 | 29 | | RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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| 35 | 30 | | hereby request the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the House |
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| 36 | 31 | | of Representatives to direct the appropriate house and senate |
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| 37 | 32 | | committees to conduct an interim study regarding the feasibility of |
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| 38 | 33 | | integrating the Northeast Texas Trail into the state park system; |
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| 39 | 34 | | and, be it further |
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| 40 | 35 | | RESOLVED, That the studies identify next steps in planning |
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| 41 | | - | and changes required in state statutes, agency administrative |
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| 42 | | - | rules, and local ordinances, and that the committees consider in |
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| 43 | | - | their studies management and governance issues and coordination, as |
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| 44 | | - | well as the initial and ongoing resources needed to fully |
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| 45 | | - | incorporate the NETT into the state park system; and, be it further |
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| 36 | + | and changes required in state statues, agency administrative rules, |
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| 37 | + | and local ordinances, and that the committees consider in their |
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| 38 | + | studies management and governance issues and coordination, as well |
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| 39 | + | as the initial and ongoing resources needed to fully incorporate |
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| 40 | + | the NETT into the state park system; and, be it further |
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