Bill Text: TX HCR69 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Recognizing the game wardens of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as the "Texas Navy" and commending them for their service to the Lone Star State.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-05-01 - Companion considered in lieu of in committee [HCR69 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HCR69-Introduced.html
86R5536 JGH-F | ||
By: Cyrier | H.C.R. No. 69 |
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WHEREAS, For more than 120 years, the enforcement officers of | ||
the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and its predecessors have | ||
patrolled the rivers, lakes, and coast of the Lone Star State, | ||
playing a central role in safeguarding the public waters; and | ||
WHEREAS, In 1895, the 24th Texas Legislature created the | ||
office of Fish and Oyster Commissioner, and in 1899, the Fish and | ||
Oyster Commission was given jurisdiction over all public waters, | ||
including freshwater streams, lakes, and ponds; the agency | ||
underwent several name changes over the years, becoming the Game, | ||
Fish, and Oyster Commissioner in 1907, the Game, Fish, and Oyster | ||
Commission in 1929, and the Game and Fish Commission in 1951, and | ||
since 1963, it has been known as the Texas Parks and Wildlife | ||
Department; and | ||
WHEREAS, In 1965, the professionals now known as Texas game | ||
wardens were tasked with promoting and enforcing water safety for | ||
persons and property in all recreational waters of the state; since | ||
1971, game wardens have been formally recognized as Texas peace | ||
officers, and in 1997, the 75th Texas Legislature enacted House | ||
Bill 966, which required all game wardens to be certified as marine | ||
safety enforcement officers; in 2011, during the 82nd Legislative | ||
Session, game wardens were designated as the primary officers | ||
responsible for enforcing the provisions of the state's Water | ||
Safety Act; and | ||
WHEREAS, Today, game wardens patrol the public waters of | ||
Texas to enforce hunting and fishing regulations and to promote | ||
water safety; they have expanded their ranks from six officers in | ||
1919 to more than 500, and TPWD's fleet has grown to include more | ||
than 590 vessels, including two 65-foot patrol boats in the Gulf of | ||
Mexico and 26 SAFE boats for use along the Gulf Coast; in 2013, | ||
Texas game wardens were accredited by the National Association of | ||
State Boating Law Administrators for their adherence to the U.S. | ||
Coast Guard's national standards for training, qualifications, and | ||
credentialing; and | ||
WHEREAS, In addition, Texas game wardens play a crucial role | ||
in homeland security and emergency management, including search, | ||
rescue, and recovery efforts; in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina | ||
in 2005, they were the first out-of-state peace officers to be | ||
deployed to New Orleans, where they were directly involved in the | ||
rescue of 4,940 people from houses, apartments, and hospitals, and | ||
during Hurricane Harvey, they rescued more than 12,000 Texans from | ||
the storm's flood waters; in 2014, they took part in Operation | ||
Strong Safety, a homeland security initiative along the | ||
Texas-Mexico border; and | ||
WHEREAS, The dedicated men and women who safeguard the public | ||
waters of the Lone Star State for the use and enjoyment of present | ||
and future generations truly deserve to be known, in the words of | ||
former Governor George W. Bush, as our modern-day "Texas Navy," and | ||
these individuals indeed merit recognition for their vital | ||
contributions; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the 86th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
hereby recognize the game wardens of the Texas Parks and Wildlife | ||
Department as the "Texas Navy" and commend them for their | ||
outstanding work as maritime safety enforcement officers; and, be | ||
it further | ||
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
prepared for the TPWD as an expression of high regard by the Texas | ||
House of Representatives and Senate. |