With September upon us, the school year is in full swing, football stadiums will light up the Friday night sky, and hunters across the state are chomping at the bit to get back into the field. As I’m sure many of you know, this year’s dove season starts on September 1 and will run until the end of October, just in time for the duck and deer season.
That being said, here’s a friendly reminder to all my fellow sportsmen and women to purchase a hunting license if you haven’t already done so. You can pick one up at your local gun shop or sporting goods store as you’re loading up for the season or even purchase one online through the Texas Parks & Wildlife Outdoor Annual App or on the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department’s website, www.tpwd.texas.gov.
With that, we’ll dive back into our examination of House interim charges
House Interim Charge: Culture, Recreation, and Tourism
The House Committee on Culture, Recreation, and Tourism, which I am proud to serve on as chairman, has jurisdiction over bills regarding the creation, operation, and control of state parks, the regulation of hunting and fishing in the state, historical sites and their promotion, development, and regulation, and many other issues. The committee also oversees state agencies such as the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Texas Historical Commission, and the Texas Arts Commission.
Over the interim, the committee will monitor the implementation of House Bill 2719 and Senate Bill 1648. HB 2719 authorized the Texas Historical Commission to acquire new historic sites, granted the commission sole jurisdiction of 26 historic sites, and allowed the commission to sell merchandise online. As the author of HB 2179, I was proud to carry this bill to ensure that the commission is run efficiently and enabled to promote Texas’ valuable and diverse historical legacy.
SB 1648 established the monumental Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, which appropriated $1 billion for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to acquire new land for future state parks. Voters approved the new fund in the November Constitutional Election last year as Proposition 14 with a whopping 74% of the vote.
Additionally, the committee will evaluate the impact of excessive shrimp imports from foreign countries on local economies, domestic shrimp populations, and public health. Over the next few months, the committee will identify measures to promote Texas Gulf shrimp and support local fishermen and coastal communities.
Finally, the committee will study the purpose and efficacy of the Texas Farm and Ranch Lands Conservation Program. The program conserves natural resources by protecting working agricultural lands from fragmentation and development. This program is vital to protecting the future production and prosperity of agriculture in Texas, the preservation of Texas’ natural resources, and Texas’ heritage as a proud agricultural and rural state.
Over the next few months, the committee will identify the trends and impacts of land fragmentation given the state’s rapid population growth, evaluate the risks of increased foreign ownership of Texas land resulting from fragmentation, and examine the ecological and economic benefits of existing and future land conservation programs.
The mobile office is on the road again in September, and our district director looks forward to seeing you on the following dates at the following times: Sept. 4 at the San Augustine County Courthouse in San Augustine from 9-11 a.m., Sept. 11 at the Polk County Commissioners Courtroom in Livingston from 9-11 a.m. and the Tyler County Commissioners Courtroom in Woodville from 1:30-3:30 p.m. and Sept. 18 at the Houston County Courthouse Annex in Crockett from 9-11 a.m. and the Trinity County Courthouse in Groveton from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office if we can help you in any way. My district office may be reached at 936-634-2762 and my Capitol office may be reached at 512-463-0508. Additionally, I welcome you to follow along on my official Facebook page, where I will be posting regular updates on what’s happening in your State Capitol and sharing information that could be useful to you and your family: https://www.facebook.com/RepTrentAshby/.
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