TITLE: Requesting the lieutenant governor and speaker to provide for a joint interim study regarding economic development in the Texas coastal region.

SUMMARY: Requesting the lieutenant governor and speaker to provide for a joint interim study regarding economic development in the Texas coastal region.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Economic activity in the Texas coastal region has an enormous impact on the economy of the state as a whole; and WHEREAS, In 2011, marine cargo and vessel traffic alone was estimated to support approximately $277.6 billion in total economic activity along the Texas coast; the region is crucial to the energy industry, and its tourism sector and institutions of higher education are also engines for growth; and WHEREAS, The continued prosperity of the coastal region depends on its ability to meet a number of challenges and opportunities on the horizon; while the crude oil market has been volatile, with prices falling precipitously between July 2014 and January 2015, the state's rapid population growth bodes well for development; the coastal region is anticipating a tremendous increase in maritime traffic following the opening of the Panama Canal expansion, expected in 2016; and WHEREAS, Careful planning is required in order to maintain and improve the global competitiveness of the coastal region in an era of great change, and the state has a powerful interest in ensuring that investments in infrastructure and other measures are based on comprehensive data and a thorough understanding of the issues likely to confront the area in the years ahead; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas hereby request the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of representatives to provide for a joint interim study regarding economic development in the Texas coastal region; and, be it further RESOLVED, That the committee's proceedings and operations be governed by such general rules and policies for joint interim committees as the 84th Legislature may adopt.