Capitol Annex’s Press Room

[Press Release from State Rep. Harvey Hilderbran (R-Kerville)]
Rep. Harvey Hilderbran’s bill which eliminates the cap on the sporting goods tax to fund state and local parks will go before the Committee on Culture, Recreation and Tourism at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20.  The committee, which is led by Rep. Hilderbran (R-Kerrville), will hear testimony from the public and other invited witnesses. The hearing will take place in room E2.014 in the Capitol Extension.

House Bill 6, also known as The Texas Parks Restoration Act, has gained considerable support since Rep. Hilderbran filed the bill in January, with 118 House members signing on as co-authors.

In addition, Rep. Hilderbran filed HJR 71 this week, which authorizes a constitutional amendment to go before the voters to dedicate all money from the sporting good tax to state and local parks.

“This constitutional amendment is necessary to ensure that the money from the sporting goods tax goes toward the purpose for which it was intended,” Rep. Hilderbran said.

Finally, in an effort to align a number of historical sites under the proper jurisdiction, Rep. Hilderbran filed HB 7, which would transfer the sites from the Texas Parks and Wildlife’s jurisdiction to the Texas Historical Commission.  A public hearing will be held to gain public feedback on the transfer.

“This transfer will allow for a better mission focus and alignment with the true missions of the agencies,” Rep. Hilderbran said.  “This is a working document and we will be working with the public during this process.”

Each site transfer would go through a process to allow for public input and a discussion of the pros, cons and expenses of such a transfer.

The Texas Historical Commission manages some of the most effective preservation programs in the nation, including the Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program, The Texas Main Street Program and the Texas Heritage Trails program.

The historical commission is uniquely positioned to boost heritage tourism by enhancing the visitor experience at each site.  Heritage and cultural travelers in Texas - those who visit cultural, arts, heritage and history-themed attractions - spend $1.43 billion annually, and $29 more per day than non-heritage travelers.

“These historic sites tell the story of Texas history,” Rep. Hilderbran said.  “We have a duty to restore, maintain and enhance these historic assets to bring Texas history to life.”

Rep. Hilderbran is currently working on an additional parks bill regarding management practices to be filed at a later date.