HBA-KMH H.C.R. 17 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.C.R. 17
By: Ramsay
Higher Education
4/5/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The county seat of Marion County, Jefferson was founded in the early 1840s
on Big Cypress Creek and, given its proximity to the Red River, rapidly
became a substantial navigation site.  By the late 1840s this commercially
vibrant Northeast Texas town was the state's leading inland port. A lively
and likely place for innovation, Jefferson was the first town in Texas to
use artificial gas for lighting, and in its environs ice was first
manufactured on a commercial scale in 1868.  

Today, Jefferson is widely acclaimed for its abundance of historic places,
including stunning mid19th-century homes, churches, and other architectural
riches.  In 1971, 56 such buildings were listed in the National Register of
Historic Places.  Since then at least 10 others have reached National
Register status, including the antebellum Excelsior hotel and Planters Bank
and Warehouse. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

H.C.R. 17 recognizes January 26, 1999, as Jefferson Day at the State
Capitol and extends to the citizens of historic Jefferson the sincere best
wishes of the 76th Legislature for an enjoyable visit to Austin.