H.R. No. 401

	R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Many notable citizens of Lubbock are visiting Austin
	on February 24, 2015, to pay tribute to their city's rich heritage
	and to celebrate Lubbock Day at the State Capitol; and
	WHEREAS, A thriving region of the state, the Lubbock area is
	one of the oldest inhabited places in Texas; archeologists have
	discovered evidence of some 12,000 years of continuous habitation
	at the Lubbock Lake Landmark site, a national historic and state
	archeological preserve; and
	WHEREAS, The City of Lubbock was incorporated on March 16,
	1909, and railroads stimulated the city's growth as a trade center;
	residents also wanted the benefits of an institution of higher
	learning, and when legislation creating Texas Technological
	College was passed in 1923, the site selection committee, impressed
	by the enthusiasm and hospitality of local citizens, chose Lubbock
	for its location; and
	WHEREAS, Today a community of almost 240,000 people, Lubbock
	is home to the Texas Tech University System and its flagship campus
	as well as to two other public universities and a public community
	college; together, they draw more than 53,000 students to the city
	each year, making a significant impact on the local economy;
	approximately 10,000 young Texans graduate in Lubbock each year,
	and 30 percent of residents over the age of 25 hold at least a
	bachelor's degree; and
	WHEREAS, Fostering a dynamic business environment, Lubbock
	has a regional labor force of more than 207,000, and the cost of
	doing business continues to rank as one of the lowest in the nation,
	due to affordable land, wage rates, electric and natural gas
	utilities, property taxes, and living expenses; and
	WHEREAS, Lubbock is consistently recognized by national
	organizations for its business-friendly atmosphere; it was ranked
	seventh in the 2014 Forbes list of "Opportunity Cities" based on low
	cost of living, cultural offerings, and the strength of the
	business community; in addition, it has been named a top city for
	professional women and for young entrepreneurs seeking to start a
	business; and
	WHEREAS, Noted for its diverse economy, the city draws its
	strength from agribusiness, manufacturing, and commerce, as well as
	from educational facilities and medical infrastructure considered
	the most extensive to be found between Dallas and Phoenix; with the
	growth of cotton culture on the High Plains, Lubbock has become one
	of the world's primary centers for the processing of cottonseed and
	hybrid grain sorghum seed; and
	WHEREAS, The economy is deeply rooted in cotton farming, and
	Lubbock remains home to the world's largest contiguous cotton
	patch; the area also features several major, award-winning wineries
	and vineyards, which produce more than 70 percent of all the state's
	wine grapes; and
	WHEREAS, This vibrant city also offers a wealth of
	recreational opportunities and cultural institutions, among them
	the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, the Lubbock Civic Ballet, the
	Museum and Planetarium of Texas Tech University, and the Silent
	Wings Museum; plans are well advanced for a new, state-of-the-art
	performing arts center to be named after local legend and Rock 'n'
	Roll Hall of Famer Buddy Holly; and
	WHEREAS, City leaders meticulously planned infrastructure to
	create neighborhood parks and ensure the smooth flow of traffic;
	surrounded by five major highways, Lubbock is nicknamed the "Hub
	City," and it aims to continue that legacy through the eventual
	Interstate 27 expansion, a mayoral initiative to relieve congestion
	on other Texas highways that run through town; and
	WHEREAS, Those desiring a glimpse of the frontier can find it
	in the restored structures at the Ranching Heritage Center, a
	15-acre site tracing the evolution of ranch architecture and the
	history of the cattle industry; the region's history is also
	celebrated at the Bayer Museum of Agriculture; and
	WHEREAS, A host of talented musicians have hailed from the
	Lubbock area, among them Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, the Maines
	family, Virgil Johnson and the Velvets, Waylon Jennings, Tanya
	Tucker, Joe Ely, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Pat Green, and Butch Hancock;
	their rich and diverse contributions have earned Lubbock and West
	Texas state designation as the official "Music Crossroads of
	Texas"; and
	WHEREAS, Lubbock's thriving business community is
	represented by the largest business federation on the Texas South
	Plains, the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce, which has promoted the
	prosperity of the Lubbock area for more than a century; achieving
	great success from its earliest days, it recruited out-of-state
	farmers to till the fertile soils of the Llano Estacado, secured
	railroad service, founded the South Plains Fair, and drafted and
	delivered the application that would result in the establishment of
	Texas Technological College, which today thrives as the heart of
	the Texas Tech University System; and
	WHEREAS, The chamber was also instrumental in establishing
	Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport and Reese Air Force
	Base, as well as the revolutionary market-driven Chamber Employer
	Health Plan, which is now a national model; moreover, its efforts
	have been key in the development of outstanding transportation
	infrastructure; committed to revitalizing the community and its
	downtown, the chamber oversees the efforts of Imagine Lubbock
	Together, a private-public partnership; it is the nation's first
	and only chamber to be twice 5-Star Accredited and twice named
	Chamber of the Year; and
	WHEREAS, The delegation visiting the Capitol today includes
	proud members of the chamber's 40th Leadership Lubbock Class, who
	represent the future business and community leaders of Lubbock; and
	WHEREAS, Truly keeping faith with the founders of their West
	Texas community, the citizens of Lubbock are renowned for their
	friendliness and warmth as well as their hardiness and
	determination, and they have helped to build a vital urban center
	that serves not only a large part of West Texas but also eastern New
	Mexico; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
	Legislature hereby recognize February 24, 2015, as Lubbock Day at
	the State Capitol and extend to the members of the visiting
	delegation and all their fellow citizens sincere appreciation for
	the bright luster they add to the Lone Star State.
	Frullo
	______________________________
	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.R. No. 401 was adopted by the House on
	February 19, 2015, by a non-record vote.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House