Texas Recreation & Park Society

Committee, provides a strong presence promoting the legislative agenda of parks and recreation during sessions of the Texas Legislature.

Accomplishments have included:
• Passage of Bond Initiatives authorizing repairs/ renovations for state parks
• Restoration of the Texas Recreation & Parks Account and the removal of previous "cap"
• Creation of Large County & Municipal Recreation & Parks Account
• Bicycle helmet safety

Ever-ready, this committee has an immediate response system via telephone, facsimile and e-mail networks to quickly inform you about and respond to issues that affect your profession. This committee and its network are known as Tier One.

As a benefit of our affiliation with NRPA, Society members are kept up-to-date on emerging issues in national politics as well. The NRPA staff includes full-time legislative awareness personnel charged with keeping current on national policy and local issues that can influence the future of parks and recreation services and programming.

*Urgent Advocacy Action Needed*
Rally Your Member of Congress to Support Full and Dedicated Funding For LWCF

Background: The House of Representatives' Natural Resources Committee will soon be holding a hearing on a new energy bill (H.R. 3534) sponsored by Chairman Nick Rahall (D-WV). This legislation includes full and dedicated funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at the authorized annual level of $900 million. The bill specifies the allocation of $450 million to the Federal LWCF program and $450 million for state and local projects through the Stateside Assistance Program. The support of your Member of Congress is needed to ensure that full and dedicated funding for LWCF remains in this legislation as it progresses.

Action Needed: We need your PROMPT action in urging your Representative to support full and dedicated funding for LWCF. Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your Representatives office. Ask to speak to the staff person that handles Natural Resources issues and let them know how much you care about LWCF and the special places that it protects such as parks, refuges, trails, cultural and historic places, public lands, and other recreation areas in your community. Tell them that their support is needed to ensure that full and dedicated funding for LWCF is included in energy legislation and that you will be counting on them to help get this provision enacted into law. Find your represenative.

Call your Member of Congress today at 202-224-3121

To explain why they should support your request, use these key points:

The LWCF provides critical federal investments in America's natural, cultural, and recreational heritage by acquiring and protecting public lands and developing new recreational facilities in the regional, state, and local parks near where 80% of Americans live.

The LWCF state assistance program is one of the most successful Federal, State, and Local cooperative conservation partnerships in the history of the Dept. of Interior. LWCF serves a vital national need, the need to get the American public active and healthy, which they can best do by recreating at close-to-home recreation facilities and parks aided by the LWCF State Assistance.

Explain the value of the LWCF state assistance to your community through past project and identify future LWCF projects in your community. These funds help to develop sports fields, neighborhood parks, community gathering places, as well as the acquisition of green space for state and local conservation and park purposes. Find projects in your county.

The Texas Recreation & Park Society is tracking several bills in the 81st Session of the Texas Legislature. Click here for the list of bills.

The TRAPS Legislative Committee has drafted resolution and council/commission agenda memo explaining the resolution. The TRAPS Legislative Committee would like as many approved resolutions as possible when they begin to walk the halls of the 81st Texas Legislature (shortly after the first of the year). Once resolutions are approved please send them to Oscar Carmona at oscar.carmona@arlingtontx.gov. The Committee would like to have all resolutions received by December 1, 2008 if possible.

Council/Commission Agenda Memo

Resolution

The Texas Recreation and Park Society supports the following positions:

2008 - 2009 TRAPS Legislative Platform


The Texas Recreation and Park Society (TRAPS) five primary objectives in the 81st Session of the Texas Legislature:

1. Support legislation that would create a Constitutional dedication of sporting goods sales tax revenue for use for state and local parks
2. Protect the restoration of the sporting goods sales tax to Texas Parks and Wildlife and the Texas Recreation and Parks Account (TRPA) established in the 80th Session
3. Ensure that no legislative appropriation riders are allowed that set aside TRPA money for specific projects or locales. TRAPS maintains that all candidate grant projects should be subject to the established competitive grant process.
4. Oppose any bills that are considered to be negative to the advancement of parks and recreation opportunities in the State of Texas.
5. Be supportive of legislative action that supports healthier, more active lifestyles, reduces childhood obesity and promotes physical fitness.

The following positions are held by TRAPS:
A. TRAPS takes the position of support of the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) top legislative and advocacy priorities. NRPA annually supports a national agenda for public parks and recreation in America that will ensure:

• Appropriate matching federal investments in local, regional, and state parks and recreation resources;
• Conservation and stewardship of our natural and cultural resources;
• Close-to-home access to parks and recreation resources for all, and
• National policies that promote healthy lifestyles and livable communities.


NRPA supports national policies that promote physical activity, proper nutrition, child care, juvenile justice, and environmental sustainability.

NRPA believes that parks and recreation can improve the physical health and mental health of every person, and that parks and recreation should be an essential public service of every community in America.
Recommendations of the State Park Advisory Board Report including:
• $25 million in annual appropriations for the Texas Recreation & Parks Account
• Increased funding for the State Park operations, maintenance, acquisition and capital improvements to meet current and future needs.


Ensure that no legislative appropriation riders set aside TRPA money for specific projects or locales.
• All TRPA fund awards should be subject to established competitive grant process.

Click here for more information regarding TRAPS support for increased sporting goods sales tax appropriations for local and state parks.

Economic Impact Study - Sunshine, Soccer and Success, completed by The Perryman Group, is now available on the Texas Parks and Recreation Foundation's (TPRF) website, www.tprfoundation.org. The findings from this study are available for your review.

Also available is the Economic Engine of Parks and Recreation - Making Texas Green report which promotes the "value of parks and recreation on the basis of the aesthetics, health, and cultural values they bring to Texas."

Tier One, with the authorization of the TRAPS Board of Directors, represents the Society in addressing legislative issues, policies and procedures relating to the parks and recreation movement by:

Keeping abreast of both federal and state legislation

Working with advocates from other professions, associations, or interest groups to assist in the committee work on legislative issues

Personally contacting local legislators and supporters

Drafting resolutions for local councils and commissions to adopt in support of TRAPS legislative agendas and positions.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Tier One network or serving on the TRAPS Legislative Committee, please contact Brad Griggs or the TRAPS Office.