AUSTIN, TX — The constitutional dedication of the Sporting Goods Sales Tax is one step closer to reality upon clearing a final legislative step. State Senator Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) today signed the motion to concur with House changes to Senate Bill 26 and Senate Joint Resolution 24, which was the last action needed to move the legislation forward. The Joint Resolution will now be sent to the Texas Secretary of State’s Office for placement on the November ballot, and SB26, the enabling legislation, will be sent to Governor Abbott’s desk for signature.
“Because of the Legislature’s hard work and dedication to this important issue, Texans will now have the opportunity to affirm their support of our state and local parks at the polls this November,” said Joseph Fitzsimons, former chair of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission and a founder of the Texas Coalition for State Parks. “We could not have asked for better champions than Senator Lois Kolkhorst and Representative Jon Cyrier. Future generations of Texans will have them and the entire Texas Legislature to thank for this historic effort. We must now prepare to vigorously support the passage of the constitutional amendment, which will be on the November 2019 ballot.”
The SGST was designed to create a steady stream of funding for our state and local parks. However, from 1993 to 2017, the state has collected nearly $2.5 billion in revenues from the SGST, yet only 40 percent has been appropriated for parks. The constitutional dedication of these funds will ensure consistency in funding for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission.
In 2014, the Texas State Park Advisory Committee recommended that a constitutional amendment permanently guaranteeing revenues generated from the SGST be dedicated to supporting state and local parks. In a public opinion survey, 70 percent of voters would support a constitutional amendment to permanently dedicate sales tax revenue for state parks. These numbers have held steady over a decade of polling.