The Governor

As required by Texas Civil Statutes, Article 6252-13a, 
sec.6, the Texas Register
publishes executive orders issued
by the Governor of Texas.
are published in Chronological
order. Additional information on
documents submitted for publication
by the Governor's Office
can be obtained by calling
(512) 463-1814.



Executive Orders

92-4


WHEREAS, it has been determined that approximately twenty
percent (20%) of Texas' gross state product is directly and/or
indirectly attributable to the operations conducted on or adjacent
to the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, as is evidenced by the documented
annual direct impacts of over $3 billion, indirect impacts of
over $37 billion, and the employment of over 147,000 individuals
in the state; and

WHEREAS, the presence of the Intracoastal Waterway in Texas
is associated with the production of the majority of petrochemicals
in the United States, which are crucial for fully maintaining
domestic industrial output, and, in addition, the shipment of
these products through the Waterway to foreign markets produces
a positive influence on the nation's balance of trade; and

WHEREAS, the physical protection of invaluable wetlands and
other irreplaceable habitat for fish and wildlife is an invaluable
service provided by the existing Sargent Beach land barrier,
located between the Gulf of Mexico and the Intracoastal Canal
in Matagorda County; and

WHEREAS, two stretches of beach at Sargent Beach, Texas, one
of 4,500 feet and another of 3,500 feet, are eroding at rates
of up to sixty-seven (67) feet per year, and the Gulf of Mexico
threatens to encroach into the Waterway in the foreseeable future
with the alarming potential to severely hamper or stop the flow
of goods on the waterway in both east and west directors past
Sargent Beach; and

WHEREAS, tropical storms and hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico
pose the potential to massively accelerate the erosion and join
the Gulf of Mexico and the Waterway at Sargent Beach, causing
immediate and long term disruptions to barge traffic along the
Waterway in Texas, thus devastating the economy of the state
of Texas and significantly damaging the economy of the nation;
and

WHEREAS, one or more breaches of the existing land barrier
resulting from a tropical storm or hurricane will alter or destroy
thousands of acres of existing fresh and brackish water wetlands
vital to the coastal ecology of the region;

NOW THEREFORE, I, Ann W. Richards, Governor of the State of
Texas, under the authority vested in me, do hereby establish
the Sargent Beach Task Force to provide assistance to the local
governmental bodies confronting the erosion problem affecting
the two stretches of beach at Sargent Beach, Matagorda County,
Texas.

The Texas Department of Commerce, the Texas Department of
Transportation, the Office of State-Federal Relations, and the
staff of the Governor's Office shall work closely with the local
governmental bodies to ensure that necessary steps are taken
to secure finding, to prevent any further negative economic impact
on the state; and to avoid significant adverse environmental
consequences. The executive director of the Texas Department
of Commerce shall coordinate the activities of the Task Force
and shall make periodic reports to the governor.


Issued in Austin, Texas, on March 20, 1992.

TRD-9204428

Ann W. Richards

Governor of Texas

   
   

AWR 92-5

WHEREAS, citizens of
Texas needs accurate information
about state-funded health and
human services; and

WHEREAS, these services are currently provided by a variety
of state agencies which do not currently use common terminology
to communicate with citizens, other agencies, or the Legislature;
and

WHEREAS, this limits the access of Texas citizens to coordinated,
comprehensive, and reliable health and human services information
throughout the State; and

WHEREAS, existing dictionaries of health and human services
terms could be used for cross-agency coordination of service
delivery, strategic plans, budgets, and referral systems; and

WHEREAS, Article III, Section 3.07 of House Bill 7, 72nd Legislature,
First Called Session, directs the governor's office to appoint
a work group to develop a statewide health and human services
dictionary of uniform terms and services;

NOW THEREFORE, I, Ann W. Richards, Governor of the State of
Texas, under the authority vested in me, do hereby create the
Health and Human Services Dictionary Work Group, hereinafter
referred to as the Work Group.

The Work Group is composed of not more than fifteen (15) members
appointed by the governor.

The Work Group will consist of a diverse group of individuals,
including consumers of health and human services and agency representatives.

The Work Group shall develop a statewide health and human
services dictionary of uniform terms and services to be used
by the state agencies for tasks requiring cross-agency coordination,
such as service delivery, planning, budgeting, and referral services.

The Work Group shall present the dictionary to the governor
no later than September 1, 1992.

Work Group members are not entitled to compensation but are
entitled to reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses (travel
and per diem) incurred in performing their duties. To the extent
possible, state employees will receive reimbursement from their
respective agencies.


Issued in Austin, Texas, on March 24, 1992.

TRD-9204429

Ann W. Richards

Governor of Texas