Which city could become 'Wellness Capital of Texas'

AUSTIN (KXAN) — When the new legislative session begins in January, lawmakers in the Texas House of Representatives could decide to designate one community as the official "Wellness Capital of Texas" for the next decade.

State Rep. Glenn Rogers, R-Graford, filed a resolution Monday that would bestow the distinction on Mineral Wells, located in Palo Pinto County about an hour west of Fort Worth. He writes in his proposal the town "has become an increasingly popular destination for travelers seeking wellness experiences."

He said Mineral Wells "caters to the needs of health-conscious travelers " by offering mineral baths and spa treatments to visitors along with outdoor activities like hiking, rock climbing and paddle boarding. He said it's also home to scenic places like Lake Mineral Wells State Park, the Texas Frontier Trails and Mineral Wells Fossil Park.

"Through its burgeoning wellness industry and its abundance of natural attractions, Mineral Wells is building on its heritage as one of the Lone Star State’s premier destinations for wellness getaways and elevating its reputation as a haven for both recreation and relaxation," the proposed resolution reads.

This is not the only proposal that Texas lawmakers introduced so far to declare a city as a capital of something specific. Among the more unusual bills filed this week, there's another one that would name Celina, the Dallas suburb, as the "Halloween Capital of North Texas."

Previous legislative sessions included bestowing superlatives on Texas communities for out-of-the-box reasons. For instance, here in Central Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott signed a Senate resolution in 2021 that named San Marcos as the mermaid capital of the state. State Sen. Judith Zaffirini and Rep. Erin Zwiener, who represent San Marcos, supported the resolution to highlight the role San Marcos has in preserving water resources in the state.

The new legislative session begins on Jan. 10, 2023. Based on the bills filed so far, legislators have their eyes set on topics this time ranging from transgender and reproductive rights to immigration, property taxes and voting.