The 2021 Legislative Session is here, anything can happen--- and is happening ---- on any front.
We are focused on Water Legislation --- we can't afford to go to sleep on this issue, no matter how many other pressing issues are pending. We have learned that distracted legislators can let their guard down on legislation that doesn't seem to be on fire.
We have updated our information on how you may participate in the HOUSE legislative session from home --although we never want to discourage you from attending hearings in person. If you aren't in a position to offer written comments, we will point you to how you may simply register your support or opposition to a bill during the hearing on that bill in any HOUSE committee, and also how to make written comments prior to the hearing.
The Senate procedures for public participation in Committee hearings are different -- we will give you that information, too.
We may need your action before they gavel in on Tuesdays in the House Natural Resources Committee, where water bills are generally heard. The Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee meets on Monday, so please check our NEWS blog on Fridays where we will post any Action Alerts for the following week.
It's possible we will need to alert you by email only, when an important House bill is going to the House or Senate floor, or vice versa.
Please sign up on our email subscription list on the HOME page, to receive those and other email bulletins.
Here are the procedures for public input to the Texas House:
For those persons who will be testifying in person (always encouraged!), information for in-person witness registration can be found here:
https://mytxlegis.capitol.texas.gov/HWRSPublic/About.aspx
Texas residents who wish to electronically submit comments related to agenda items on this notice without testifying in person can do so until the hearing is adjourned by visiting: https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c390 (but please don't wait til the meeting convenes to send your comments ~~ the committee might take action on an important bill at the hearing without your input)When you submit comments in person or in written form, lead off with a statement that you are FOR or AGAINST HB XXXX --- if you are "neutral" on the legislation, but want to raise important points, questions or criticisms of the bill, say that you are testifying "ON" the bill.
If for some reason you are unable to submit written comments, please call the offices of MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE:
NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE
CHAIR: Tracy O. King
Committee clerk- Sam Bacarisse
(512) 463-0194
Vice-Chair: HARRIS, Cody
Legislative director- Scott Gilfillan
(512) 463-0730
BOWERS, Rhetta
Legislative aide- Ariana Noshari
(512) 463-0464
KACAL, Kyle
Legislative director- Ben Utley
(512) 463-0412
LARSON, Lyle
Legislative director/scheduler- Caroline Cone
(512) 463-0646
LUCIO, Eddie III
Legislative director- McKenna Martinez
(512) 463-0606
PAUL, Dennis
Legislative director- Kathy Haigler
(512) 463-0734
PRICE, FourLegislative director- Sandra Talton
(512) 463-0470
RAMOS, Ana-Maria
Legislative director- Lawrence Zamarron
(512) 463-0454
WALLE, Armando
Legislative director- Rachel Pearl Piotrzkowski
(512) 463-0924
WILSON, Terry
Legislative director- Jane Metcalf
(512) 463-0309
Go here and select any Committee Hearing you want to see live on the day of the hearing if you can't get to the hearing. Remember! You can always make calls to legislators from your home or office if you can't go to the hearing. Phones lighting up is a good thing -- we will give instructions for doing that!
Go here to see SAWDF's slideshow "The Siege on the Simsboro --- A Cautionary Tale", prepared for Lobby Day in 2019 as an introduction to Jim Murphy's Sustainable Groundwater Development ActAction Alerts
ACTION ALERT FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 8.A.M. (that means they need to hear from you before the hearing starts to maximize your impact on the hearing itself)
Good Bills/Bad Bills
Bills to watch -- and text of bills and other info you might not see anywhere else!
Good Bills SAWDF Advocates
Go here to track the status of any bill for which a bill number is provided.