TexasCHLforum.com

My Texas House representative has been a vocal supporter of Joe Strauss. I've written USPS type letters to him, saying that he owns the results of bills that concern me not passing because of their dying in committees just as much as Strauss does. In addition, I've called his office and even visited his office in Austin in person. None of my phone calls were returned and the in person visit (because he was not in the building at the time and the interns in his office couldn't provide any information) was for naught.

Yesterday, his local administrative assistance returned my phone call. She and I talked about some of my concerns. I must have made enough of an impression on her that my concerns were on going that she offered a sit-down meeting among me, the representative and herself over coffee in the coming weeks.

She claims that 2015 was the best session ever for Republican legislation. I'm sure that she has information to back that up. That is not my perspective, given all of the gun related bills that didn't pass. In preparation for the meeting, I would like to have a score card about the important bills and their status, especially the gun bills that didn't pass. I have an uphill battle on the gun bill front from the last session because of Campus Carry and Open Carry.

I have no illusions about having any impact but I believe that the potential for influence in 2019 is greater if I have the meeting and am prepared than if I don't. I want to do all that I can to keep us from getting mostly stifled again.