Texas Legislature is Out Until 2015

In spite of several special sessions that extended this year’s session of the Texas Legislature, the 83rd Legislature Regular Session is now finished, and it’s time to look ahead to the next session. 2015 isn’t as far away as you think - don’t get caught off-guard by not being ready for the next session. Start preparing for the next session of the Texas Legislature by beginning to lay groundwork today.

Be Ready for the Next Session by Laying Groundwork Today

It takes time to draft a bill, find a sponsor, refine the bill and prepare it for the next Legislative Session. With just over a year until the next session starts in 2015, now is the perfect time to start laying your groundwork for the upcoming session. What can you do now to be ready for the 84th Legislature Regular Session in 2015?

• Start drafting your bill or amendment: It takes time to draft a bill or amendment. The language must be appropriate to help you achieve your goal, and you may have to take into consideration special exceptions or other specific language to avoid alienating another special interest group that could come out against your legislation. You need to find the right balance in your initial draft before you take it to a sponsor.
• Find a sponsor: Generally speaking, you shouldn’t just take your bill or amendment to your local representative. Instead, it’s useful to look at the legislative history of each representative to find someone who will be sympathetic to the bill. You want a sponsor who will be your advocate - and finding the right sponsor takes time.
• Seek public support: Public support is an important step in getting a piece of legislation passed during a regular session. There’s such a high volume of bills and amendments proposed during each session that they simply can’t all pass. When you have a lot of public support for a piece of legislation, the Legislature is more likely to bump it up the agenda and make sure it gets fair consideration. It takes time to build public support, though, so it’s important to start now.

Give us a call to discuss your goals for the next legislative session, and we’ll start by creating a plan and laying the groundwork now to prepare for the upcoming session in 2015.