Texas Legislature Session Drawing to a Close - How Else can You Protect Your Interests?

With the 83rd Regular Session of the Texas Legislature having just ended, it may feel too late to make progress on important initiatives, or to fight new legislation that poses a problem for your business. Fortunately, that’s not the case. Even after the regular session ends, you still have an opportunity to protect your interests in a few key ways.

Know Important Post-Session Deadlines

Once the regular session is over, there are still a couple of important deadlines:

• Sunday, June 16, 2013: this is the last day that the governor can sign or veto bills passed during the regular session
• Monday, August 26, 2013: this is the date on which bills that don’t list specific effective dates become laws

Prior to either of the June 16 date, you still have a chance to make your voice heard if a bill hasn’t yet become law. The second date is particularly important if your business will be impacted by a new law that doesn’t have an effective date, as this becomes the effective date.

Discuss Your Options with an Experienced Lobby Firm

If there’s a piece of legislation that threatens your business, it’s important to discuss your options with an experienced lobby firm, like The Posey Law Firm, P.C. A good lawyer and lobbyist may be able to pursue court action or other remedies if a new law is problematic. This is your last immediate line of defense if you’re unhappy with something enacted during this legislative session.

Start Planning for the Next Legislative Session

The next regular session of the Texas Legislature is scheduled to begin in January, 2015. It’s not too early to start planning your approach for the next session. It takes time to draft bills, introduce them and gain popularity. Fewer than one in four bills gets through a regular session, so having a thorough plan - and beginning your lobbying early - can make a world of difference. There’s also the propsect of using a special session to address concerns. While not an open venue to tackle every issue, it may offer a chance to make progress on some initiatives. Contact The Posey Law Firm, PC today to discuss your government relations needs.