TCCTA lobbyist Beaman Floyd, speaking to a large group of faculty during the association's annual convention in San Antonio, urged the educators to contact their representatives and senators at periodic intervals during the Regular Session.
A good time to begin is now. Suggestions and contact information are provided below.
Mr. Floyd recommends focusing initially on the proposed cuts (calculated at 82 percent) to health insurance benefits for the next biennium under the current House and Senate appropriations bills. If enacted, this will result in unprecedented hardship to all colleges, their employees, and dependents. He recommends further that members urge lawmakers to utilize the so-called Rainy Day fund for this purpose. By drawing down a minuscule portion of the fund, the entire crisis in health care coverage for community and technical college educators could be averted.
Accessing the fund requires a super-majority in each chamber, allowing a small minority of lawmakers to block such action. However, since there are community colleges in virtually every House and Senate district, we are poised to mobilize grass roots activity statewide.
Be sure to identify yourself and your college and to thank lawmakers for their hard work and dedication.
IMPORTANT: Do not use college equipment or institutional e-mail accounts in contacting legislators.
Members of the House and Senate can be contacted by using the "Who Represents Me?" link provided by the Texas Legislature. By typing in your home address and/or zip code, and then clicking on the link to each legislator, access to their e-mail addresses is obtained easily.
More helpful information, including the "Guide to Political Participation" is available on the TCCTA "Legislative Resources" page.
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