by Liz Colvin, Mental Health Advocate, Author & Caregiver
Advocacy Day at the Texas Capitol is an opportunity to hear, engage, and become aware of upcoming legislation, which includes Native and Indigenous communities. The Travis County House of Representatives Delegation hosted the event, with featured speakers: Rep. Vikki Goodwin, House District 47; Rep. Gina Hinojosa, House District 49; Rep. Donna Howard, House District 48; and Rep. Lulu Flores, House District 31. Their goals are to assist advocates, like myself, as we learn about proposed bills and the procedure of a bill in the Texas Legislature. They gave an overview of their achievements and future initiatives for the following: Fair Rent Incentive Act, Improved Special Education, Women’s Healthcare, and HB 4199 – Relating to the provision of menstrual products at public schools, respectfully.
The Texas Legislative session began on January 14, 2025, and meets every other odd-numbered year. A regular session is 140 days in length, beginning on the second Tuesday in January. In addition, there were several groups that presented an overview of their platforms, such as the Texas Women’s Health Caucus, the Texas Freedom Network, PTA, National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), and the Citizens Climate Lobby (citizenclimatelobby.org) which will hold an Austin rally on April 1. Moms Demand Action, Texas Chapter will rally and meet with legislators to advocate for common-sense gun laws at 10:30 am (CST) Thursday, Feb 27. For more information, visit tinyurl.com/f554yvee.
Last but not least, a special congratulations to Justice-elect, Maggie Ellis, who was elected to the 3rd Court of Appeals. She was sworn in on January 6, 2025. Honorable Ellis will bring her commitment to justice and her compassion for others to the (first time in history) all-female bench. In summary, the five steps to effective advocacy across America are (1) know your issue, (2) listen to the people you want to help, (3) engage with the community, (4) build relationships, and (5) Don’t Give Up! For Bill Tracking, go to capitol.texas.gov.
“Man’s law changes with his understanding of man. Only the laws of the spirit remain always the same.”
– Crow Proverb
