ABC Houston members visit with Sen. Larry Taylor (R-TX), third from right.
Eight chapters comprising ABC of Texas recently made a trip to Austin, Texas, to discuss proposed industry-related legislation that our state elected officials are considering this session. Over 100 ABC members from around Texas showed up with the intention of educating our local representatives and senators about the issues facing the construction industry. Few people understand the importance of making that trip to visit with legislators and share stories about how their companies and employees are affected by legislation, both good and bad.
State representatives and senators are ordinary people, like you and me, who come from different backgrounds. The Texas Legislature is set up in a way such that state government meets for only a short window of time, meaning they all have regular jobs to tend to back in their district. Some are farmers, doctors, insurance salesmen or contractors, and more than a few are attorneys. Consequently, very few of the people actually voting on the law have any real knowledge of construction issues.
ABC organizes opportunities for members to meet with and work to get the right people elected. ABC usually endorses and supports candidates who understand business and what it takes to make payroll, train and retain good employees, and understand the large potential liability that contracts carry. ABC has an active political action committee that interviews all candidates and financially supports those who believe in free enterprise and merit shop. Getting the right people in place is the first step in helping the industry.
Rep. Dwayne Bohac (R-TX), left, visits with ABC Greater Houston representatives.
The next step is to demonstrate the effect that various legislation will have on the construction industry. ABC has several committees of contractors who read, analyze and discuss legislative bills to determine the effect they will have on various types of companies. For example, payment and lien bills will have different effects and consequences for subcontractors versus general contractors. The discussion centers on where the proper and correct ethical balance is. Those types of details are then explained to elected officials so they can be informed when it comes time to cast their votes.
It is very important for state legislators to be properly informed as to what they are voting on. They need to hear from their constituents. They welcome the input so they can be confident they are making the right decisions for the state of Texas.
Few people understand how important that process is. Even fewer people take the time to communicate information to their elected officials. Even more effective is making a personal visit to their office in Austin. Personal visits express to each legislator that you care a great deal about proposed legislation. Those few people have an astounding effect on making law.
Even though each state representative represents about 150,000 people and each senator about 900,000 people, the few people who come to their offices carry far more weight; 99.9 percent of constituents never communicate with their elected officials. One voice, backed by the strength of an association, can make a difference. The information that you can share with someone who is casting a vote that affects you and your company does make a difference. If you are ready to impact the legislation that affects your company and employees, schedule a legislative day trip to Austin or Washington D.C. Come with ABC.
For more information, contact Russell Hamley at (713) 523-6ABC [6222] or r.hamley@abchouston.org, or contact David Helveston, president and CEO of the ABC Pelican Chapter, at (225) 753- 2590 or dhelveston@abcpelican.com.
