Texas House Bill 2649: What You Can Do for Friday

Things are looking positive – Senator Averitt’s office has agreed to pull the language about lighting designers out of the bill.  Now we need to make sure that he has solid, helpful, positive suggestions as its backing.  Regulation in our industry isn’t a bad thing, but it needs to be a studied, calculated process.  Also, this still isn’t over until it’s official, no matter what is said.

To-Do List for Friday: WRITE Thank You Notes

Let’s stay off the phones, those poor staffers could use a break. Please send a polite thank you e-mail or note to the five men who were the targets of our campaign. We bombarded their offices with phone calls and basically made it impossible to get any work done. Their efforts removed the offending amendments from an otherwise important bill. If you feel like adding commentary to your thanks, be sure is constructive, professional, and offers suggestions for future developments if Lighting Design does fall under legislative purview again.

1. Representative Wayne Smith
   909 Decker Drive, Suite 104
   Baytown, TX 77520
   Wayne.Smith@house.state.tx.us
2. Representative Bill Callegari
   1550 Foxlake Drive, Suite 120
   Houston, TX 77084
   bill.callegari@house.state.tx.us
3. Senator Kip Averitt
   400 Austin Avenue, Suite 303
   Waco, TX 76701
   Kip.Averitt@senate.state.tx.us
4. Senator Bob Deuell
   18601 LBJ Freeway, Suite 400
   Mesquite, Texas 75150
   Bob.Deuell@senate.state.tx.us
5. Governor Rick Perry
   Office of the Governor
   P.O. Box 12428
   Austin, Texas 78711-2428

Some folks to follow on Twitter:
@swamicandela @travisbedard @DownWithDragons @IALD

I would like to personally thank:

• Travis Bedard, who was my ear to the ground in Austin
• Richard Cadena, who went in and talked to the Senators
• John Baker, who brought the bill to my attention
• Charles Thompson, who was paying attention and caught the LD language before it was too late
• The IALD, for being the IALD and supporting the rights of lighting designers and distributing the material we’ve put forth to inform everyone about the bill
• JimOnLight readers, for spreading the word and making an impressive show of force in just 48 hours

I hope you’ll keep continue to read Jim On Light – I love these businesses of light and lighting so much that when we’re able to shape the way they progress, it is the most moving thing ever.  We’ll let you know when any other lighting legislation works its way to the books – change things for the better.