10403806_10105768261843900_3923624668966898483_o (1)The 2015 Statewide Texas Lobby Day to Abolish the Death Penalty starts at 9 AM on Tuesday March 3, 2015 in room E2.022 in the Texas Capitol. We are calling this the “Day of Innocence” at the capitol. Special guests include several people who were sentenced to death and later exonerated, including Ron Keine, Shujaa Graham, Clarence Brandley, and Sabrina Butler from Witness to Innocence. They and other death row exonerees will be honored with a resolution by the Texas House of Representatives. Come lobby side by side with several death row survivors.

Join the event Facebook page

Three ways you can participate in the Lobby day:

1) Come to Austin and attend the Lobby day in person.

2) If you can not come to Austin, you can still participate in the Statewide Call-in Day to Abolish the Death Penalty by calling your legislators March 3 and urging them to abolish the death penalty.

3) Or visit the local district office of your legislators and tell the district coordinator to deliver your message to the legislator.

People from across Texas will come to the Capitol in Austin to advocate for a bill to abolish the death penalty in Texas (HB 1032 filed by State Rep Harold Dutton), as well as a bill that would prohibit death sentences for people convicted under the Law of Parties even though they did not kill anyone (HB 341 by Rep Dutton). We will also lobby to build support to stop the scheduled execution of Rodney Reed now set for March 5.

In the past, our Lobby Day resulted in several legislators signing on to support the bills we lobbied for. We expect the same success in 2015.

This will be a day we will always remember, a day when we stand side by side with innocent people who were wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death.

Register for the Lobby Day to Abolish the Death Penalty. You can also just show up without registering, but if you register, then we know how many people are coming and we can plan appointments with legislators. Please be sure to dress professionally. Dress as if you’re heading to a job interview. Register Now!

If you can not attend the Lobby Day, you can still help by making a donation (not tax-deductible). Also on March 3, even if you are not in Austin at the Lobby Day, you can participate in the Statewide Call-in Day to Abolish the Death Penalty. Find out who represents you, then call your Texas legislators and let them know your position on the death penalty and urge them to support the bill to repeal the death penalty. Call the members of the Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence and urge them to schedule a hearing on the bill to repeal the death penalty. One of our goals of Lobby Day is to convince the committee to hold a hearing on the abolition bill.

Tentative Schedule of the 2015 Statewide Texas Lobby Day to Abolish the Death Penalty

9 AM  Check-in and meet for a short training session on how to lobby. Afterwards we will begin office visits to lobby legislators. Room E2.022 in the Capitol. Take the elevator down to level E2.

9:30 – 10 AM Visit legislative offices to lobby legislators to support abolishing the death penalty

10 AM Press Conference in the Speaker’s Committee Room (2W.6). Special guests include State Rep. Harold Dutton, author of a bill to abolish the death penalty in Texas, and several death row exonerees, including Ron Keine, Shujaa Graham, Clarence Brandley, and Sabrina Butler. Other guests to be announced.

11 AM to noon More lobbying

Noon  Lunch at your own expense in the Capitol cafeteria.

1 PM Tentative time Go to the viewing area above the House floor to watch the exonerees honored by the Texas House with a resolution sponsored by Rep. Dutton.1-5:00 More lobbying visits to legislative offices.

5:00 PM Meet in the Capitol cafeteria to share stories about what everyone learned during the legislative lobbying visits.

Parking is available in the Capitol Visitors Parking Garage at 1201 San Jacinto located between Trinity and San Jacinto Streets at 12th and 13th Streets. Parking is free for the first two hours and $1.00 for each half hour thereafter (maximum daily charge: $8.00); accessible parking is available with accessible routes to the Capitol.The Statewide Lobby Day to Abolish the Death Penalty has been organized since 2003 by several organizations working together, the same ones who also organize the annual “March to Abolish the Death Penalty” each October: Texas Moratorium Network, Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement, Campaign to End the Death Penalty, and Students Against the Death Penalty.

 Organizations that would like to participate or co-sponsor the Lobby Day can email admin@texasmoratorium.org or call 512-961-6389.
Call the members of the Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence and urge them to schedule a hearing on HB 1032, the bill to abolish the death penalty.
Position Member
Chair: Rep. Abel Herrero  email (512) 463-0462
Vice Chair: Rep. Joe Moody email  (512) 463-0728
Members: Rep. Terry Canales   email   (512) 463-0426
Rep. Terry Canales   email    (512) 463-0426
Rep. Todd Hunter    email    (512) 463-0672
Rep. Jeff Leach      email    (512) 463-0544
Rep. Matt Shaheen    email     (512) 463-0594
Rep. David Simpson   email   (512) 463-0750
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