Tuesday March 24, 2009
Texas State Capitol
11th and Congress
Austin, Texas
Every Texas legislative session since 2003, the anti-death penalty community in Texas has rallied at the Texas capitol to lobby legislators to end the death penalty. The picture above is from Lobby Day 2007. In 2009, there have already been several bills filed that we will be lobbying in favor, including a bill to end the death penalty under the Law of Parties, an abolition bill, a death penalty study commission and moratorium on executions bill, a resolution to impeach Sharon Keller and other issues.
Sponsored by Texas Moratorium Network, Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement, Campaign to End the Death Penalty – Austin Chapter, Texas Death Penalty Education and Resource Center, Texas Students Against the Death Penalty, Texas CURE, the Student Prison Caucus, the Abolish the Death Penalty Caucus of the Texas Democratic Part, the Eye & Tooth Project: Forum Theatre on the Death Penalty, Kids Against the Death Penalty. and People Organized in Defense of Earth and Her Resources (PODER). (If your organization would like to participate or be one of the Lobby Day sponsors, contact us at 512 961 6389 or by email to admin@texasmoratorium.org)
Please make plans to be in Austin on Tuesday, March 24, so that we can all raise our voices together against the injustice of the Texas death penalty.
Below is the tentative schedule. We will announce more details and the rooms for all events later. You do not have to attend all events.
10 AM – Noon Lobbying Training Workshop Location: University of Texas at Austin, Sanchez Building (College of Education) in the Cissy McDaniel Parker Dean’s Conference Room
located near Congress Ave and MLK, between University Avenue and the Blanton Museum of Art (just north of the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum)
(We can also meet with your group before Lobby Day and train you earlier, then you can meet your legislators in the morning. Contact us if you would like us to come brief you before Lobby Day)
12:00 Break for Lunch on your own (there is a cafeteria in the Capitol)
1 PM Press Conference in the House Speaker’s Committee Room 2W.6 in the Capitol
Afternoon: Visiting legislative offices and attending committee hearings (If the committees will be hearing any death penalty related bills, we will know five days before the event.)
5:30 PM Rally on the South Steps of the Capitol (Musical Guest: Aaron Blount)
If you are coming to Lobby Day, you can call the offices of your state senator and state representative and tell them you are coming to Austin on March 24 and would like to meet with someone in their office.
In addition to the Austin training on the morning of Lobby Day, there is a Houston training session on Saturday, March 14, at S.H.A.P.E. Center, at 3903 Almeda, from 2:00 until 4:00 pm. It is organized by Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement and conducted by aides to State Rep Dutton and State Rep Farrar.
You can find out who your legislators are by going to the link below and entering your address.
http://www.fyi.legis.state.tx.us
Enter your home address.
After you click on the “Submit” button, you will see a screen with information for several elected officials. You only need to contact your State Senator and State Representative. Do not contact your U.S. Senators, U.S. Representative or your Board of Education member.
Texas U.S. Senators (DO NOT CONTACT)
U.S. Senators represent the entire state. Texas’ current U.S. Senators are Senator John Cornyn and Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. See their websites for current contact information.
Texas U.S. Representative (DO NOT CONTACT)
Texas State Senator (THIS IS THE ONE YOU WANT TO CONTACT)
Texas State Representative (THIS IS THE ONE YOU WANT TO CONTACT)
Texas State Board of Education Member (DO NOT CONTACT)
Please only contact your STATE Senator and STATE representative.
Do NOT contact your U.S. Representative or your U.S. Senator (Cornyn and Huthcison).
Only call 512 area code phone numbers followed by a 463 prefix. Again, make sure you are calling a 512-463-xxxx number.
For a list of all Texas State Senators, please visit:
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Members/Members.aspx?Chamber=S
For a list of all members of the Texas House Representatives, please visit:
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Members/Members.aspx?Chamber=H
Senator Eliot Shapleigh Speaking at 2077 Lobby Day (He starts speaking at second 44 in video)
Kerry Cook speaking at 2007 Lobby Day. Kerry is an innocent person who spent 20 years on Texas Death Row.
