Submitted by Emily Shelton on Mon, 03/13/2017 - 11:42am
Central Texas Food Bank Handout
Support
Tell committee members you support the bill and urge them to report the bill favorably from committee.
HB 871 by Roberts
Providing information for parents in crisis about voluntary options for respite care and other assistance so children don’t end up in the child welfare system
House Human Services Committee hearing Monday, March 13
Representatives: Raymond, Frank, Keough, Klick, Miller, Minjarez, Rose, Swanson, Wu
HB1408 by Cortez
Providing 12 months continuous Medicaid eligibility for children
House Human Services Committee hearing Monday, March 13
Representatives: Raymond, Frank, Keough, Klick, Miller, Minjarez, Rose, Swanson, Wu
HB199 by Bernal
Allowing more counties to participate in the countywide polling place program
House Elections Committee hearing Monday, March 13
Representatives: Laubenberg, Israel, Anderson, Fallon, Larson, Reynolds, Swanson
HB 630 by Howard
Requiring Internet broadcast and archiving of open meetings of the Health and Human Services Commission, health and human services agencies, and related advisory entities
House Government Transparency and Operation hearing Monday, March 13
Representatives: Elkins, Capriglione, Gonzales, Lucio, Shaheen, Tinderholt, Uresti
Oppose
Tell the committee members you oppose the bill and urge them to leave it on the table.
SB2 by Bettencourt
Lowering the property tax rollback rate from 8% to 4%
Senate Finance hearing Tuesday, March 14
Senators: Nelson, Hinojosa, Bettencourt, Birdwell, Hancock, Huffman, Kolkhorst, Nichols, Schwertner, Seliger, Taylor, Uresti, Watson, West, Whitmire
SB103 by Hall
Pre-empting local communities from banning single-use plastic bags
Senate Business and Commerce hearing Tuesday, March 14
Senators: Hancock, Creighton, Campbell, Estes, Nichols, Schwertner, Taylor, Whitmire, Zaffrini
SB4 by Perry
Anti-“sanctuary cities”
House State Affairs hearing Wednesday, March 15
Representatives: Cook, Giddings, Craddick, Farrar, Geren, Guillen, King, Kuempel, Meyer, Oliveira, Paddie, Rodriquez, Smithee
Urge Lawmakers: Updated - Fund Kids Before Concrete!
ACTION ALERT: Urge lawmakers to support House Concurrent Resolution 108 by Zerwas to “undedicate” a portion of sales tax collections dedicated to the State Highway Fund to prevent cuts to children’s services.
Budget leaders warn that the state has less general revenue available for the upcoming biennium than for the current one—even though sales tax and other GR collections are expected to increase—because the state has dedicated so much revenue to the State Highway Fund. Lt. Governor Patrick said earlier in the Session that the Legislature would need to cut the budget, and that cuts would come primarily from health, human services, and education. But Texas already is not keeping up with need in these areas, and we need to spend significantly more on foster care services to settle a federal lawsuit and ensure children aren’t hurt or killed in the state’s custody.
Luckily, voters have left lawmakers discretion to roll back portions of the highway dedications if conditions warrant it.
Urge your representatives to commit to vote to reduce sales tax transfers to the State Highway Fund instead of cutting services to children by supporting HCR 108 by Zerwas.
Weekly Witness Call Scripts
Below is a list of toll free numbers for committee members referenced above. The full list of House and Senate members is at texasimpact.org/action. Using the toll free numbers allows Texas Impact staff to track how many calls are going to each office. It's especially helpful if your own senator or representative is a member of the committee; however, even if you they aren't, you can still call all the members of the committee and let them know how you feel about the bill.
Sample Script
Hello, my name is __________ and I live in ___________. I am calling to thank Representative/Senator _________ for his/her service and to let you know that I and members of my congregation are praying for the Representative/Senator and his/her staff.
I’m calling about HB/SB__________ by ______________________. That bill is in __________________(name of the committee the bill is in). I support/oppose the bill and here’s why: _____________________ .
I want to urge the Representative/Senator to support/oppose HB/SB__________. Can you tell me how the Representative/Senator plans to vote on the bill, and if there is any information she/he needs to help make a decision about how to vote?
Don't forget to thank the staff member you are talking to at the end of the call, even if you disagree with their boss on the issue or bill-- they are working hard and appreciate being appreciated!
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House Human Services Committee
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Rep Richard Raymond
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(877) 882-3837
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1W.2
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Rep James Frank
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(877) 889-9761
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E2.604
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Rep Mark Keough
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(877) 694-8287
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E2.402
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Rep Stephanie Klick
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(877) 638-6346
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E2.904
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Rep Rick Miller
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(877) 541-8939
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E2.822
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Rep Ina Minjarez
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(877) 828-8145
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E2.312
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Rep Toni Rose
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(877) 440-7198
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E2.310
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Rep Valoree Swanson
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(877) 872-0534
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E2.802
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Rep Gene Wu
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(877) 243-4531
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E2.718
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House Elections Committee
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Rep Jodie Laubenberg
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(877) 653-2197
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1W.4
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Rep Celia Israel
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(877) 269-4491
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E2.212
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Rep Rodney Anderson
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(877) 789-1283
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E1.414
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Rep Pat Fallon
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(877) 790-4933
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E2.722
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Rep Lyle Larson
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(877) 754-8247
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E2.406
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Rep Ron Reynolds
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877-211-7526
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E2.308
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Rep Valoree Swanson
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(877) 872-0534
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E2.802
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Senate Business and Commerce
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Sen Kelly Hancock
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(877) 629-5830
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1E.9
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Sen Brandon Creighton
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(877) 526-7235
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E1.606
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Sen Donna Campbell
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(877) 228-1980
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3E.8
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Sen Craig Estes
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(877) 293-0661
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3E.18
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Sen Robert Nichols
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(877) 415-4659
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E1.704
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Sen Charles Schwertner
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(877) 546-9356
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E1.806
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Sen Larry Taylor
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(877) 506-1746
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3E.10
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Sen John Whitmire
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(877) 378-5879
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1E.13
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Sen Judith Zaffrini
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(877) 415-5347
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1E.14
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House State Affairs
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Rep Byron Cook
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(877) 431-7693
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GW.7
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Rep Helen Giddings
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(877) 207-1547
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GW.11
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Rep Tom Craddick
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(877) 270-4551
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1W.9
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Rep Jessica Farrar
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(877) 786-3597
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1N.8
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Rep Charlie Geren
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(877) 686-9751
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GW.15
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Rep Ryan Guillen
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(877) 264-5827
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1W.3
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Rep Ken King
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(877) 478-0875
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E2.410
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Rep John Kuempel
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(877) 887-7926
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E2.422
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Rep Morgan Meyer
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(877) 250-5263
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E1.318
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Rep Rene Oliveira
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(877) 846-8715
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3N.6
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Rep Chris Paddie
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(877) 814-2492
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E2.502
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Rep Eddie Rodriguez
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(877) 230-7937
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4S.5
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Rep John Smithee
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(877) 414-2072
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1W.10
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House Government Transparency and Operation
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Rep Gary Elkins
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(877) 861-2372
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4N.3
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Rep Giovanni Capriglione
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(877) 852-6423
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E2.610
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Rep Larry Gonzales
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(877) 400-2783
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E2.418
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Rep Eddie Lucio
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(877) 861-6898
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GN.8
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Rep Matt Shaheen
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(877) 863-2668
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E2.208
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Rep Tony Tinderholt
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(877) 754-0462
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E1.422
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Rep Tomas Uresti
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(877) 639-5204
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E2.712
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Senate Finance
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Sen Jane Nelson
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(877) 291-3758
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1E.5
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Sen Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa
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(877) 398-4710
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3E.6
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Sen Paul Bettencourt
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(877) 618-2937
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3E.16
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Sen Brian Birdwell
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(877) 879-6216
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E1.706
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Sen Kelly Hancock
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(877) 629-5830
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1E.9
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Sen Joan Huffman
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(877) 392-3482
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1E.15
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Sen Lois Kolkhorst
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(877) 419-2794
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GE.4
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Sen Robert Nichols
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(877) 415-4659
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E1.704
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Sen Charles Schwertner
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(877) 546-9356
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E1.806
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Sen Kel Seliger
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(877) 475-6853
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1E.12
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Sen Larry Taylor
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(877) 506-1746
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3E.10
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Sen Carlos Uresti
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(877) 431-0078
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4E.2
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Sen Kirk Watson
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(877) 341-1789
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E1.804
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Sen Royce West
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(877) 207-7496
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1E.3
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Sen John Whitmire
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(877) 378-5879
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1E.13
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