Texas Builder Magazine, Mar-Apr 2015 - page 11

TexasBuilders.org 11
Government Relations
In addition to resources provided by TAB,
I have included a list of websites that
you may find useful. I personally have
found these tools to be a great resource
and incredibly user-friendly. The TAB
Government Relations team will always
have more thorough information and
inside knowledge to share with TAB
members, but in between Government
Relations Committee meetings, Texas
Builder magazines, and Legislative Line
emails these resources are a great tool for
those who would like to be individually
engaged and consistently in the know.
Texas Legislature Online
If you are interested in any legislative bills
that have been filed, you may search for
a keyword or a specific bill number at
www.capitol.state.tx.us. For example,
“HB 5” or “technical education.” Through
this website, you may set up alerts for any
bills you would like to receive updates
on. You may also identify which elected
officials represent you by entering your
home address in the appropriate section.
Two Chambers: The Texas
Senate & House of Representatives
If you would like more information about
an elected official you may utilize the
House of Representatives website and the
Texas Senate website:www.house.state.tx.us
and www.senate.state.tx.us. Here
you will find a member’s biography,
his/her committee assigments and
contact information.
From these two websites you may also
access committee hearing information,
such as upcoming committee hearings,
committee agendas and a list of
committee members.
The TAB Government Affairs team is
dedicated to representing your business
interests at the Texas State Capitol. I
encourage you to utilize the resources
they provide to TAB members and to stay
involved in the legislative process. After
all, certain legislative initiatives could
dramatically impact your company’s
bottom line.
Justin MacDonald currently serves as the
volunteer chair of TAB’s Government
Relations Committee. Justin is the
President of MacDonald Companies, a
diverse development, construction, and
management enterprise that has more than
35 multi- and single-family neighborhoods
completed throughout Texas.