Friends,
October went by way too fast! Last month we held another Town Hall, attended events throughout the district, and began to work in earnest on our legislative agenda for next session. This edition of the monthly Bucy Bulletin will cover that as well as showcase community events, discuss legislative activity over the Interim, and highlight our Artist of the Month.
I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve you, HD 136, and the people of Texas. Please do not ever hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or comments or if there is anything my office can do for you.
All the best,
John Bucy III State Representative Texas House District 136
OCTOBER TOWN HALL – BALLOT PROPOSITIONS
We held a Town Hall in Anderson Mill in October covering the 10 Constitutional Amendments, local and county propositions, and Williamson County’s new voting machines. I’m grateful to Council Member Jimmy Flannigan for joining us to provide an overview of the Williamson County bonds and City of Austin propositions as well as to the Williamson County Elections Department for bringing out a voting machine and providing a wonderful overview and demonstration of the new process. If you missed it, check out our discussion here.
LETTER CONCERNING RODNEY REED
Last month, I made the decision to send a letter to Gov. Abbott asking him to grant a 30-day reprieve of the execution of Rodney Reed and request the Board of Pardons and Paroles investigate his claims concerning forensic evidence and new witnesses during that time. This isn’t something I did lightly. I respect the judiciary as an independent and co-equal branch of government but I believe the facts of this matter have the potential to create doubt and uncertainty in the minds of most reasonable people and that we have a duty to slow down and get this right. You can read the full letter here.
COMMUNITY EVENTS & HAPPENINGS
National Night Out: We had a great time at National Night Out in Anderson Mill Limited District. Thank you to Susan Reed for hosting a wonderful event!
Western WilCo Dems: Thanks to theWestern Wilco Dems Club for having me out to talk about the 10 Constitutional Amendments up for a vote this fall! We had a great discussion about what’s on the ballot and it’s important to get out and vote.
Westwood HS Pep Rally: I had a wonderful time speaking with students at Westwood High School about the importance of not just voting but getting involved and making a difference in our community now. Great event with phenomenal enthusiasm!
Firefly HQ Visit: We visited the Firefly Aerospace Headquarters in Cedar Park as well as their test site in Burnet County. We had a wonderful time chatting with staff and learning more about the work they do in designing and building rockets for smaller satellites and other payloads. Amazing things are happening in House District 136!
A+ for Equality: I’m honored to have received an A+ from Equality Texas! Earlier this year I was the first ally member to join the newly-created Texas House LGBTQ Caucus and I remain committed to ensuring that every Texan is treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.
Taste of Cedar Park: We had a great time atTaste of Cedar Park! The food and drinks were exceptional and the Raphina Austin Band provided fabulous entertainment. Congrats to the Cedar Park Chamber of Commerce on a wonderful event.
Deer Park MS Choir: Thank you to the Deer Park Middle School Choir for gracing the Capitol rotunda with your wonderful performances! We’re so proud of all of ourRound Rock ISD students. Watch here.
Adopt a Highway: Our office is proud to give back by participating in the Adopt a Highway Program. Thank you to all the volunteers who came out to help us pick up trash on along our stretch of RR 1431. Let’s keep HD 136 beautiful!
Cub Scouts: Had a great time talking with Cub Scout Pack 371 in Avery Ranch. We discussed the levels of government and what a state representative does. They also had great bill ideas, the most popular of which was to make candy free and more readily available.
Young Progressive Champion: Our Chief of StaffMax Lars was recognized by the Capital Area Democratic Women as Young Progressive Champion as part of their Celebration of Champions dinner.
LGBTQ Caucus Briefing: I joined the founders of theTexas House LGBTQ Caucus and other ally members in the Central Texas Delegation for a Policy Briefing at the The LBJ School of Public Affairs. It was a standing room only event with great audience participation.
HD 136 ARTIST OF THE MONTH
Each month at our Capitol Office we are so proud to display and feature work from local artists. Our October Artist of the Month was Janet Oh, who loaned us her beautiful works of acrylic on canvas Queens on the Blue Mist and Autumn Calf.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
Preparing for the next Legislative Session
One of our major focuses for the next fall and spring will be conducting research and holding stakeholder meetings as we begin to develop our legislative agenda for next session. We started off by reviewing and establishing our top legislative priorities. Next, we are examining which bills we proposed did not pass last session and which we might want to file again. We also plan to meet with other area elected officials at the city and county level to ensure we are working together to solve problems in our overlapping jurisdictions. In addition, we are compiling ideas submitted by activists, constituents, community organizations, and other sources to see which might fit into our portfolio for next session.
Constituent Legislation
Do you have a topic you are concerned about? Have you experienced a problem where a legislative solution may be in order? If so, we want to hear from you. Last session we carried several bills to address constituent concerns and were successful in passing Mayo’s Law (H.B. 2551). We have already been investigating several issues brought to our attention as well as holding meetings with constituents about their legislative ideas. As an office we are committed to ensuring we are fighting for the needs of our community.
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