Austin, Texas (March 3, 2009) –   Within hours of the largest Lobby Day in Equality Texas history, the statewide advocacy and lobbying organization is already seeing the positive results of citizen advocacy.  On March 2, 2009, over four hundred (400) Texans who support the elimination of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity/expression had face-to-face conversations with legislators and their staffs about issues of equality and the effect of public policy on daily lives.  An additional 800 e-mails of support were generated via Equality Texas' Virtual Lobby Day from constituents who were unable to travel to the State Capitol.

"We gathered at the Capitol because we value the independent spirit of all to make their way in the world - to be given every chance to take advantage of the opportunities afforded us without discrimination," said Paul Scott, Equality Texas executive director.  "We gathered in unprecedented numbers in response to a call that has gone out across Texas and the country - a call that more and more Texans are answering - the call for each and every one of us to be treated with dignity and respect."

By the end of the day on Monday, the bills in Equality Texas' legislative agenda had picked up two (2) additional joint authors, four (4) co-authors, and a hate crimes study bill was scheduled for a public hearing on Wednesday. 

House Bill 616, by Rep. Marc Veasey of Fort Worth, would call for a study of the James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Act, which was enacted in 2001.  Since passage of the Byrd Act, there have been over 1,800 crimes of bias and prejudice reported in the DPS Crime Report, however there have been only nine (9) prosecutions under the Byrd Act.  The study would seek to identify barriers to prosecution and enhancements that would enable the Act to live up to its original intent.  Rep. Veasey's bill, which is a part of Equality Texas' legislative agenda, is scheduled for a public hearing in the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence on Wednesday, March 4th.  Equality Texas is continuing its lobbying and advocacy efforts in support of the bill.

Lobby Day participants represented constituents from 85 House Districts across the state. They included Texans from the major metropolitan areas of Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio, as well as constituents from across the state including Abilene, Amarillo, Tyler, Huntsville, Bryan/College Station, Killeen, Waco, Corpus Christi, Pharr, McAllen, and more.

(Left to right): Elaine Laroa, Jesse Garcia, Venton Jones, Kaye Gooch, Wednesday Jackson, and Omar Narvaez.