LWVTX Lobby Days Toolkit 2023
A comprehensive toolkit for local Leagues and LWVTX members to advocate for LWVTX's priority issues during Lobby Days on February 27th-28th, 2023 and beyond.
Overview
LWVTX Lobby Days is a bi-annual event that coincides with the Texas legislative session. We will have lunch, speakers on our top priorities (Voting Rights & Election Law, Public Education, Women's Health and Reproductive Rights, and Gun Safety), and visits with your legislators at the Capitol.
For those members who cannot attend Lobby Days in person, we have put together this toolkit so that you can participate wherever you are. If you would like to participate in the Lobby Days training LIVE virtually on Monday, Feb. 27th from 12:00 - 4:30 p.m. CST, you can join the livestream here.
Action Alerts: Letters to Your Legislators
Visit our Take Action page and use our Action Alert system to automatically send letters to your legislators, educating them about LWV and our top priority issues this legislative session.
Social Media: Sample Graphics and Captions
Promotional Graphics & Templates
Use these promotional materials to post on social media about LWVTX Lobby Days and LWVTX's top four priority issues this legislative session. Click on the links below to download the graphics for Facebook/Instagram and Twitter from Google Drive, or right click on the image and choose "Save image as" to save to your computer.
Lobby Days
Voting Rights and Election Laws
Public Education
Women's Health and Reproductive Rights
Gun Safety
Captions
Relevant hashtags: #LWVTXLobbyDays #WomenPowerTexas
Sample Posts:
Lobby Days
- The League of Women Voters [add your League name here] supports four our top priority issues this legislative session: Voting Rights and Election Law, Public Education, Women's Health and Reproductive Choice, and Gun Safety. Let's make Texas a safer and healthier place for ALL Texans! #LWVTXLobbyDays #WomenPowerTexas
Voting Rights and Election Laws
- Let's make voting easier and more accessible in Texas! We're committed to making election forms simpler and more accessible for everyone. Every vote counts. #LWVTXLobbyDays #WomenPowerTexas #VotingRights
- We're committed to improving the safety, security, and accuracy of Texas voter registration by implementing an Electronic Voter Registration system to make sure your vote counts! #LWVTXLobbyDays #WomenPowerTexas #VotingRights
- We support expanding Early Voting to ensure every Texan has an opportunity to cast their vote. Your vote matters! #LWVTXLobbyDays #WomenPowerTexas #VotingRights
Public Education
- Let's make sure that all Texas students have access to a quality education and are equipped to participate in our democracy. We must continue to fight for properly funded public education and against any efforts to fund private schools through the use of public funds. #LWVTXLobbyDays #WomenPowerTexas #PublicEducation
- We stand against school vouchers in any form as well as the use of local property taxes collected for public education to fund private schools. We believe that our public education system should be properly funded to provide the best possible education for all students. #LWVTXLobbyDays #WomenPowerTexas #PublicEducation
- We believe that all Texas children should have access to a high-quality education, which is why we support a state finance system that ensures fairness and equitable distribution of funds. We also support a comprehensive state-mandated curriculum that provides students with the academic rigor needed for success in post-secondary education and careers. #LWVTXLobbyDays #WomenPowerTexas #PublicEducation
Women's Health and Reproductive Rights
- We believe in the constitutional right of privacy of the individual to make reproductive choices. Let’s join together to provide better healthcare to all women! #LWVTXLobbyDays #WomenPowerTexas #WomensRights
- No woman should be denied access to the healthcare she needs. We are dedicated to advancing women’s health and reproductive rights! We support sustainably funding women’s preventive healthcare, repealing the heartbeat bill, and protecting access to Plan B contraceptive medication. #LWVTXLobbyDays #WomenPowerTexas #WomensRights
- We support ensuring adequate funding for women’s preventive healthcare, including the full range of FDA-approved contraception, to fully meet the need among low-income, uninsured women. #LWVTXLobbyDays #WomenPowerTexas #WomensRights
- We support ensuring the women’s healthcare safety nets reaches more women, especially in areas with a shortage of qualified family planning providers and increasing provider participation in the state’s women’s health programs. #LWVTXLobbyDays #WomenPowerTexas #WomensRights
Gun Safety
- Did you know the majority of firearms acquired for criminal purposes are obtained through unlicensed sellers? That's why we support the implementation of background checks for private purchases to ensure gun safety. #LWVTXLobbyDays #WomenPowerTexas #GunSafety
- In Texas and across the US, the majority of women killed by an abusive partner are killed with a firearm. We support strengthening protections for victims of domestic abuse so that no one else has to suffer such a tragedy. #LWVTXLobbyDays #WomenPowerTexas #GunSafety
- We believe that implementing common sense Red Flag laws that remove handguns from persons found to be a threat to themselves or others is essential for gun safety. #LWVTXLobbyDays #WomenPowerTexas #GunSafety
Sample Phone Call Scripts
General Script
Hi, my name is <NAME> and I am a voter in <DISTRICT>. I am calling about <”4 ISSUES” OR NAME OF INDIVIDUAL ISSUE> that have bills during this legislative session.
<key talking points>
<IF YOU AS A CALLER HAVE A BRIEF PERSONAL STORY RELATED TO THIS ISSUE TELL IT HERE>
It is important to me that as my <STATE SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE> you hear my position on this/these issue(s). I hope I can count on you to represent me.
Thank you for listening and for your time.
Voting Rights and Election Law Script
Hi, my name is <NAME> and I am a voter in <DISTRICT>. I am calling about bills pertaining to voting rights during this legislative session.
As Texans, we all deserve the right to vote and to participate in free and fair elections. We can achieve this goal through expanded early voting periods, simpler and more accessible election forms, the implementation of an online voter registration system, and the protection of election workers.
<IF YOU AS A CALLER HAVE A BRIEF PERSONAL STORY RELATED TO THIS ISSUE TELL IT HERE>
It is important to me that as my <STATE SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE> you hear my position on this issue. I hope I can count on you to represent me.
Thank you for listening and for your time.
Public Education Script
Hi, my name is <NAME> and I am a voter in <DISTRICT>. I am calling about bills pertaining to public education during this legislative session.
The support of our Texas public schools is the cornerstone of success for students in our state, and I oppose the implementation of a school voucher system. Students deserve to have access to well-funded public schools and a quality education, and a privatization of our public school system will only cause harm to our students, especially those who are poor or disabled.
<IF YOU AS A CALLER HAVE A BRIEF PERSONAL STORY RELATED TO THIS ISSUE TELL IT HERE>
It is important to me that as my <STATE SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE> you hear my position on this issue. I hope I can count on you to represent me.
Thank you for listening and for your time.
Women's Healthcare and Reproductive Rights Script
Hi, my name is <NAME> and I am a voter in <DISTRICT>. I am calling about bills pertaining to women’s reproductive rights during this legislative session.
Choosing to have an abortion is an extremely personal issue and a matter of bodily autonomy that should be free of government interference. I believe the state Heartbeat Bill must be repealed, and I oppose any further restrictions to reproductive freedom, including the limitation of access to Plan B contraceptive medication. I support the expansion of the Women’s Healthcare Safety Net by sustainably funding women’s preventive healthcare, including contraception, to address the shortage of providers and to serve more women.
<IF YOU AS A CALLER HAVE A BRIEF PERSONAL STORY RELATED TO THIS ISSUE TELL IT HERE>
It is important to me that as my <STATE SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE> you hear my position on this issue. I hope I can count on you to represent me.
Thank you for listening and for your time.
Gun Safety Script
Hi, my name is <NAME> and I am a voter in <DISTRICT>. I am calling about bills pertaining to gun rights during this legislative session.
With nine mass shootings having occurred in the state of Texas in 2023 alone already, it is clear that we have a gun violence epidemic that urgently needs to be addressed. I support legislation that would implement mandatory background checks for private purchases of firearms, as well as the strengthening of protections of victims of domestic abuse. I also support the passage of Red Flag laws that would keep guns out of the hands of people who have demonstrated that they are a threat to others or themselves.
<IF YOU AS A CALLER HAVE A BRIEF PERSONAL STORY RELATED TO THIS ISSUE TELL IT HERE>
It is important to me that as my <STATE SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE> you hear my position on this issue. I hope I can count on you to represent me.
Thank you for listening and for your time.
League of Women Voters of Texas Top Priorities Script
Hi, my name is <NAME> and I am a voter in <DISTRICT>. I am calling about 4 ISSUES that have bills during this legislative session.
As a representative for the League of Women Voters of Texas, it is my hope that you will support our legislative priorities during this legislative session. These include the protection and expansion of voting rights, the preservation of public education, the protection of women’s health and reproductive choice, and the safety of our communities from preventable gun violence.
<IF YOU AS A CALLER HAVE A BRIEF PERSONAL STORY RELATED TO THIS ISSUE TELL IT HERE>
It is important to me that as my <STATE SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE> you hear my position on these issues. I hope I can count on you to represent me.
Thank you for listening and for your time.
Talking to Your Legislators
Click here to watch a video training about how to talk to your legislators.