By Senator Kirk Watson
Our thoughts and prayers are with those in Japan whore coping with the terrible destruction caused by the tsunami and nuclear problems. If you havent already or even if you have head over to the American Red Cross and consider contributing to disaster recovery efforts there.
New media when we need it the most
For a little while now Ive been fascinated by the rise of Facebook Twitter and other social media platforms and what they can mean to those of us who are doing policy organizing constituents and preparing for Texas future. (Plus its a great way to keep up with peoples birthdays.)
The truth is Im young enough to be fascinated by the impact of these new tools. And Im ... well lets call it mature enough to have a perspective on what a difference they can make.
Saturdays extraordinary march on the Capitol in support of Texas children teachers and schools is a great example.
Thousands of people turned out to protest the states terrible budget management the resulting disaster (which Ive discussed here and here) and the effects that proposed cuts will have on our states future.
There are literally millions of Texans whose hearts are very much with everyone who attended the demonstration but who just couldnt get away from work or home on Saturday to be there.
In the past they would have just missed it maybe caught a glimpse of it on the news or in the paper and hoped to talk with someone who went.
But now thanks to tweets Facebook posts blog updates and emails they can follow whats going on as it happens and communicate with friends and strangers just like they would in person about how to do right for our kids and our future.
In that way these social media technologies help us expand the conversation in ways that were never possible in the past. So whatever the official number is of how many people rallied on Saturday the numbers who were energized and inspired by the event are orders of magnitude larger.
And believe me were going to need the energy and input of every single one of them to make a difference this session.
New Media now playing at SXSW
New medias been on my mind a lot lately and not just because everyones in town for South by Southwest or because the little interactive festival now looks big enough to start thumping its older music and film siblings.
Earlier this month I sat down for an interview with Austin blogger extraordinaire Rachel Farris (known to many of us as @MeanRachel though as was noted shes really not all that mean; its sort of like calling
me TallKirk) before a few dozen local Twitterers over breakfast. She wrote a summary of the event that you can read here.
And yesterday I sat for an interview with Facebook which is making a splash for the festival you can watch the video here.
The message over and over has been that these tools are vital to the world as we now know it. At a time when so many feel disconnected and isolated particularly from their government and from the decisions being made that affect them these platforms plug people in and bring them together.
And they help people know their elected representatives in very direct very transparent ways.
As I said in both interviews folks shouldnt outsource their b.s.
All of which is to say if we arent already connected on Facebook and Twitter go here and click Like" and go here and click Follow." Let me know what youre thinking about whats going on at the Capitol right now.
Ill be doing the same.
New bills
Ill close this week with a look at some of the bills Ill be working on this session. Friday was the bill-filing deadline for the session (though we can still introduce new legislation in the Senate on a four-fifths vote) so my tables pretty well set.
Couple these with the bills Ive written about in the past (including my Honesty Agenda bills on budget transparency and accountability our bill to make sure appropriate laws are in place regarding the practice of teen sexting" and what were calling Pathways to Employment Act) and I get really hopeful that as rough as this session has been weve still got a great chance to do some real good for Texans and Texas future this year.
Here are some quick summaries with links to the bill text:
SB 1655: This would take a number of steps to make sure more folks have the information they need about insurance rates making folks better shoppers and hopefully helping make rates lower and the market more competitive.
SB 1648: This would set a framework and a strong step for the creation of new medical schools in areas where theyre badly needed including Central and South Texas.
SB 449: This would create an innovative path to work with the private sector and encourage landowners to manage their property in ways that increase water quality and water quantity.
SB 1649: This would use a law enforcement fund the proceeds of which have been diverted for years to create a grant program supporting border
safety and security.
SB 330: This is the bill we almost passed last session that would utilize private-sector forces to make Texas a leader in the 21st Century energy economy.
SB 293: This is a great bill I filed before the session even started to encourage the use of cost-effective telemedicine services to help folks get good healthcare without having to go to the doctors office.
SB 291 and SB 1331: These bills would ensure that kids know everything they need to know about the dangers of alcohol poisoning and that they arent afraid to take action if their friends are in trouble.
SB 329: This creates a badly needed recycling program for television sets building on the innovative electronic waste recycling program that one of my bills created a couple of years ago.
SB 517 and SB 1325: Both of these bills will help a state program that encourages parents to save money for their kids college education by matching it with money from the state.
SB 1044: This allows counties to participate with the private sector in partnerships that protect open space land by purchasing the development rights to it.
