Texas House Bill 2649: What You Can Do

If Texas House Bill 2649 becomes law, the implications for Lighting Designers could spread beyond the Texas borders. We need your help making sure the Texas government knows that the Lighting Designer amendments go too far.

What can you do? Check out our Thursday list of to-dos for the latest updates and tasks

A yahoo group has started up to keep tabs on developments. Join No HB2649.

We're updating this list throughout the day as we learn more.

UPDATE, Wednesday, May 27, 2009, 4:05pm EST:
I just got off the phone with Rep. Smith's office, and the secretary told me that there have been a ton of calls today – and that Rep. Smith is hopefully going to be meeting with Senator Kip Averitt about getting the lighting designer verbage removed. Keep the calls coming to these people, everyone!

UPDATE, Wednesday, May 27, 2009, 4:16pm EST:
Just got off of the phone with Senator Kip Averitt's office – Shelley from the office told me that she has gotten a ton of calls today about this bill, and that we should all be calling Representative Smith's office and asking him to NOT CONCUR with HOUSE BILL 2649.

UPDATE, Thursday, May 28:
Check out our Thursday list of to-dos for the latest updates and tasks

2649, hb2649, law, lighting designers, politics, Texas House Bill 2649, TX

http://www.twitter.com/2Henchmen Colin R.

I called the Committee, and they basically told me to contact the author and sponsor of the bill. Didn't really let me get my point across.
leia

Unfortunately, the Committee step seems to be too late, so we've removed it from the list and replaced it with Averitt, who was involved in its passing. I think I will add Deuell to the list, too, as he was the Senate sponsor.

Please let us know if you find any other successful channels!
michelle

NOTICE – some folks are sending out emails that ask folk to stop calling.

Do not stop the calls just yet –
Senator Kip Averitt office cannot confirm that he has agreed to meet with Representative Smith about HB2649 yet. We need Senator Kip Averitt to meet with Smith in order to strike the problematic language from the bill. Senator Kip Averitt's office number is 512.463.0122. Keep it going!

Thank you.
http://www.pokerstage.blogspot.com Falstaff

Jim –

Thanks for keeping us informed.
sonny sonnenfeld

That means that a kid in high school cannot light a school play.
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JBartenstein

Call the numbers listed above. Leave your messages on voicemail and with answering services. Wayne Smith has live people answering the phone at 12:28am thursday morning and she told me that I was the 103rd caller this hour opposing this bill. Keep the calls going!

Love you all!
JBartenstein

read below to see that the law, as written, does NOT exclude 'performance and theatrical' lighting designers. SEE SOLE EXCEPTION CLAUSE at the end of quote….

Texas Legislature Votes to Regulate Lighting Designers
May 27, 2009
AUSTIN, TX—The Texas Senate today passed legislation that will prohibit anyone from practicing lighting design except for registered architects, landscape architects, engineers, interior designers, and commercial electricians. H.B. 2649 was authored by Represenatives Wayne Smith, Bill Callegari, and Senator Bob Deuell to amend the current state law relating to the regulation and practice of engineering and lighting design. Three different sections of the legislation prohibit “a person from performing or offering to perform lighting design service unless the person is licensed as an engineer under this chapter; registered as an architect, landscape architect, or interior designer under Subtitle B (Regulation of Architecture and Related Practices), Title 6 (Regulation of Engineering, Architecture, Land Surveying, and Related Practices); or licensed under Chapter 1305 (Electricians). “ The sole exception is for “the preparation of shop drawings or other directions from a manufacturer for the installation or operation of lighting fixtures.”

Senator Kip Averitt sponsored the bill in the Senate. His office declined to comment on the legislation.

The bill will now go to the House for consideration. Smith can either concur or not concur with the Senate version. If he does not concur it will likely fail to become law. Smith’s office reported receiving many calls in opposition to the bill.