Published in the Greater Killeen Business Quarterly 2017 Fort Hood Guide
If a picture is worth a thousand words, a hands-on experience is immeasurable. A key element in efforts to acquaint legislators with our priorities is Legislative Day. We started this event during the 80th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature in 2007. It always occurs at the beginning of each legislative session (on odd-numbered years) when members still have time to participate.
Legislative Day works like this: Our senator and state representatives issue invitations to their colleagues and their staffs to visit our community. Typically, 130 legislators and staff members accept the invitation.
On the day of the visit, chamber buses, along with our community hosts and our legislative members, pick up the delegation at the Capital early in the morning. The first stop is at Central Texas College or Texas A&M University-Central Texas to show off our educational institutions. At that stop, the delegation is provided a continental breakfast and an opportunity to meet community leaders. Participants hear two presentations, one on community needs, presented by an elected official or community leader, and one on education needs, presented by an education leader.
Participants then board buses provided by Fort Hood. The first stop is the III Corps Headquarters, where they are greeted by, and have a group photo taken with, the Commanding General. They are then separated into three groups where they visit various locations around the post. They receive a command brief during lunch and have an opportunity to dine with Soldiers. The event concludes late in the afternoon with a bus ride back to the Capital.
Our Public Policy Council follows up after the event with office calls in the Capital. A document explaining our Legislative Priorities and a copy of the group photo is delivered to each participant.
We always ask the group if anyone has been to Killeen or Fort Hood before. Even though we are located only an hour north of the Capital, most have never been here. Many have never been on a military installation.
Working in concert with Fort Hood, our Legislative Day is unique and very popular. It occurred this year on Friday, February 3. The response from participants was overwhelmingly positive.