In response to bill THB2649 as passed by The Texas State Legislature on the morning of May 27, 2009, the IALD has urged that people take action. The bill, as currently written, will have the unintended consequence of outlawing the practice of lighting design within its borders.
Texas House Bill 2649 (THB2649) prohibits lighting designers who work in Texas to work on projects without being licensed as either an electrician, architect, engineer, landscape architect or interior designer.
As a result, the IALD strongly urges the Texas Senate Business & Commerce Committee remove language restrictive to the profession in THB2649 as a "technical adjustment" when the bill is prepared for Gov. Rick Perry's signature, or the eventual veto of the bill by the Governor should no changes in language be made.
The IALD has listed the following action that individuals can take to help have the bill revised:
WHAT YOU CAN DO AS AN INDIVIDUAL
If you haven't already been in contact with representatives in Texas state office or the sponsors of the bill, we encourage you to do so.
1. IF YOU ONLY HAVE TIME TO CONTACT ONE PERSON, call Texas Rep. Wayne Smith at +1 512 463 0733. Rep. Smith initiated the bill in the Texas State House of Representatives without the language restricting the lighting design profession, and/or email him at wayne.smith@house.state.tx.us and let him know your opinion on the bill before it goes into committee Friday evening.
2. Since the Senate added the Lighting Designer language after the House approved the bill, the House must review the bill once more. Contact your representative or just email them all at once to make sure they know that the lighting designer language impacts too many people. Twitter to Texas Representatives : @aaronpena, @AllenFletcher, @RepHughes, @Dan_Flynn, @dangattis, @TXRepErodriguez, @gfcoleman, @jddeshotel, @SpeakerStraus, @RepHancock, @lhbcampaign, @MarcVeasey, @MikeVillarreal, @TMF116
3. Call Texas Senator Bob Deuell, Senate sponsor of the bill, at +1 512 463 0102 and/or email him at Bob.Deuell@senate.state.tx.us and let him know your opinion on the bill ASAP.
4. Call Texas Senator Kip Averitt, who introduced the amendments to the bill specific to lighting designers, at +1 512 463-0122 and/or email him and let him know your opinion on the bill ASAP.
5. Make sure Texas State Governor Perry knows this bill is coming to him and ask that he veto it. Phone in your opinion to +1 512 463 1782. Fax to +1 512 463 1849. Email using his contact form (http://www.governor.state.tx.us/contact/contact.aspx). Twitter to @TexGov and @GovernorPerry.
There has been quite a bit of conversation on various forums about the implications of this bill as architectural and theatrical LDs, as well as theatre consultants, debate the language of legislation, and its potential impact.