Welcome to Week 3 of your Membership Drive Challenge!

Week 3: Join Texas NORML and connect with your legislator!

This week, we’ll take the next step toward involvement in our Texas government: calling your legislator’s office and engaging them on your issue. Watch our tutorial video to see a Texas NORML Board Member complete today’s action and provide some colorful tips about the process!

WEEK 3 ACTION: MAKING THE CALL

Visit each of the following two links to call your state legislators:

https://www.house.gov/representatives#state-texas

https://senate.texas.gov/directory.php

Use the Find function (CTRL+F) to look up your official’s name. Their office number will be listed.

(Forgot their name? Vist https://wrm.capitol.texas.gov/home to find them again)

We all share the same U.S. Senators. Here are their office numbers:

John Cornyn: (202) 224-2934

Ted Cruz: (202) 224-5922

You may be connected to a general switchboard. Ask for your legislator by name and you will be transferred. Once you’re connected to their office, here are some tips for your call:

Be Respectful. Even if they’re against you on this issue, respect will set the stage for them to take you seriously. Be respectful, and engage your officials and their staff in a calm, mature conversation. Remember, hearing from you is why they have an office and a phone number. Use it.

Be Positive. Go into the conversation with the belief that this office will help you to change Texas law in regard to cannabis. Make them convince you otherwise.

Be Concise. This is the first call of many, and you’ll be speaking to your legislator’s office again in the future. Today, we’re asking three questions.

Here’s a script to follow:

Introduce yourself, and explain you are a constituent of the elected official who needs some information on their position regarding cannabis.

1) What is their opinion of the current state of cannabis law in Texas?

2) Do they support cannabis law reform to reduce penalties and expand adult access?

3) If not, what’s their core concern preventing support?

Thank the staffer who answered the call for their time and the information, and explain that you’ll be in touch with their office to address their concerns, because cannabis reform is a key issue for you.

Once you’ve made your calls, post how it went on our Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #texasvotescannabis!

THE BOTTOM LINE

Whether or not your legislator is a leader on this issue, you have now taken the GIANT step of communicating directly with their office. It only gets easier from here as you get more comfortable speaking about cannabis law reform. Imagine if your voice spoke up together in chorus with thousands of other like-minded voters, and demanded policies in line with your beliefs?

Join Texas NORML today to do exactly that! Remember that we will be sending to alll current members a special discount code for use when shopping at the Texas NORML store.

WHAT’S NEXT?Your legislator may have been sternly against you on this issue, or perhaps they were strongly in favor. Either way, they likely named an area of concern preventing them from some further level of support. Next week, we will take that area and craft a response letter to your elected officials which directly addresses their concerns. See you in Week 4!