Bucy Bulletin
Hi John,

This edition of the Bucy Bulletin begins with an important update around COVID-19, also known as the Coronavirus, in Williamson County and Texas. In addition to the information provided, there are links to learn more from state and local authorities as well as resources about preventing the spread of the disease.

This edition of our monthly newsletter will also cover community events, discuss legislative activity over the Interim, and highlight our Artist of the Month program.

I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve you, House District 136, and the people of Texas. Please do not ever hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or comments or if there is anything my office can do for you.

All the best,

John Bucy III
State Representative
Texas House District 136

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE

With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations spiking, the governor issued a new executive order mandating that Texans living in counties with more than 20 cases wear a mask or face covering over their nose and mouth when in a business, restaurant, or other building open to the public as well as when in outdoor public spaces.

The mask order went in to effect at 12:01 PM on Friday, July 3rd. Failure to comply can lead to being accessed a $250 fine for repeated non-compliance. In addition, outdoor gatherings of 10 or more people are banned, with few exceptions, and require approval from local officials.

The order mandating a mask or face covering does not apply to children under the age of 10, persons with certain medical conditions or disabilities, exercising outdoors so long as a safe distance is maintained from others, or while engaged in certain activities such as voting or religious worship, though a face covering is strongly encouraged for those activities. For more information please review the order here.

It is imperative to take caution and make informed decisions around what is best for your health and the safety of your family. If you have to leave your home, you must wear a mask in addition to practicing good hygiene and social distancing such as washing your hands, not touching your face, and maintaining at least 6 feet of distance from others before, during, and after any trip.

The Williamson County and Cities Health District is continuing to open more testing sites. These testing locations are free and open to the public, but an online screening is required to set an appointment so that residents in the most need can be prioritized. Private testing sites also continue to become available. You can find a list of nearby locations here as well as contact information in order to find out availability and protocols.

For a full list of state, county, and local resources or to view the latest updates and pertinent information, please reference our HD 136 Coronavirus Resources & Updates Guide.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY

Happy Independence Day! 244 years ago a group of patriots gathered together to do something that had never been done before. They pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. They declared themselves a free people and fought for self-determination. And in seeking a better future for themselves and their families, what they achieved would have a resounding impact across the world. Centuries later, our great experiment in democracy continues. Molly, Bradley, and I hope you enjoyed your July 4th and found a way to celebrate safely.

WORKFORCE COMMISSION

If your employment has been affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19), you can apply for benefits either online at any time using Unemployment Benefits Services or by calling the Texas Workforce Commission’s Tele-Center at 800-939-6631 from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM Central Time, seven days a week, Sunday through Saturday. Due to high call volume, Texans are encouraged to use the TWC online claim portal to file or check on their claim.

If you need help navigating the TWC or unemployment process or if you are having problems with your claim, please reach out to our office at 512-463-0696 or [email protected]. We may be able to provide additional assistance.

The TWC has continued to allow for an exemption for the work search requirement. In addition, it recently advised unemployment insurance claimants with concerns about returning to work work due to COVID-19 that reasons such as being high risk, having a family member who is high risk, or lack of child care would be accepted for continuing to receive benefits without returning to work. You can learn more here. All other situations will be subject to a case by case view based on individual circumstances.

FOOD & WELLNESS PROGRAM

Our Food & Wellness Program continues, with over 35,000 meals served. Working with Hill Country Community Ministries (HCCM), we had been making weekly deliveries of food to seniors and people with disabilities in House District 136 throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Our program will be changing in July to comport with HCCM resuming on-site operations. We will be making deliveries once a month, though with the same amount of food, and all recipients will have to qualify through the food bank's criteria.

We have been in communication with program participants throughout this process and look forward to continuing to serve those in need. For more information, please contact our office.

COMMUNITY EVENTS & HAPPENINGS

Central Texas Interfaith: I joined faith leaders and congregants with Central Texas Interfaith for a discussion on COVID-19 response, voting rights, and systemic racism. I'm grateful for the opportunity to participate in these key conversations.

WilCo Forward: Williamson County approved approved an additional $10 Million in funding for WilCo Forward. For-profit and non-profit businesses headquartered and located in WilCo were eligible to received up to $30,000 in grant funds to mitigate impacts from COVID-19.

Celebrating Juneteenth: On June 19, 1865 Major General Gordon Granger landed in Galveston Bay, bringing news of the end of the Civil War and freedom for Texas' slaves. A full two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect it would now be fully enforced across the American South. 155 years later we celebrate Juneteenth knowing the full promise of freedom remains unfulfilled and the fight for equality goes on.

HD 136 Mobile Blood Drive: Thank you so much to all of the volunteers who donated blood to We Are Blood as part of our HD 136 Mobile Blood Drive! We filled up every slot and even had a few walk ins. I am so grateful for how our community continues to rise to the occasion for those in need.

Happy Father's Day: I celebrated my first Father's Day this year! Becoming a parent has been an amazing experience. I want to wish a happy Father's Day to my dad and step-dad as well as all of the fathers in HD 136!

Pride Month: We closed out Pride Month by commemorating the fifth anniversary of Obergefell v. Hodges, which declared marriage equality the law of the land. That ruling was a long time coming. It affirmed what we all knew--that love is love and all of our families are worthy of respect and dignity.

Special Education Roundtable: We held a virtual roundtable discussion on special education in Texas with parents, the first of a series of planned events on this topic. I want to thank the participants for sharing their experiences, concerns, and priorities with us. We appreciate your time and candor!

HD 136 ARTIST OF THE MONTH

Each month at our Capitol and District Offices we are so proud to display and feature work from local artists. We've enjoyed every artist and their work so far, but now we are in need of more local art to highlight.

If you are interested in having your work featured virtually, or in our offices, you can learn more and sign up here. Priority will be given to local artists. Student art of all ages is encouraged! For artists who are underage, we respectfully request a parent or guardian make the submission on their behalf.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

Special Education Roundtable
Recently we held a virtual, roundtable discussion focused on Special Education in Texas. This is the first of a series of planned events on this topic. We asked participants, who were primarily parents of special needs children who live in House District 136, about their experiences with their school districts and the Admission, Review, and Dismissal and Individualized Education Plan processes. We also listened to their concerns and asked them about what they would like to see prioritized at the state and local levels to improve their children's educations.

Some of the top priorities and concerns expressed by participants included:

The enforcement of existing rules and regulations, such as around data collection, and ensuring that the regulatory framework is applied more consistently.
The combative nature of the ARD and IEP processes, from getting a diagnosis for your student, to having it accepted by school officials, to receiving the services that are included in any resulting IEP in the manner they are prescribed in the plan.
The lack of availability of testing and providers, especially for early childhood interventions.
Protecting teachers who speak out or advocate for their students from retaliation.
A shortage in Licensed Specialists in School Psychology as well as the need for more Certified Academic Language Therapists to better address dyslexia and related learning disorders.
That if/when students transfer to a different campus they have to start the process all over again, which can set back progress that may have been made or lead to a gap in needed services.
How much money is spent by school districts on litigation to avoid providing services.
The need to revamp SPED weights as it relates to funding, so there isn't an over emphasis on placement.

We plan to hold future round tables on this topic, expanding the scope and type of participants to get more diverse perspectives. If you have an experience you would like to share, or if you are interested in participating in a future event, please contact us at [email protected].

Legislative Agenda For Local Bills Being Developed
As the Interim continues we are still working on developing our Legislative Agenda for the next session especially as it relates to local bills and ideas proposed by constituents. If you have an idea or concern, we want to hear from you! You can email Allison Heinrich, Legislative Director, at [email protected] or reach out to our office at 512-463-0696. We value your input and participation in the legislative process.

Create your TLO account
An excellent way for you to keep track of what's going on is by creating a free TLO account at https://capitol.texas.gov/. On this site you can learn more about legislation and set up alerts on the bills, committees, topics, and more that interest you. TLO is a great tool to use to stay involved with the legislative process.

Political advertisement paid for by John Bucy Campaign, Hon. Heather Jefts, Treasurer.