[OFARC] Fwd: West Gulf Division Special Edition Update May 2015

[Ke5hdf_Ralph]

For those not members of arrl

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: ARRL Members Only Web site <memberlist at www.arrl.org>
Date: Jun 1, 2015 4:40 PM
Subject: West Gulf Division Special Edition Update May 2015
To: ke5hdf at sbcglobal.net
Cc: 

> West Gulf Division Special Edition Update May 2015 
>
> --- HamCom West Gulf Division Convention 
> --- Lone Star DX Association’s Dinner 
> --- ARRL Forum Needs Volunteer 
> --- West Gulf Division Legislation Success 
>
> --- HamCom West Gulf Division Convention 
>
> HamCom, this year’s West Gulf Division Convention, is celebrating its 
>
> 37th year by moving to a new and larger facility, the Irving Convention 
>
> Center at Los Colinas, 500 W Las Colinas Blvd, Irving, TX 75039.  
> Telephone is 972-252-7476. 
>
> With the move to the new facility, the indoor flea market has 
> increased 
> from 60 tables to more than 140 indoor, air conditioned tables.   
>
> Click on the link below for more information. 
>
> http://www.hamcom.org/email/1505-0754-finalchance/1505-0754.html 
>
> Download the HamCom brochure available on the above web site.  
>
> --- Lone Star DX Association’s Dinner 
>
> The annual Lone Star DX Association’s W5DXCC dinner will be held at 
> the Sheraton DFW Airport Hotel at 4440 W. John carpenter FWY (TX 114), 
> Irving, TX 
>
> Dinner speaker will be Glenn Johnson, W0GJ, of the K1N Navassa 
> DXpedition.  Tickets are $49.00 .  Send check or MO to Rick Barnett, 
> N0RB, 657 Oakdale Drive, Plano, TX 75025.  If you have questions, 
> contact Rick at rick.n0rb at verizon.net. 
>
> You have to move fast as tickets are in short supply.  Send your check 
> or MO today. 
>
> --- ARRL Forum Needs Volunteer 
>
> The ARRL Forum and the Grassroots Lobbying Course need a videographer 
> to capture the presentations.  The video of the Grassroots Lobbying 
> Course will be used to train West Gulf Division members at other 
> conventions and club meetings.  If you have a video camera and are 
> willing to lend your expertise to a good cause, please contact Director 
> Woolweaver at k5rav at arrl.org.  
>
> ---West Gulf Division Legislative Success 
>
> The WGD’s Standby Generator bill as amended, HB939, recently passed 
> the Texas House 140 to 0.  The bill had previously passed the Texas 
> Senate 31 to 0.  It now goes to Governor Greg Abbott for signature. 
> Gov. Abbott may sign HB 939 or he may just let it become law by letting 
> it lie on his desk for 10 days. We expect that whether he signs HB 939 
> or lets it become law without signature, that HB 939 will become law.  
>
>
> The effort to pass HB 939 has been a four year ordeal consuming two 
> sessions of the Texas Legislature.  The Home Owner Association’s 
> lobbyists fought hard at every turn to prevent the bill’s passage.  A 
> book could be written about the behavior of the HOA’s lobbyist group 
> who opposed HB939 and it would be a horror story.  Every trick, every 
> deception was tried, but their efforts failed.  
>
> During this session, Vice Director, John Stratton, the “boots on the 
> ground” member of the WGD Legislative team, was active during the 
> entire session.  He and I consulted several times a day as we danced 
> with sponsors, twisted arms, called in favors and pulled a few strings 
> to get the bill passed.  John, who wrote the bill, wore holes in two 
> pairs of shoes walking the halls making certain that the bill moved 
> through the legislative process.  
>
> HB939 is the third bill in a four bill series that the WGD began 
> several years ago.  The first bill passed was the flag pole bill. 
> HOA’s cannot prohibit home owners from installing a flag pole in 
> their front yard or their backyard.  The next bill passed was the solar 
> panel bill.  HOA’s cannot prohibit home owners from installing solar 
> panels.  HB939, this session’s bill, prevents HOA’s from 
> prohibiting the installation of standby power generators.  The last 
> bill in the four bill series is an antenna and tower bill.  It will be 
> filed in the 2017 Texas legislative session.  
>
> Passing legislation is difficult, time consuming and expensive. 
> Without the help of members who become involved, passage or defeat of 
> any legislation is impossible.  Thanks to everyone who contacted their 
> legislator in support of HR 939.  I can assure you it made a 
> difference.  
>
> If you want to become more involved in political action, don’t miss 
> the Grassroots Lobbying Course at HamCom, Saturday, June 13th 
> immediately following the ARRL Forum at 11:00 AM.  Preregistration is 
> suggested as those who do will receive a Grassroots Handbook and 
> Certificate of Completion.  For details, see the May 2015 West Gulf 
> Division Newsletter or contact Director Woolweaver at k5rav at arrl.org. 
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> ARRL West Gulf Division 
> Director: David A Woolweaver, K5RAV 
> k5rav at arrl.org 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------- 
>
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