Answer your phone, it just may be your legislator calling! Last week my phone rang and I did not recognize the name on the Caller ID “Republican IT Services.” It could have been a campaign robo-call, but we’re out of election season, so I decided to answer the phone. Boy, am I glad I did. It was my Representative and he was holding his first telephone town hall. In the past most town halls have been just that, held in a town hall, but legislators are increasingly holding town hall meetings via phone in an effort to reach more of their constituents.
The call came around 7pm (many calls occur from 7-8pm) and he gave an update on the issues he is working on that are affecting our district and the state. There would be time for questions during the second half of the call and we had to press *7 to get in the queue to ask a question. So, of course being an animal advocate I wanted to get my questions in about some of the pending animal bills. Legislators do want to connect with their constituents and hear their concerns. They were elected to represent us in Harrisburg and they need to know what matters to their constituents if they want to get re-elected.
When I entered the queue I was asked what my question would be. I said I wanted to thank the representative for his recent ‘Yea’ vote on HB 82, the Cost of Care bill and also ask him about two other animal bills that were about to be introduced. The hour was winding down and I was the last question. I first thanked him for his vote on HB 82 and then asked him if he would consider being a cosponsor on HB 41, the Tethering bill and HB 164, the Possession of Animal Fighting Paraphernalia bill. He had been a cosponsor of the tethering bill before and said he believed it is something we definitely need, he would look at both bills and get back to me. I told him the pigeon shoot bill had not yet been introduced, but that I hoped he would support it. He said we would have to continue that conversation…and he wrapped up the call.
I’m happy to report my legislator signed on as a cosponsor to both HB 82 and HB 164. We’ll be talking about the pigeon shoot bill in the near future 😉 Since I have signed-up to receive emails from my representative, I received his weekly update the other day and he mentioned the telephone town hall. Almost 2900 people participated in the call. I’m wondering if the other people on the call had even heard of the animal bills I mentioned, or knew that pigeon shoots still existed in PA? I’m glad I was able to be a voice for the animals.
You can find your legislator by clicking here, then click on the globe 
, it will take you directly to their web page, then sign up to receive their emails. If they will be holding a town hall meeting either in person or via phone, you will be notified. So, don’t forget to pick up the phone, it just may be your legislator calling and take the opportunity to ask for their support of the pending animal welfare bills. You will be helping to give animals a voice in Harrisburg!
Humane PA 