B/CS Chamber of Commerce Connections February 2015 | Page 12

legislative AFFAIRS

Legislative Update
Legislative Update: All Aboard! Next Stop the
84th Texas State Legislature
For nearly 20 years, your Chamber has been
representing you as the voice of local business in Austin.
The tradition continues. Through our Legislative Affairs
Committee, we help those politically active in our
Chamber community create a unified and powerful
legislative policy agenda for the national and state
level. Our Legislative Affairs Committee has just finished
creating our 2015 State Legislative Action Plan that a
delegation of Chamber members will present to every
84th Texas State Legislator. You can review the plan on
our website under legislative affairs—and we always

welcome and appreciate your comments.
Thank you to all of our committee and subcommittee
volunteers, the board and our members for their input
into our government affairs process. We wanted to
share some of the comments we received from our last
membership survey in hopes that it will encourage you
to be a part of the Federal Legislative Action Plan survey
next month. Keep your eyes out for our survey, and start
thinking about what you would want to say as the voice
of local business.

Rank Your Business Related State Legislative & Regulatory Concerns and Priorities
(1 Lowest to 7 Highest)

Answer
Health Care
Natural Resources: Energy & Water
Public Education
Transportation
Higher Education
Economic Development
Budget/Taxes/Regulations

Ranking Score*
4.7
4.3
4.3
4.1
4.0
3.4
3.1

*The Rating Score is the weighted average calculated by dividing the sum of all weighted ratings by the number of total responses.

What is your biggest business challenge?
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Excessive, needless, expensive regulation.
Regulatory environment
Transportation movement in Texas has been neglected.
Government regulation including financial restrictions.
Federal Regulations related to mortgage lending,
disclosures and closing.
Taxes and insurance.
Government regulation that seeks to put my industry out
of business is my number one concern. both state and
LOCAL.
Gain reduction of the size, scope and reach of all areas of

Connections February 2015

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government.
I am retired but volunteer for the Brazos Valley
Rehabilitation Center. Funding for therapy for children with
disabilities is always a change.
Excessive Regulations
Qualified Employees
Finding C level leadership talent
Rising costs
Hiring competent employees
Financial/Loans
Producing enough event revenue.