Jewish Community Days at the State 2021
Your San Antonio Jewish Community Relations Council has been working hard at planning a fantastic lineup of events for this year’s Jewish Communities Days at the State: Virtual Legislative Mission to Austin. This event is a biennial advocacy day for Jewish communities throughout Texas taking place this year on March 23 and 24. Although the event usually takes place in Austin, this year it will be accessible virtually through zoom webinars at 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. on both days. This event educates our legislators about the policy priorities that are important to the Texas Jewish community. A strong attendance lets our state leaders know that the Jewish community is attentive to the decisions they make and that we care about issues that impact our Jewish and general communities, including our most vulnerable. Please encourage your friends, colleagues, and associates to join us and members of our Jewish communities across Texas!
Along with remarks by Governor Greg Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, we will host political commentator Harvey Kronberg, always a popular and highly insightful speaker at our advocacy program. We will present two panels, featuring prominent legislators from both sides of the aisle: (1) Health Care Safety Net – COVID-19 and Beyond (including San Antonio area Representative Lyle Larson) and (2) How Texas Is Addressing Antisemitism and Hate Crimes (including San Antonio area Senator José Menéndez).
This program is a joint effort between the Jewish Federations of Austin, Dallas (and JCRC), El Paso, Houston, San Antonio (and JCRC), and Fort Worth & Tarrant County. Special thanks to JCRC Advocacy Committee co-Chairs Mina Lopez and Deb Field, JCRC Chair Winslow Swart, and members of the JCRC Advocacy Committee for their time and contribution to the event.
Free to attend. Zoom call in information will be sent the day before the event. REGISTER HERE. Contact Lisa Epstein, JCRC Director, with any questions. Details of each session are listed below:
Session 1
Tuesday, March 23 @ 10 am CT/9 am MT
Welcome from Governor Greg Abbott and Overview of Texas’ 87th Legislative Session by Harvey Kronberg, publisher of The Quorum Report and political commentator
Session 2
Tuesday, March 23 @ 3 pm CT/2 pm MT
Legislators panel: How Texas Is Addressing Antisemitism and Hate Crimes
Moderated by: the Honorable Florence Shapiro, former Texas State Senator
Panelists:
- State Representative Craig Goldman (R – Fort Worth)
- State Senator José Menéndez (D-San Antonio)
- State Senator Kel Seliger (R- Amarillo)
- State Representative Carl Sherman (D – DeSoto)
Session 3
Wednesday, March 24 @ 10 am CT/9 am MT
The Texas Senate’s Legislative Plans – remarks by Lt. Governor Dan Patrick
Texas 2021 budget- remarks by Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar
Session 4
Wednesday, March 24 @ 3 pm CT/2 pm MT
Legislators Panel: Health Care Safety Net– from COVID-19 and Beyond
Moderated by: Dr. Debra Patt, Chair, Council on Legislation, Texas Medical Association
Panelists:
- State Senator Nathan Johnson (D – Dallas)
- State Representative Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio)
- State Representative Joe Moody (D – El Paso), Speaker of the House Pro Tem