Since the commencement of the 80th Legislative Session of the Texas Legislature on January 9, 2007, Coats Rose attorneys have been extremely active representing the interests of numerous clients in a wide assortment of practice areas in matters before the Legislature.

Arthur Val Perkins, the firm’s chief lobbyist, has registered his lobbying activities with the Texas Ethics Commission for over 50 clients on topics as diverse as the state’s business laws, tax and appraisal laws, laws affecting housing developments, construction legislation, legislation affecting health care, and the creation of numerous special districts.

Perkins has long represented the Texas Business Law Foundation, a Foundation composed of the state’s business lawyers dedicated to modernizing Texas business laws. In 2003, the Foundation sponsored the passage into law of the Texas Business Organizations Code which codified all laws governing the creation and organization of Texas businesses into one Code and the Foundation continues to press amendments to that Code to modernize it and conform it to Texas business practices. Additional amendments to Articles 3 and 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code and to laws regulating the use of a computer for an unauthorized purpose are also being sponsored by the Foundation during the 2007 Legislative Session.

Perkins also represents the state’s radiologists, formed together as the Texas Radiological Society, in their pursuit of legislation impacting on the ownership and use of health care imaging and other issues, and he is also helping to pass legislation for Coats Rose clients during the legislative session dealing with the appraisal of low income housing developments, with reforming the state’s construction laws, and with amendments to Texas laws governing the creation of fresh water supply districts and the operation of public improvement districts.

Perkins is assisted in his daily activities in Austin by firm attorney Ricardo Baca and legislative assistant Amy Tankersley.

Additionally, Perkins and Julianne Kugle are working for over 35 different Coats Rose clients to seek the legislative creation of municipal utility districts, water control and improvement districts and fresh water supply districts or to amend and enhance the powers of those districts in Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Liberty, Waller, Galveston and Brazoria Counties in southeast Texas, in Kendall County in south central Texas, in Cameron County in south Texas, and in Denton, Kaufman, Rockwall, Grayson, Parker, and Collin Counties in north Texas. Special district attorneys Tim Green and Mindy Koehne provide the full range of logistical support and committee testimony to help secure the passage of the legislation creating these districts or amending their powers.

Antoinette “Toni” Jackson, a firm director focusing her practice on housing development, monitors the Legislature on a daily basis for the firm’s housing development clients and can often be found in Austin ensuring that their interests are represented before the Legislature.

In all, Perkins and his partners and associates are attempting to secure the passage into law of over 50 separate pieces of legislation, a significant feat in any legislative session.

The 80th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature concludes on May 28, 2007.