Texas Occupational Therapy Association Political Action Committee (TOTAPAC)

News and Announcements:

The 87th Regular session begins Jan 12, 2021 - May 31, 2021. We are planning for the virtual Week at the Capitol to coincide when the legislators return to session in 2021. Dates Feb 15th - 18th 2021. Visit the Day at the Capital page for more information.

TOTA PAC Board 

Chair: Jennifer Summers
Treasurer: Tara Alexander
Secretary: Kelly Parmet

TOTA Chair of Legislative and Political Affairs:  John Luna

What Is the Political Action Committee (PAC)?
The PAC is a voluntary nonprofit committee that is not affiliated with any political party, candidate or organization. The committee is dedicated to ensuring a proactive and timely response to legislative or regulatory activity which may impact the practice of occupational therapy. The purpose of the TOTA PAC is to provide a voice for occupational therapy practitioners in the State of Texas political arena. The TOTA PAC accomplishes this purpose by providing financial support to Texas legislative and constitutional officeholders and candidates that benefit the public by improving and protecting issues related to occupational therapy. The TOTA PAC assists occupational therapy practitioners organizing themselves for more effective political action in the State of Texas.

Why Is this Relevant to You?
The profession of occupational therapy needs to be actively involved in the political arena to address issues related to the provision of services and clients served. The TOTA PAC provides a means to bring those concerns to the political arena, specifically to officeholders, candidates, and legislators.

Why Is It Important to Support the PAC?
Texas officeholders, candidates, and legislators respond to the needs that are brought before them. The profession of occupational therapy and current and potential clients who need occupational therapy require a voice to present concerns to Texas officeholders, candidates, and legislators. The TOTA PAC provides a means to let policymakers know what we do and who we serve.

What Can You Do?
Respond to TOTA legislative alerts, contact your legislator, and donate to the TOTA PAC.

You can participate in the following ways:

• Talk to your patients about occupational therapy issues
• Volunteer to work on a state candidate's campaign
• Urge your friends and patients to vote for candidates that support occupational therapy
• Form a personal relationship with your state elected officials
• Be a Virtual Advocate:

  Internet:	You can support advocacy by listening to hearings, floor sessions and press conferences over the Internet.
  TV	You can view legislative proceedings through AT&T Uverse TV.
  Locate & Track	Do you want to find legislative bill information on your own? Track bills of interest to you? Bookmark your favorite bills? Go here.
  Find Your Legislator	Find your legislator by zip code and links to legislators' websites. Check it out here.
  Give	Support the TOTA PAC - make an online donation today. Political contributions help ensure TOTA's access to political decision so that we can advocate on important issues for occupational therapy practitioners.

TOTA Members are eligible to make donations to the TOTAPAC.

Members - Donate Today

Meet the TOTA's Legislative Advisors

Denise Rose - Denise has been working in and around the Texas Capitol for nearly two decades, and her strength is a deep knowledge of the legislative process and the people involved. She has cultivated relationships throughout the Texas Capitol and in state agencies. Denise provides effective strategic counsel to clients on a wide variety of issues, including but not limited to Medicaid and hospital finance, special utility districts, occupational licensing, health care quality, and agency rulemaking processes and requests for proposals. Denise is adept in the legislative drafting process. She represents non-profit organizations, nationally ranked hospitals, and Fortune 500 companies at the Capitol.

Kate Goodrich - Kate Goodrich is a governmental affairs consultant in the Austin office. She started her career as a federally registered lobbyist in Washington, D.C., and grew to become a senior advisor to legislators at the Texas Capitol. As the former General Counsel and Deputy Committee Director of the Texas Senate Health and Human Services Committee, Kate assisted in the development of numerous complex pieces of legislation and monitored the financial appropriations processes for large state agencies.

Contact us for additional information on becoming involved with TOTA's Political Action Committee.