Use our sample letters, tips, and talking points to make it easy!
Easy Tips for Writing Legislators
- Start with a sample letter: Copy and paste a sample letter into a document in your word processing software:
- Drag the mouse to highlight the sample letter
- Copy the letter by selecting Edit, then Copy from the browser menu
- Paste the letter into a new page in your word processing software by selecting Edit, then paste in the word processing software menu.
- Edit or replace paragraphs copied from the sample letter.
- Don't forget the most important item! Your request for:
support for an amendment to the Futile Care Law that requires hospitals to continue to treat patients until they are transferred to another facility. - Copy, paste, and edit items from our talking points into your letter as you desire.
- When you're finished writing and editing your letter, either print it out and mail it, using the addresses on the Senate or House of Representative's website; or
- Email it
- Highlight the text or the letter and copy it.
- Go to the Senate or the House of Representative's directory and click on the name of the legislator you are writing.
- Click the email link (or scroll down) and fill out the form.
- Paste your letter into the Message area of the form
- Click the "Submit" or "Confirm Info" button.
Lots of people put off writing their representatives because they're not sure what to say or how to say it. Well, you don't have to have a PhD in english or be an award-winning writer to communicate effectively with your representatives in Austin. Plain old words will do. Believe it or not, members of the legislature want and need to hear from you. They work for you and they need your feedback to serve you well. Just tell them how you feel about the issue and what you want them to do about it. You can send your words in a written letter or email. But don't circulate the same email around to your friends and get them to send it too. Send your friends to this website or send them the talking points listed here make it very easy for them or anyone to create a letter or email of their own. Feel free to distribute our sample letters and tips also.
Important!
To protect Texas patients from euthanasia under the Futile Care Law, it
is very important to ask that the Senator or Representative:
support an
amendment to the Futile Care Law that requires hospitals to continue to
treat patients until they are transferred to another facility.
Below are some sample letters. You can substitute the paragraphs in the sample letters with your own paragraphs. The talking points listed here may also be of help. Also, feel free to use any of the material on this website in letters to your Representatives and Senators.
Sample Letter 1
Dear Senator Averitt,
I am writing about the Texas Futile Care Law that allows hospitals to remove
life support from patients even if the patients and their families want
life support to continue.
This law goes against my own Christian values, and violates the rights of innocent patients.
The law also damages trust patients and their families need to have in their doctors and the hospitals that are paid to care for patients.
It is very important to me and my family that you support an amendment to the Futile Care Law that requires hospitals to continue to treat patients until they are transferred to another facility.
As a citizen of Texas, I expect you and all Texas legislators to protect Texas hospital patients and their families from being victimized by a medical establishment that apparently has lost its moral clarity on this issue.
Sincerely,
Your name
Sample Letter 2
Dear Representative Pitts,
I am writing to tell you that I am very unhappy about the Futile Care Law that allows hospitals to take life support away from patients against their will.
It's not fair that helpless patients don't even get the same rights that criminals on death row are guaranteed.
It's not right for families to have to fight in court against hospitals when they already have so much to worry about with a sick family member.
Patients need protection from being forced off life support against their will. I want you to support a change to the Futile Care Law that will make hospitals treat patients until they can be moved to another hospital.
The ones who voted for this law should be ashamed of themselves and voted out of office!
Yours truly,
Your name