DALLAS — State Senator Royce West (D-Dallas) invites you to a forum featuring area members of the Texas Black Legislative Caucus (TLBC). The Town Hall meeting will be held Wednesday - July 24, 2013 on the campus of the University of North Texas at Dallas, located at 7300 University Hills Blvd. (at Camp Wisdom Road), in Founder's Hall (Room 138). The meeting will take place from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. The public is invited.

"There have been a significant number of events that have taken place over just the last few weeks, that I feel we as a caucus, must personally bring forward to the people who elected us," said Senator West. "On the national level, many of our constituents have watched and read reports on Supreme Court decisions regarding voting rights and college admissions standards as it relates to affirmative action and most recently, the Florida court's verdict in the case involving George Zimmerman's fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin."

While these topics have made national headlines, the Texas Legislature has also been the focus of statewide and national attention, the result of ongoing, special legislative sessions where a controversial bill on women's rights has stirred emotional debate.

"I've had young people and even relatives who have never talked politics with me ask me about what Texas is doing regarding women's health and abortions," Senator West said. "But that's not all that has happened with the Legislature since January. There are new laws, new measures that will impact public school funding, charter schools and standardized testing, in addition to serious discussions and decisions made on how Texas will provide for basic needs like water and transportation infrastructure, both caused by this state's tremendous population growth. At this Town Hall Meeting, our constituents can get information firsthand from those of us who have been involved on their behalf."

The Texas Legislative Black Caucus consists of the 17 African American members of the Texas House of Representatives and two African American state senators. Ten of those members represent districts located in the North Texas/D-FW Metroplex.

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