By Catie George, Director, Communications and Storytelling
More than 40 Texas legislators heard the priorities of the Dallas Region business community Tuesday, Feb. 4, as the Dallas Regional Chamber (DRC) hosted its members for the 89th Legislature Austin Fly-In, presented by Lockheed Martin.
This biennial advocacy trip invites DRC members to meet with state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to advocate for needs and opportunities in the Dallas Region during the state legislative session. In 2025, these advocacy meetings also included time spent with the Chiefs of Staff for Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows.
“Thank you all for taking time today to be here and have our voices heard as one in Austin,” said DRC President and CEO Dale Petroskey to attendees. “I think it’s important for everyone in Austin to know that the Dallas Region is one team, and we are advocating for the same things. And that means a better tomorrow for Dallas than we have even today.”
Forty member companies of the DRC sent delegates on the trip, including 13 DRC Board members, who spent a jam-packed day in the Capitol advocating for the legislative priority areas laid out in the DRC’s Legislative Agenda: Economic Development & Infrastructure, Education & Workforce, Health Care, Tech, and Quality of Life.
The Executive Women’s Roundtable (EWR) also joined the Fly-In, with 18 women meeting with eight legislators on behalf of the EWR group. Their visit to Austin included an extra day spent in the Capitol meeting with state agencies, including the Texas Land Commission and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
“For the last six months, the DRC has been hard at work establishing our legislative agenda before this Texas Legislative Session. The agenda is a result of collaboration with nearly 80 member companies to ensure the interests of the business community are truly represented by the DRC here in Austin,” said Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas President and 2025 DRC Board Chair Jim Springfield. “As business leaders, we’re uniquely situated to have a powerful voice and our voices should be aligned to benefit the Dallas region… We’re counting on your collaboration to help us achieve these goals and continue to enhance Dallas as one of the best regions in the country.”
For the first time ever, the Austin Fly-In reinforced what legislators learned about the Dallas Region during Dallas Regional Days, a reverse fly-in of sorts that brought lawmakers from across the state to the region to see needs and opportunities first-hand.
At the end of the day, the DRC hosted an evening reception for more than 100 attendees, including business leaders, state and local lawmakers, and legislative staff.
“When you have a region like the Dallas Region and you have delegation representatives on both sides of the aisle that are truly in it to do what’s best for the people of the region, that’s why we have such success,” said Adam Bazaldua, Dallas Deputy Mayor Pro Tem and City Council Member. “It’s really refreshing as a local leader to know that I have delegates here in Austin on both sides of the aisle that will continue to do the work. So, I want to say thank you to all of our delegation.”
Unity was the theme at the reception as attendees heard from Bazaldua and five state legislators.
“Even though we may represent different parties when it comes to representing you, we do work together,” said Sen. Kelly Hancock, who invited Sen. Nathan Johnson onstage with him to show their spirit of collaboration.
“We have to work together because we are all pulling to make this region continue to be what I think is the leader. I’m very proud to be part of the North Texas community,” said Sen. Johnson. “We need your help because you’re out there in it. We do listen. We do work well with you. And we are experts in almost nothing… So, I’m up here as one of the representatives of your fine delegation to implore you to be the leaders that you have been historically and come to us with new ideas for the changes that are coming in our economy.”
Longtime Texas State Senator Royce West echoed Sen. Johnson’s calls for input from attendees.
“The greatest asset that I have as a state senator, as a state representative, is you because I need you to have input into my decision-making process,” said Sen. West. “I appreciate you being in Austin as you have been and let’s continue to work together to make Central Texas a better community for all of us.”
The legislators also thanked the DRC for coming to Austin with its members to advocate for the region.
“Thank you for coming out and for this wonderful, creative idea to bring the spotlight to our region and make great things happen,” said Rep. Angie Chen Button, who also invited Rep. Chris Turner on stage with her in a show of bipartisanship.
“If we come together, Dallas County, Tarrant County, Collin County, Denton County, and the entire region, and work collectively, whether it’s on higher education or transportation or water or any number of other issues that we have, we can produce great results here at the state capital. And we can do that on a bipartisan basis,” said Rep. Turner. “Your presence here is so important. Your presence is felt throughout the Capitol. And I know this is the big signature day, but we need our region’s presence felt every day in our state’s capital.”
Thank you to our presenting sponsor, Lockheed Martin. Thank you to American Airlines and Texas Instruments, our gold sponsors, and to Fidelity Investments and West Coast University – Texas, our silver sponsors.
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