ATSSA Signal September October 2020

The Signal | September/October 2020 43 Member Engagement TexasChapter TexasChapterTexasChapterTexasChapterTexasChapterTexasChapterT Chapter Texas Chapter Texas Chapter Texas Chapter Texas Chapter Texas Chapter Texas C ter Texas Chapter Texas Chapter Texas Chapter Texas Chapter Texas Chapter Texas Cha Texas Chapter Texas Chapter Texas Chapter Texas Chapter Texas Chapter Texas Chapter T Chapter Texas Chapter Texas Chapter Texas Chapter Texas Chapter Texas Chapter Texas C C h a p t e r P r o i l e Texas Chapter networking scores legislative win In nearly 30 years of involvement with ATSSA, Texas Chapter President Frank Coghlan has seen firsthand the bene - fits of the networking, learning, and relationship-building opportunities the Association makes available. But Coghlan, the Southwest regional manager for SWARCO Road Marking Systems, saw tangible evidence of the value of ATSSA membership when the Texas Chapter organized its first-ever advocacy day at the Texas legislature in January 2019 and came out of the session with a win. The Texas Chapter succeeded in getting legislation introduced and then passed that includes Texas Department of Trans - portation (TxDOT) contractors in the state’s “slow down/move over” law. That was important because the law already on the books included TxDOT workers, but left a loophole that nega - tively impacted the safety of roadway contractors who are performing a grow- ing amount of work on the state’s roads. Under the new law, motorists risk being pulledover andfinedby lawenforcement if they fail to slow down or move over to makeway for any contractor working for TxDOT on the state’s roadways. “I have always been an advocate of ATSSA membership, butaftergoingthroughadvo - cacy day and seeing the results of it, I said, ‘This hasmade a believer out ofme,’” said Coghlan, whoadded that ATSSA’sGovern - ment Relations Teamhelped the chapter plan and execute its advocacy efforts. The Texas legislaturemeets every other year, so the Texas chapter had already begun thinking about potential advo - cacy goals by this spring for the upcom - ing 2021 session. Aside from advocacy, Coghlan sees great value in the ability to network and build relationships that ATSSA provides. Frank Coghlan, Texas ATSSA Chapter President