ABAT Needs YOU and Your Slingshot at the Capitol

by Jill Tuggle, ABAT Executive Director

The story of a small hero beating the giant villain is a tale as old as time. David and Goliath, the Trojan horse, Rocky Balboa…the American revolution.

These stories pull on your heart strings and ignite a piece of you that believes good will always win and that sometimes the underdog is worth cheering on. ABAT often feels like the underdog during a legislative session. We are up against the “suits” who fly in from the big city with a briefcase full of money. And so far – the bad guys have won every battle in this long war.

But if you are familiar with those stories, the road to victory was a long, rough one with losses and setbacks along the way. Nevertheless, they all ended in victory.

Why? Because buried in the chest of each of those unassuming victors lies the heart of a giant, a wit to outsmart and the refusal to never give up. And that’s what we have in ABAT members. 

While our Goliath is absolutely the “rich guys in suits” who will show up in Austin to testify or make a promissory phone call from an ivory tower in Fort Worth, there is one key component that they lack. The good news is that it really is the ultimate trump card…the ace of spades, if you will. That’s district voters. Us. 

Money and power will go a long way in politics, but at the end of the day, our legislators know that they must answer to their constituents. They swear an oath to execute their duties to the state of Texas. To cities like Longview and Lubbock, to San Antonio and Salado, to Brenham and Beaumont and everywhere in between – not to Illinois. 

Collision Day at the Capitol is a day for us to climb into the proverbial Trojan horse and visit offices. ABAT will arm you with all the information and talking points you need to deliver the clear, concise message to your legislators: that every consumer should be able to afford a safe and proper repair. 

This session is more important than ever, so please join us at the Capitol to slay the giant and keep claims practices fair in Texas. 

Want more? Check out the March 2025 issue of Texas Automotive!