“Last year I was an opponent. This year I’m an advocate,” a witness told my committee today,

That takes some doing.

It can start by acknowledging defeat.

My bill had a bad hearing.

Perhaps I introduced it to start a discussion on an issue, not expecting it to pass the first time around.

An unfavorable committee vote puts my colleagues on the record.

I can withdraw my bill instead.

I did that today for eight bills.

Two may find their way into committee narrative in the budget bill. (That’s an instruction to an executive branch agency to study an issue.)

The rest will require my meeting with the affected parties after we adjourn – to build the support necessary for a favorable outcome next session.