March brings thoughts of spring to Texas and to the Grand Commandery of Texas. The end of this Grand Commandery year is fast approaching. The Grand Commandery will hold the annual grand session in Midland, Texas, in April 2003. The registration information has been mailed to all Commanderies in Texas and should have been in the hands of the Recorders by the first week of February 2003. If the mail did not arrive, please contact Loyd Chance. I would like to see every Knight Templar of Texas in Midland, but I know that will not happen. We have planned for a very enjoyable grand session, and if you choose to attend, I believe you will enjoy some wonderful West Texas fellowship. lease make plans to attend if at all possible.

I have received information about House Bill 290 by Texas Representative Coleman that I feel should be shared with the Sir Knights of Texas. I do think that this House bill could have a very serious effect on the ability of ophthalmologists to do cornea transplants in Texas. I have received a letter from Murray Watson, an attorney-at-law in Waco, Texas, and he believes that this bill if passed would remove 70% or more of the corneas that will be available for transplant in Texas. The following is a part of Murray Watson's letter.

"In the mid 1960s, as a member of the Texas legislature, at the request of Dr. Louis Girard, Dean of the School of Ophthalmology in Houston, I sponsored the legislation that created the Eye Bank and provided authorization for obtaining corneas. I would hate to see this nullified after some 35 years of success."

If you would like more information about this pending legislation, please contact Murray Watson at 2600 Washington Avenue, Waco, Texas 76710; phone: (254) 753-0913, fax: (254) 754-0267.