House Committee Assignments Good for District 61

State Representative Phil King

The 81st Legislative Session is officially underway, as House committee assignments were announced by Speaker Joe Straus this past Thursday. After serving ten years in the House of Representatives, I know that each session brings its own set of challenges. This session, I am looking forward to working on the important issues that arise in the House Committee on Ways and Means and the House Committee on Public Safety.

Both of these committee placements hold a great deal of importance for District 61. As a former police officer and judge, I understand the complex issues and the importance of the jurisdiction that the Public Safety committee holds. Over the next four months, this committee will oversee all matters pertaining to law enforcement including important state agencies such as the Department of Public Safety and the Commission on State Emergency Communications. Additionally, we will have an opportunity to address border security issues and the growing crime problems in South Texas. I plan to apply my law enforcement and judicial background in order to see that our state continues to uphold the safety and security of our citizens as a top priority.

In my opinion, during this session, the decisions made by the House Committee on Ways and Means will be critical for Texas during these very challenging economic times. This is why I exercised my seniority appointment for placement on this committee. As a strong fiscal conservative, I am committed to ensuring we keep our state’s tax policy centered on lowering the tax burden on Texas families and small businesses. There are already numerous bills pertaining to our existing state tax or revenue statutes filed in the House that will come through this committee. One of these proposals would dramatically mitigate the burden on small businesses caused by the state Margins Tax, placing a higher floor on the small business exemption. Additionally, there is my proposal of a constitutional amendment that would dedicate 25 percent of all future surplus revenues to property tax reduction. These items among many others will dictate our state’s fiscal policy for the next biennium, and I plan to work hard to see our state uphold fiscal restraint and responsible budgeting.

While working on the important issues of these two committees, I will continue to work on local matters that many of you have taken the time to bring to my attention. As always, please feel free to contact my office with any questions or concerns.

It is an honor to serve you in the Texas House of Representatives.