Legislative Update and Committee Assignments
January 28, 2019
Committee Assignments
This week committee assignments were announced. I am honored to now chair the House Committee on Redistricting. This is two term commitment in which our committee will redraw Texas’ electoral maps based on data from the 2020 United States census. This is a very challenging task because of its impact on future elections. The committee will be responsible for drawing Congressional, State House and Senate districts. Also our State Board of Education and Appellate Court districts. Even though the census data will not be available until 2020, the committee’s work begins this year.
I will also serve on the State Affairs and the Criminal Jurisprudence committees. State Affairs has broad jurisdiction covering all matters of state policy including telecommunications, electricity, cybersecurity, and pro-life matters. Criminal Jurisprudence has jurisdiction over criminal law, probation and parole, and all criminal procedures in our Texas courts.
Analysis of Committee Assignments
- The current makeup of the Texas House is 83 Republicans and 64 Democrats (with 3 vacant seats).
- Including the Speaker Pro Tempore (a leadership position equivalent to a chair), 22 Republicans and 13 Democrats received chair appointments.
- 19 chairs and 22 vice chairs are women, African-American, Hispanic or Asian-American.
- 15 chairs represent rural areas of the state, while 20 chairs represent urban areas.
- 15 chairs will be serving in committee leadership for the first time.
Legislative Priorities
With the Governor, Lt. Governor and Speaker of the House all publicly in agreement – the focus of this legislative session will be school finance reform and property tax relief. Texans have spoken, skyrocketing property taxes that make it hard for you to own your home or operate your business is unacceptable. And investing in our next generation is of utmost importance to the future of Texas. These issues impact all Texans in their day-to-day life and we will work diligently over the next 140 days of session to find real solutions and deliver meaningful reform.
Meeting with constituents regarding the fight to end human trafficking in Texas
(L-R) Rep. Dan Flynn, Rep. Geanie Morrison, Rep. Phil King, Dean and Mrs. Craddick at Gov. Abbott Inauguration