My New Senate Leadership Assignments

I’m pleased to announce that Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick named me as Chairman of two newly formed Senate Select Committees, the Committee on Religious Liberty and the Committee on Homeland and Border Security. Since they are new, these committees were established as “select committees.” However, Lt. Governor Patrick has already announced that both of these will be standing committees in the 90^th Legislative Session.

I’d like to share more details about these new opportunities which position me well to serve SD 10 and the state of Texas.

Chairman, Select Committee on Religious Liberty

Last year, Lt. Governor Patrick was appointed by President Trump to chair the Religious Liberty Commission at the national level. The Commission advises the White House on protecting religious freedom, investigates threats to faith-based organizations, and recommends executive or legislative actions to bolster conscience protections. It focuses on protecting the free exercise of religion in public life, education, and healthcare while aiming to eliminate perceived government hostility toward religious practitioners.

The testimony heard by the Commission has been disturbing. The Commission heard example after example of mistreatment of individuals, in some cases exceptionally, for their religious beliefs. For example, at an event hosted by the Christian and Jewish Alliance, disruptors blocked entrances, pushed supporters into the street, hit worshippers’ cars, and refused to leave after police arrived. Another example is a doctor who was indicted on four felony counts by the Biden Administration for violating HIPAA when he revealed that Texas Children’s Hospital was concealing its transgender medical program from the public. Though these charges were later dismissed, they were viewed as “weaponized prosecution.”

Clearly there’s a growing hostility to religious freedom that this commission has uncovered, underscoring the need to ensure those freedoms are zealously protected here in Texas. Religious liberty is our first liberty, and if we lose it, everything else follows. Last session Texas had a good year in protecting religious liberty through the Ten Commandments bill and by allowing prayer or reading of religious text in study periods, but it’s clear that more work is needed.

The new Senate Religious Liberty Committee will aim to educate the public on their right to religious freedom in all settings, as well as their right to practice their faith and raise their children without fear of persecution.

Chairman, Select Committee on Homeland and Border Security

Under the Biden Administration, as many as 300,000 people were illegally entering the United States every month. But thanks to President Trump’s policies, our border is more secure than it’s ever been. However, we must remain vigilant, as we’re still dealing with cartels smuggling fentanyl and other narcotics into the country. With my background as a police officer, chairing this committee allows me to utilize my law enforcement experience in this new assignment.

Member, Senate Finance Committee 

Lt. Governor Patrick also added me to the critically important Senate Finance Committee, which handles budget development and implementation for the entire state. We must remain fiscally responsible, and this involves looking at every agency and every grant program to make sure that they’re as efficient as possible.

This committee has the responsibility to write the budget for every service in the state, including transportation, public education, higher education, jails, public safety, water, all of our state boards and commissions, and much more. Every penny must be authorized. If an item is not specifically budgeted, then money can’t be spent.   

Through service on this committee, I will have more opportunities to continue our work on reducing the burden of property taxes on our citizens. We will pursue additional actions to leave as much money with taxpayers as possible.

I look forward to working with Senator Joan Huffman, Chair of Senate Finance, who has done an outstanding job protecting taxpayers’ dollars and managing the state’s $338 billion budget. The Senate Finance Committee has more hearings than any other, and we meet almost every day of the session until the budget is written.

I will continue to serve as Vice Chair of the Business and Commerce Committee, as well as Chair of the Congressional Redistricting Committee. In the interim, before the 90^th Legislative Session convenes, I am also serving as a member of the Senate Committees on Criminal Justice, Education, Higher Education, Local Government, and Transportation.

None of this service would be possible without strong support here at home across Senate District 10. Your continued confidence in me means I can keep serving in Austin, fighting for our conservative values and for the interests of our district. I never take that support for granted, and am excited about these new opportunities to serve you in the coming legislative session.