BREAKING: House committee assignments
Well, today is the day that the Speaker’s honeymoon ends and the members’s complaints begin. Last session the Republicans held 25 chairs and the Democrats 10. This time around it’s Republicans 24 and Democrats 14. Of course, the Democrats picked up seats in the last election cycle, but I suspect that Straus will take heat for that decision. I’ve listed the chairs below, noting the previous chair if there was a change. Past chairs who are no longer in the House are in bold.
Agriculture & Livestock: Chair Tracy King (D) **previous chair was Rick Hardcastle (R)
Appropriations: Chair–Jim Pitts (R)
Business & Industry: Chair–Rene Oliveira (D) **previous chair was Joe Deshotel (D)
Calendars: Chair–Todd Hunter (R)
Corrections: Chair– Tan Parker (R) **previous chair was Jerry Madden (R)
County Affairs: Chair–Garnet Coleman (D)
Criminal Jurisprudence: Chair–Abel Herrero (D) **previous chair was Pete Gallego (D)
Culture, Recreation & Tourism: Chair–Ryan Guillen (D)
Defense & Veterans’ Affairs: Chair–Jose Menendez (D) **previous chair was Joe Pickett (D)
Economic & Small Business: Chair–John Davis (R)
Elections: Chair–Geanie Morrison (R) **previous chair was Larry Taylor (R)
Energy Resources: Chair–Jim Keffer (R)
Environmental Regulation: Chair–Patricia Harless (R) **previous chair was Wayne Smith (R)
General Investigating & Ethics: Chair–John Zerwas (R) **previous chair was Chuck Hopson (R)
Government Efficiency & Reform: Chair–Linda Harper-Brown (R) **previous chair was Bill Callegari (R)
Higher Ed: Chair–Dan Branch (R)
Homeland Security & Public Safety: Chair–Joe Pickett (D) **previous chair was Sid Miller (R)
House Admin: Chair–Charlie Geren (R)
Human Services: Chair–Richard Pena Raymond (D)
Insurance: Chair–John Smithee (R)
International Trade: Chair–Rafael Anchia (D)
Investments and Financial Services: Chair–Mike Villarreal (D)
Judiciary: Chair–Tryon Lewis (R) **previous chair was Jim Jackson (R)
Land & Resource Management: Chair–Joe Deshotel (D) **previous chair was Rene Oliveira (D)
Licensing & Admin: Chair–Wayne Smith (R) **previous chair was Mike Hamilton (R)
Local & Consent: Chair–Senfronia Thompson (D)
Natural Resources: Chair–Allan Ritter (R)
Pensions: Chair–Bill Callegari (R) **previous chair was Vicki Truitt (R)
Public Ed: Chair–Jimmie Don Aycock (R) **previous chair was Rob Eissler (R)
Public Health: Chair–Lois Kolkhorst (R)
Redistricting: Chair–Drew Darby (R) **previous chair was Burt Solomons (R)
Rules & Resolutions: Chair–Ruth Jones McClendon (D)
Special Purpose Districts: Chair–Dennis Bonnen (R) [new committee]
State Affairs: Chair–Byron Cook (R)
Technology: Chair-Gary Elkins (R) ** previous chair was Aaron Pena (R)
Transportation: Chair–Larry Phillips (R)
Urban Affairs: Chair–Harold Dutton Jr. (D)
Ways & Means: Chair–Harvey Hilderbran (R)
Note that the Border & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee, chaired by a Veronica Gonzales (D), was recast as the International Trade Committee.
Texian Politico says:
Ask Rep. Stickland what he thinks of his committee assignments. He was surprised. Ha.
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Jurassic Park Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 2:54 pm
Timmay!
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Just Another Joe says:
Paul -
Border Affairs was not disbanded. It was re-tooled into the committee that Anchia is chairing. Go check out the rules resolution.
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Brian D. Sweany Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 12:58 pm
@Just Another Joe: You’re right. Thanks!
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Happy Happy Happy says:
Thrilled with the chair of public education, Jimmie Don Aycock. He understands public education is critical to our future.
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Anonymous Reply:
February 1st, 2013 at 11:40 am
Vouchers are dead:
http://texasconservativepolitics.blogspot.com/
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Afakename says:
Well, the speaker successfully boxed conservatives entirely out of calendars and anyone betting that an appropriations committee that looks like that will produce a conservative budget is kidding themselves. To those who defend the speaker yet consider themselves conservative, prepare to be frustrated.
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Gunslinger Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 1:25 pm
Afakename – If Myra Crownover isn’t conservative, then who do you think is conservative?
If you were to appoint members to the calendars committee, which 15 would you choose? Name your chair and vice chair as well.
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Blue Dogs says:
Folks, who are y’all picking to win the Super Bowl on Sunday ?
A. Baltimore
B. San Francisco
*If the 49ers win, it will be 4 consecutive wins by the National Football Conference in dominating Super Bowls.
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Jerry Only Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 2:00 pm
the only way the ravens lose is if the baltimore pd finally get an indictment against ray lewis.
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Texian Politico Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 2:24 pm
Go Houston Gamblers!
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Gunslinger says:
If Myra Crownover isn’t conservative, then who do you think is conservative?
If you were to appoint members to the calendars committee, which 15 would you choose? Name your chair and vice chair as well.
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Targaryen says:
Anyone who champions a statewide ban on the use of a legal substance isn’t a conservative. At best, such a person is a centrist.
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Another Wilco Voter Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 2:57 pm
Are you referring to the state-wide indoor smoking ban Crownover has filed the last few sessions? She isn’t advocating for what you are implying she is advocating for.
Frankly, I hope it passes this session. I don’t smoke and more than 80% of Texans don’t smoke. Why should we be held hostage in restaurants and bars by those who do? Your freedom stops at my lunges.
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Another Wilco Voter Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 3:12 pm
*lungs
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Targaryen Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 5:36 pm
So she’s not advocating a ban on cigarette use in private businesses? I guess I’ve totally misread her legislation then, because that’s usually what she’s after. I understand her point of view and totally disagree with the application of it. Cigarettes are legal to manufacture, sell, and purchase – the state makes a substantial amount of money off taxes on cigarettes. It should be up to businesses to determine whether their non-smoking customer base is worth keeping around by cordoning off or banning smoking on their premises – it should not be the business of government, especially when government has a conflict of interest in the matter.
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Another Wilco Voter Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 10:57 pm
Just like it should be left to business to decide if they want to dump waste in our common waterways, right.
Anonymous Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 5:43 pm
Held hostage? Please. Restaurants are privately owned businesses. Bars are privately owned businesses and in the business of vice to boot. Nothing worse than conservatives who want the government out of their lives and in everyone else’s. Lighten up and have a smoke.
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Anyone, anyone? says:
Burka,
Do you have anything on the House Transparency committee discussed earlier this AM? Did Straus announce these? Has anyone seen this select cmte. assignments?
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Anonymous Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 2:36 pm
http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Committees/MembershipCmte.aspx?LegSess=83R&CmteCode=C465
That will link to the members, I got nothin’ for ya’ on the assignments.
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Another Wilco Voter Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 4:47 pm
Just posted on the Quorum Report:
The eight members of the committee are: Carol Alvarado (co-chair), Dan Flynn (co-chair), Naomi Gonzalez, Eric Johnson, Lyle Larson, Trey Martinez Fischer, Charles Perry and Four Price.
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Anyone, anyone? says:
Thanks.
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Another Wilco Voter says:
So, on the all-important question…did Straus punish his enemies?
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Targaryen Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 5:32 pm
You couldn’t tell from Simpson’s appointment to the toilet-bowl cleaning committee for the second session in a row, and the make up of County Affairs?
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Distinguished Gentleman says:
What’s the theory as to why Dennis Bonnen is Speaker Pro Tem?
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Art Vandelay Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 5:06 pm
He’s Pro-Tem because he’s good with the gavel. Ratings for the local calendar will go way up.
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Targaryen says:
Also, I see County Affairs still stands as the de facto “punishment” committee.
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Blindsided says:
Oops!
No committee chairs are Hispanic Republicans.
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paulburka Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 10:40 pm
There isn’t a big supply of Hispanic Republicans.
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Blue Dogs Reply:
February 1st, 2013 at 11:42 am
Burka, the Texas GOP needs lots of diversity for sure if they want to remain dominant in statewide elections.
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Beanie the Counter says:
Lozano has not been here long enough to be a Chair and Larry Gonzales really isn’t very Hispanic – the bozo does not even speak spanish (his english isn’t too good either).
The rest of the Hispanic Repubs are pretty much gone.
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Leaf Reply:
January 31st, 2013 at 9:34 pm
lozano is on energy the most requested comm again and is vice chair of trade
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Texian Politico Reply:
February 1st, 2013 at 7:44 am
Beanie’s comment is one of the most racist I’ve seen on this site.
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Joe Dirt says:
County Affairs is misunderstood , much of the billions in Obama health dollars in the new Medicaid waiver will flow directly to county level, like local hospital districts. It’s an insider game but a big one. Similarly Obama is trying to make large amounts of race to the top funding directly available to Texas schools. The end run lately is for DC to rain money directly into counties ad schools to bypass the state.
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JohnBernardBooks says:
here’s where major sucking up talents shine, dems are much better at it then republicans.
(R)Sarah Davis is an exception, she remains attached to Speaker Straus 24/7.
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anon-p says:
Hmm… Drew Darby on redistricting.
I’m guessing the House is not going to draw a new set of maps, then, and let the courts do it again after the session ends.
It’s funny how Straus and Solomons were the two coachmen on that debacle but got zero credit for it when the going got tough.
The entire political season was shifted in a way not seen in decades and may have impacted the national primary calendar, but the fifth column and left anklebiters merely castigated an amorphous RPT, or perhaps even the person of Abbott, instead of the two men chiefly responsible for the embattled legislation.
Or maybe Solomons quit because he knew he couldn’t survive a primary challenge and that perhaps his redistricting machinations might come back to haunt him. Maybe. Maybe he was just tired.
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Anonymous Reply:
February 1st, 2013 at 11:55 am
Darby good pick…..he’s fair, experienced, and respected among the members.
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Beanie the Counter says:
Texian Politico = Larry Gonzales staff.
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Texian Politico Reply:
February 1st, 2013 at 10:21 am
Not true. Are you part of Garnet Coleman’s staff?
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Absolutely Sweet Marie says:
Frosh with the goodies:
Ashby
Bell
Bonnen, G
Clardy
Farney
Kacal
King, K
Longoria
Raney
Ratliff
Villalba
Frosh with latrine duty:
Klick
Krause
Miller, R
Sanford
Schaefer
Stickland
Toth
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
February 1st, 2013 at 11:49 am
Rep Sarah Davis lap dog to Speaker Straus supported a bud for HD-26, and even had Speaker Starus at her fund raiser. Rep Miller a more experinced, qualified candidate ran a better race and won HD-26. Speaker Straus refuses to recognize Miller’s superior attributes and rewards his lap dogs. That’s why Speaker Straus isn’t a good leader.
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Anonymous says:
Poor Speaker Straus and Rep. Davis. How they must lay awake at night worried about what JBB and his buddies must think of them. Might as well switch parties now, lest JBB and his buddies primary them both!
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Blue Dogs Reply:
February 1st, 2013 at 1:00 pm
Anon, Perry’s next move could be starring in TNT’s Dallas.
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JohnBernardBooks Reply:
February 1st, 2013 at 2:19 pm
Speaker Straus has no worries as long as dems back him.
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