Welcome to the 83rd Legislative Session!

I would like to welcome everyone to the 83rd Legislative session. I hope everyone had a memorable holiday season and a happy New Year. The session is well underway and I am looking forward to having meaningful dialogue over some very important issues that are currently affecting the State of Texas. Some notable issues this session include the state budget, education, school finance, Medicaid, and  water.  

The budget discussion will include the funding of programs that were defunded or underfunded in the last legislative session. For example, funding for Medicaid was reduced during the 82nd session and there will be a spirited debate this session as to if and when Medicaid will be fully funded. The same is true for school finance, which experienced a similar funding reduction in the 2011 session. There was a recent court finding that the Texas school finance plan is unconstitutional. The ruling can be found here. Also, there is growing debate over whether funds should be allocated from the general fund to build and improve water infrastructure. These and other issues will receive a great amount of attention during this legislative session and I invite you to become engaged in this process.          

Additionally, Speaker Joe Straus has announced committee assignments. More information on the house committee assignments can be found here.

I will once again be serving as Chair of the Local and Consent Calendars committee. I will also be serving as a member of the Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence committee, the Licensing and Administrative Procedures committee, and the Redistricting committee. I am excited about this legislative session and  I look forward to serving the people of the great State of Texas.