Senate announces committee assignments for 2023 legislative session
Texas Legislature
Date Posted: 1/23/2023 | Author: Mark Wiggins
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) announced Senate committee assignments Monday, Jan. 23, for the 2023 legislative session.
Patrick announced during the interim that the Senate Education Committee, which handles PK-12 public education policy, would be combined with the Higher Education Committee. The 13 members of the combined committee are:
- Brandon Creighton (R-Nacogdoches), Chair
- Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels), Vice Chair
- Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston)
- Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury)
- Peter Flores (R-Pleasanton)
- Phil King (R-Weatherford)
- Morgan LaMantia (D-Brownsville)
- José Menéndez (D-San Antonio)
- Mayes Middleton (R-Wallisville)
- Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound)
- Angela Paxton (R-McKinney)
- Drew Springer (R-Muenster)
- Royce West (D-Dallas)
The Subcommittee on Higher Education will hear higher education bills before deciding whether to recommend them to the full committee. Members of the Higher Education Subcommittee are:
- Brandon Creighton, Chair
- Mayes Middleton, Vice Chair
- Phil King
- Drew Springer
- Royce West
Other important committees include the State Affairs Committee, which oversees legislation that broadly impacts the entire state. In the past, bills related to educator associations and free speech issues have gone through State Affairs. Committee members this session are:
- Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola), Chair
- Angela Paxton, Vice Chair
- Paul Bettencourt
- Brian Birdwell
- Morgan LaMantia
- José Menéndez
- Mayes Middleton
- Tan Parker
- Charles Perry (R-Lubbock)
- Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown)
- Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo)
The Senate Finance Committee is a critical committee tasked with drafting the budget, including public education funding and issues dealing with educator pensions. The 17 Finance Committee members this session are:
- Joan Huffman (R-Houston), Chair
- Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-McAllen), Vice Chair
- Paul Bettencourt
- Donna Campbell
- Brandon Creighton
- Peter Flores
- Bob Hall (R-Edgewood)
- Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills)
- Bryan Hughes
- Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham)
- Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville)
- Angela Paxton
- Charles Perry
- Charles Schwertner
- Royce West
- John Whitmire (D-Houston)
- Judith Zaffirini
Committees can meet to organize and listen to testimony, but both chambers are prohibited from passing bills until after the 60th day of session. The exception is bills concerning emergency items declared by the governor. You can find a complete list of Senate committee assignments here.
CONVERSATION
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
01/17/2025
Teach the Vote’s Week in Review: Jan. 17, 2025
A new speaker, $24 billion state surplus, Senate committees, and the ATPE Regional Advocacy Challenge—don’t miss this recap of the 89th Legislature’s first few days.
01/17/2025
Inside Texas Politics talks public education policy
Freshman state Rep. Aicha Davis, a former SBOE member, says “true choice” means having “strong public schools as a choice.”
01/15/2025
Welcome to the Speaker Burrows era
A dramatic and hotly contested House speaker race concluded today with Rep. Dustin Burrows (R–Lubbock) elected as the chamber’s presiding officer.