Lt. Gov. Patrick Appoints Texas Senate Committee Chairs

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick (R) released the appointments of fourteen Senate Committee assignments. The appointments include twelve Republican chairmanships and two Democrat chairmanships. Patrick campaigned on reducing the number of Democrats as committee chairs. The announcement of committee assignments was released by the Lt. Governor’s office on Friday afternoon.

Senator John Whitmire (D-Houston) maintains his chairmanship of the Committee on Criminal Justice and Senator Eddie Lucio (D-Brownsville) was appointed as chairman of the Committee on Intergovernmental Relations.

“After much thought and careful consideration, today I am announcing the members selected to serve on the fourteen committees approved by the Texas Senate,” Patrick stated in a press release obtained by Breitbart Texas. “These committees will work on the critical issues that affect all Texans.”

“All members, including freshmen, have significant roles” he explained. “These appointments also ensure that valuable institutional knowledge in the Senate has been carried over to each Senate committee.”

Following are the committee assignments announced by Lt. Gov. Patrick:

Committee on Administration
Kelly Hancock, Chair
Carlos Uresti, Vice Chair
Donna Campbell
Kevin Eltife
Don Huffines
Charles Schwertner
Royce West

Committee on Agriculture, Water and Rural Affairs
Charles Perry, Chair
Judith Zaffirini, Vice Chair
Brandon Creighton
Bob Hall
Juan “Chuy”Hinojosa
Lois Kolkhorst
José Rodriguez

Committee on Business and Commerce
Kevin Eltife, Chair
Brandon Creighton, Vice Chair
Rodney Ellis
Don Huffines
Charles Schwertner
Kel Seliger
Larry Taylor
Kirk Watson
John Whitmire

Committee on Criminal Justice
John Whitmire, Chair
Joan Huffman, Vice Chair
Konni Burton
Brandon Creighton
Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa
Charles Perry
Leticia Van de Putte

Committee on Education
Larry Taylor, Chair
Eddie Lucio, Jr., Vice Chair
Paul Bettencourt
Donna Campbell
Sylvia Garcia
Don Huffines
Lois Kolkhorst
José Rodriguez
Kel Seliger
Van Taylor
Royce West

Committee on Finance
Jane Nelson, Chair
Juan “Chuy”Hinojosa, Vice Chair
Paul Bettencourt
Kevin Eltife
Kelly Hancock
Joan Huffman
Lois Kolkhorst
Robert Nichols
Charles Schwertner
Kel Seliger
Larry Taylor
Carlos Uresti
Kirk Watson
Royce West
John Whitmire

Committee on Health and Human Services
Charles Schwertner, Chair
Lois Kolkhorst, Vice Chair
Donna Campbell
Craig Estes
Charles Perry
José Rodriguez
Van Taylor
Carlos Uresti
Judith Zaffirini

Committee on Higher Education
Kel Seliger, Chair
Royce West, Vice Chair
Paul Bettencourt
Konni Burton
Charles Perry
Leticia Van de Putte
Kirk Watson

Committee on Intergovernmental Relations
Eddie Lucio, Jr., Chair
Paul Bettencourt, Vice Chair
Donna Campbell
Sylvia Garcia
Robert Nichols
Larry Taylor
Leticia Van de Putte

Committee on Natural Resources and Economic Development
Troy Fraser, Chair
Craig Estes, Vice Chair
Brian Birdwell
Bob Hall
Kelly Hancock
Juan “Chuy”Hinojosa
Eddie Lucio, Jr.
Robert Nichols
Carlos Uresti
Kel Seliger
Judith Zaffirini

Committee on Nominations
Brian Birdwell, Chair
Van Taylor, Vice Chair
Konni Burton
Troy Fraser
Craig Estes
José Rodriguez
Kirk Watson

Committee on State Affairs
Joan Huffman, Chair
Rodney Ellis, Vice Chair
Brian Birdwell
Brandon Creighton
Craig Estes
Troy Fraser
Jane Nelson
Charles Schwertner
Judith Zaffirini

Committee on Transportation
Robert Nichols, Chair
Don Huffines, Vice Chair
Rodney Ellis
Troy Fraser
Sylvia Garcia
Bob Hall
Kelly Hancock
Lois Kolkhorst
Van Taylor

Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military Installations
Donna Campbell, Chair
Konni Burton, Vice Chair
Brian Birdwell
Sylvia Garcia
Robert Hall
Eddie Lucio, Jr.
José Rodriguez

Border Security Subcommittee
Brian Birdwell, Chair
Bob Hall, Vice Chair
Eddie Lucio, Jr.

“This efficient structure of streamlined committees will allow for the passage of not only a variety of issues but of Texan’s top priorities, such as education reform, tax relief and border security,” the Lt. Governor explained.

Patrick also said he was “proud to appoint Jane Nelson as the first woman in history to serve as Chair of the Committee on Finance during a regular legislative session.”

“I promised Texas voters that we would get the job done and now we have the team in place to get to work,” Patrick concluded.

Bob Price is a senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas and a member of the original Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.

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