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Capitol Pipeline will be in your inbox every Tuesday with links to the bills being tracked by TRWA, updates on the progress of key pieces of legislation, and calls to action on legislation that directly impacts rural water systems across Texas.
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Inauguration Day 2019: Governor Greg Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick were sworn in for their second terms on the steps of the Texas State Capitol at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday. Both leaders, along with newly-elected House Speaker Dennis Bonnen promised unity in the 2019 legislative session during a joint news conference at the Governor’s Mansion on January 9. The top three leaders in state government promised to present a joint front on a wide range of issues.
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Photo by: Ashley Landis / Staff Photographer at Dallas Morning News
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Changes in Key Committees:
- The Senate committee responsible for many bills affecting TRWA members will look a bit different in the 86th Legislative Session. On the first day of the session, the Senate voted to split the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water, and Rural Affairs into two committees: The Committee on Water & Rural Affairs, and the Committee on Agriculture. Chair and committee assignments should be forthcoming shortly.
- Due to the change in House leadership, we could see substantial changes to the chair positions and makeup of key committees, including the House Natural Resource Committee. Speaker Bonnen is expected to make those assignments in late January or early February.
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New Faces in the House: The 86th Legislature will feature 29 new members in the Texas House, including three seats awaiting special elections. Notable additions to the chamber include:
- Keith Bell (R-Forney): Rep. Bell replaces former Rep. Lance Gooden, who won a seat to the U.S. House in November. Rep. Bell comes to the Legislature after serving the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation as presiding officer of the Texas Electrical Safety and Licensing Advisory Board. His official House bio lists protection of private property rights and local control as key issues of interest.
- Ben Leman (R-Brenham): Rep. Leman won a special election in May 2018 to replace outgoing Rep. Leighton Schubert. Leman served as Grimes County Judge during a period of rapid growth in that county, and served on the House Energy Resources Committee and Special Purpose Districts Committee during the remainder of the legislative interim.
- Cody Harris (R-Palestine): Rep. Harris ran his campaign to replace the retiring Rep. Byron Cook partially on the platform of protecting property owner rights and lowering property taxes. He owns an East Texas business specializing in farm and ranch real estate, management, and development.
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Wednesday, March 27 at the Capitol
Mark your calendar for Rural Water Day at the Capitol: a chance to come together as one and tell our story with a powerful, unified voice. Don’t miss this opportunity to join forces with your peers as we engage our elected representatives together.
Click here to learn more
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To support our efforts at the Capitol, we are launching the Water for All Texans campaign to educate the public about the two main issues we are tackling this legislative session. As part of this campaign, we are building a website and a variety of digital resources to break down our issues for those who are unfamiliar with our industry.
With your help, these tools will help our legislators and consumers understand the importance of rural water and how our issues impact our communities. More information will be included in next week’s edition of the Capitol Pipeline.
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