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Before a bill reaches the full House for a vote, it must first pass through a committee. Committees are typically made up of between 9-15 members, and are organized by subject area. Serving on a committee allows members to focus on those specific subjects and have more influence on related legislation.
The Speaker of the House assigns each member to two committees. While these assignments are largely at the Speaker's discretion, members can request specific committees based on their seniority. I am very happy with the 2 committees I will be serving on this session as I believe both to be critical to the future of Texas in general and our district in particular.
I am excited about my seat on the Public Health Committee because addressing the skyrocketing price of health care and insurance has been a top priority of mine for years. The Public Health committee plays a key role in shaping policies on medical providers, facilities, mental health programs, and illness prevention. Having previously served on this committee, I am looking forward to the opportunity to advocate for patients and advance policies that lower healthcare costs.
Within the Public Health Committee, I was assigned to be the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Disease Prevention and Women’s and Children’s Health. This subcommittee has jurisdiction over matters relating to:
- preventing and treating chronic diseases, including cancer, diabetes, and heart disease;
- preventative health services, including well-child care, prenatal care, screenings for cancer and chronic disease, behavioral health, and immunizations; and
- reducing the impact of delayed care on the state’s health care delivery system, health care costs, and patient outcomes.
I will also be serving on the Public Education Committee, which is an important committee because public education is the largest service funded and provided by the state (both in terms of people served and money spent). I believe the key to a child’s educational success lies in having great teachers and engaged parents. As a member of this committee, I will advocate for policies that support teachers—such as improved pay, mentorship, and student discipline—and empower parents to have a greater voice and investment in their child’s education.
While the announcement of committee assignments was the biggest event in the House this week, I have also been busy filing and developing more bills. With Sheppard Air Force Base in HD-69, I have the privilege of serving a strong community of military families and veterans. This week, I want to highlight several bills I’m working on to support them. Below I have written explanations of each bill.
Additionally, I continue to meet with many constituents of HD-69 who make the long treck down to Austin. If you are ever visiting the Capitol, be sure to stop by my office. This week, I met with constituents about a wide variety of issues, including farming, support for retired teachers, regulation and payment of healthcare providers, and policies affecting insurance and financial advisors. (See pictures below).
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