Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst has recently made the following appointments:
Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (McAllen) to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), effective immediately. The LBB is a permanent joint committee of the Texas Legislature that develops budget and policy recommendations for all agencies of state government.
House Speaker Joe Straus has recently made the following appointments:
Ambassador Chase Untermeyer (Houston) to the Texas Ethics Commission. The Texas Ethics Commission is responsible for administering and enforcing laws including those concerning financial disclosure, conflict of interest and political contributions. Ambassador Chase Untermeyer currently serves as an international business consultant.
Representative Aaron Peña (Edinburg) to chair the committee the Select Committee on Emergency Preparedness and Representative Mike Hamilton (Mauriceville) to serve as vice chair. The committee will review and make recommendations on Texas’ preparedness level for major disasters, including those resulting from natural catastrophes and acts of terrorism. The committee members include Representatives Frank Corte, Jr. (San Antonio), Harold Dutton (Houston), Joe Farias (San Antonio), Stephen Frost (Atlanta), Rick Hardcastle (Vernon), Tryon Lewis (Odessa), Mark Strama (Austin), Larry Taylor (Friendswood) and Allen Vaught (Dallas).
Rep. Pete Gallego (Alpine) to chair the House Select Committee on Government Efficiency and Accountability Committee and Rep. John Davis (Houston) to serve as vice chair. The committee will review and make recommendations for eliminating inefficiencies in state government. The committee will also look for best practices in purchasing state goods and services and review the advantages and disadvantages of privatization. The committee members include Representatives Alma Allen (Houston), Joaquin Castro (San Antonio), Dawnna Dukes (Austin), Kelly Hancock (North Richland Hills), Tim Kleinschmidt (Lexington), Rob Orr (Burleson), Diane Patrick (Arlington), Chente Quintanilla (Tornillo) and Burt Solomons (Carrollton).
Rep. John Otto (Dayton) to chair the House Select Committee on Fiscal Stability Committee and Rep. Sylvester Turner (Houston) to serve as vice chair. The committee will assess Texas’ ability to meet its current and future budget obligations and analyze whether the shortfall is due to the current recession alone or more systemic problems. The committee members include Representatives Angie Chen Button (Garland), Gary Elkins (Houston), Kirk England (Grand Prairie), Jim Keffer (Eastland), Phil King (Weatherford), Eddie Lucio III (Brownsville), Marisa Marquez (El Paso), Rene Oliveira (Brownsville), Tan Parker (Flower Mound), Ken Paxton (McKinney), Jim Pitts (Waxahachie), Marc Veasey (Fort Worth) and Mike Villarreal (San Antonio).
Rep. John Zerwas (Richmond) to chair the House Select Committee on Federal Legislation Committee and Rep. Garnet Coleman (Houston) to serve as vice chair. The committee will closely monitor significant pending federal legislation with specific emphasis on health care reform efforts. The committee will also work to improve the exchange of information between Texas and Washington, D.C., by communicating the impact of pending federal legislation to the state economy and citizens. The committee members include Representatives Dan Branch (Dallas), Warren Chisum (Pampa), Ellen Cohen (Houston), Donna Howard (Austin), Susan King (Abilene), Lois Kolkhorst (Brenham), Trey Martinez Fischer (San Antonio), Tommy Merritt (Longview), Geanie Morrison (Victoria), Elliott Naishtat (Austin), Solomon Ortiz, Jr. (Corpus Christi), Tara Rios Ybarra (South Padre Island), and Mark Shelton (Fort Worth).
Governor Rick Perry has recently made the following appointments:
Carla Hoffman (Corpus Christi) and James Jay (Temple), and reappointed Cindy Steinbart (Round Rock) to the State Committee of Examiners in the Fitting and Dispensing of Hearing Instruments for terms to expire Dec. 31, 2015. The committee licenses and regulates fitters and dispensers of hearing instruments in Texas.
Peggy Cosner (Belton), Michelle Crain (Lubbock), Susie Grona (Hideaway), Kristen E. Jones (Austin), Randell K. Resneder (Lubbock) to the State Independent Living Council. The council leads, promotes and advances independent living philosophy and advocates for the rights of individuals with disabilities.
Christopher Rourk (Dallas), and reappointed Kimberly Carlisle (Plano) and Kerry Ormson (Amarillo) to the State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology for terms to expire Aug. 31, 2015. The board licenses and regulates speech-language pathologists and audiologists, including assistants and interns in speech-language pathology and audiology.