The assignments were marked by notable swaps on key committees, including the House Administration Committee’s new chairman, Rep. Will Metcalf (R-Conroe), replacing Rep. Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth). Geren will be responsible for steering the Local and Consent Calendars Committee, where localized and largely uncontested pieces of legislation are funneled.
Rep. Harold Dutton (D-Houston) will replace Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Houston) as the chairman of the Public Education Committee. An effort to require the speaker to only appoint majority-party members as committee chairs failed during the House rules debate. But now, Huberty is one example of a Republican chair being replaced with a Democratic member.
Texas Freedom Caucus member Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) landed a chairmanship this session and will oversee the Elections Committee, taking over for Rep. Stephanie Klick (R-Fort Worth). Klick will now chair the Public Health Committee.
Last session, Phelan himself chaired the State Affairs Committee. This session, Rep. Chris Paddie (R-Marshall), who at one time was a candidate for speaker, will succeed him.
The Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee has a new chair in Rep. James White (R-Hillister) who is replacing now-former Rep. Poncho Nevárez (D-Eagle Pass) who did not run for re-election after he was caught with an envelope full of cocaine.
Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) will chair the Calendars Committee, largely determining which bills are heard on the floor of the House. The West Texas representative served as the Ways & Means Committee chair last session before stepping down in the wake of a scandal that resulted in Speaker Dennis Bonnen (R-Angleton) forgoing re-election.
And lastly, the powerful Appropriations Committee chairmanship has been handed to Rep. Greg Bonnen (R-Friendswood), the former speaker’s brother, as the legislature navigates its one constitutional mandate: passing a balanced budget.
“The State of Texas has arrived at a pivotal moment in its history – one that requires us as lawmakers to work with one another, build consensus, and leverage the diverse strengths and backgrounds of those within our chamber to confront the unique challenges ahead,” said Phelan.
“I have dedicated my speakership to creating a member-driven process that affords each of my colleagues a seat at the decision-making table, and have made these committee assignments to reflect their preferences, talents, and where I believe they will have the greatest impact on the issues to come before this body.”
Here’s a look at how committee chairmanships and vice-chairmanships shifted since the 2019 legislative session.
| Committee | 2019 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & Livestock Chair | Drew Springer (R-Muenster) | DeWayne Burns (R-Cleburne) |
| Agriculture & Livestock Vice Chair | Charles "Doc" Anderson (R-Waco) | Charles "Doc" Anderson (R-Waco) |
| Appropriations Chair | John Zerwas (R-Richmond) | Greg Bonnen (R-Friendswood) |
| Appropriations Vice Chair | Oscar Longoria (D-Mission) | Mary González (D-Clint) |
| Business & Industry Chair | Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio) | Chris Turner (D-Grand Prairie) |
| Business & Industry Vice Chair | Drew Darby (R-San Angelo) | Cole Hefner (R-Mt. Pleasant) |
| Calendars Chair | Four Price (R-Amarillo) | Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) |
| Calendars Vice Chair | Joe Moody (D-El Paso) | Joe Moody (D-El Paso) |
| Corrections Chair | James White (R-Hillister) | Andrew Murr (R-Junction) |
| Corrections Vice Chair | Alma Allen (D- Houston) | Alma Allen (D-Houston) |
| County Affairs Chair | Garnet Coleman (D-Houston) | Garnet Coleman (D-Houston) |
| County Affairs Vice Chair | Dwayne Bohac (R-Houston) | Lynn Stucky (R-Denton) |
| Criminal Jurisprudence Chair | Nicole Collier (D-Fort Worth) | Nicole Collier (D-Fort Worth) |
| Criminal Jurisprudence Vice Chair | Bill Zedler (R-Arlington) | Keith Bell (R-Forney) |
| Culture, Recreation, & Tourism Chair | John Cyrier (R-Lockhart) | Ken King (R-Canadian) |
| Culture, Recreation, & Tourism Vice Chair | Armando Martinez (D-Weslaco) | Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D-San Antonio) |
| Defense & Veterans' Affairs Chair | Dan Flynn (R-Van) | Richard Peña Raymond (D-Laredo) |
| Defense & Veterans' Affairs Vice Chair | Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington) | Brad Buckley (R-Killeen) |
| Elections Chair | Stephanie Klick (R-Fort Worth) | Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) |
| Elections Vice Chair | Philip Cortez (D-San Antonio) | Jessica González (D-Dallas) |
| Energy Resources Chair | Chris Paddie (R-Marshall) | Craig Goldman (R-Fort Worth) |
| Energy Resources Vice Chair | Abel Herrero (D-Robstown) | Abel Herrero (D-Robstown) |
| Environmental Regulation Chair | J.M. Lozano (R-Kingsville) | Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) |
| Environmental Regulation Vice Chair | Ed Thompson (R-Pearland) | Alex Dominguez (D-Brownsville) |
| General Investigating Chair | Morgan Meyer (R-Dallas) | Matt Krause (R-Fort Worth) |
| General Investigating Vice Chair | Nicole Collier D-Fort Worth) | Victoria Neave (D-Dallas) |
| Higher Education Chair | Chris Turner (D-Grand Prairie) | Jim Murphy (R-Houston) |
| Higher Education Vice Chair | Lynn Stucky (R-Denton) | Leo Pacheco (D-San Antonio) |
| Homeland Security & Public Safety Chair | Poncho Nevárez (D-Eagle Pass) | James White (R-Hillister) |
| Homeland Security & Public Safety Vice Chair | Dennis Paul (R-Houston) | Rhetta Bowers (D-Garland) |
| House Administration Chair | Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth) | Will Metcalf (R-Conroe) |
| House Administration Vice Chair | Donna Howard (D-Austin) | Sheryl Cole (D-Austin) |
| Human Services Chair | James Frank (R-Wichita Falls) | James Frank (R-Wichita Falls) |
| Human Services Vice Chair | Gina Hinojosa (D-Austin) | Gina Hinojosa (D-Austin) |
| Insurance Chair | Eddie Lucio, III (D-Brownsville) | Tom Oliverson (R-Cypress) |
| Insurance Vice Chair | Tom Oliverson (R-Cypress) | Hubert Vo (D-Houston) |
| International Relations & Economic Development Chair | Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas) | Angie Chen Button (R-Richardson) |
| International Relations & Economic Development Vice Chair | John Frullo (R-Lubbock) | Christina Morales (D-Houston) |
| Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Chair | Jeff Leach (R-Plano) | Jeff Leach (R-Plano) |
| Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Vice Chair | Jessica Farrar (D-Houston) | Yvonne Davis (D-Dallas) |
| Juvenile Justice & Family Issues Chair | Harold Dutton (D-Houston) | Victoria Neave (D-Dallas) |
| Juvenile Justice & Family Issues Vice Chair | Andrew Murr (R-Junction) | Valoree Swanson (R-Spring) |
| Land & Resource Management Chair | Tom Craddick (R-Midland) | Joe Deshotel (D-Beaumont) |
| Land & Resource Management Vice Chair | Sergio Muñoz, Jr. (D-Palmview) | Ben Leman (R-Anderson) |
| Licensing & Administrative Procedures Chair | Tracy King (R-Batesville) | Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) |
| Licensing & Administrative Procedures Vice Chair | Craig Goldman (R-Fort Worth) | John Kuempel (R-Seguin) |
| Local & Consent Calendars Chair | Geanie Morrison (R-Victoria) | Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth) |
| Local & Consent Calendars Vice Chair | Mary González (D-Clint) | Alex Dominguez (D-Brownsville) |
| Natural Resources Chair | Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio) | Tracy King (D-Batesville) |
| Natural Resources Vice Chair | Will Metcalf (R-Conroe) | Cody Harris (R-Palestine) |
| Pensions, Investments, & Financial Services Chair | Jim Murphy (R-Houston) | Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas) |
| Pensions, Investments, & Financial Services Vice Chair | Hubert Vo (D-Houston) | Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound) |
| Public Education Chair | Dan Huberty (R-Humble) | Harold Dutton (D-Houston) |
| Public Education Vice Chair | Diego Bernal (D-San Antonio) | J.M. Lozano (R-Kingsville) |
| Public Health Chair | Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) | Stephanie Klick (R-Fort Worth) |
| Public Health Vice Chair | John Wray (R-Waxahachie) | R.D. "Bobby" Guerra (D-Mission) |
| Redistricting Chair | Phil King (R-Weatherford) | Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi) |
| Redistricting Vice Chair | Chris Turner (D-Grand Prairie) | Toni Rose (D-Dallas) |
| Resolutions Calendar Chair | Ryan Guillen (D-Rio Grande City) | Ryan Guillen (D-Rio Grande City) |
| Resolutions Calendar Vice Chair | Rick Miller (R-Sugar Land) | Steve Toth (R-The Woodlands) |
| State Affairs Chair | Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) | Chris Paddie (R-Marshall) |
| State Affairs Vice Chair | Ana Hernandez (D-Houston) | Ana Hernandez (D-Houston) |
| Transportation Chair | Terry Canales (D-Edinburg) | Terry Canales (D-Edinburg) |
| Transportation Vice Chair | Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) | Ed Thompson (R-Pearland) |
| Urban Affairs Chair | Angie Chen Button (R-Richardson) | Philip Cortez (D-San Antonio) |
| Urban Affairs Vice Chair | Matt Shaheen (R-Plano) | Justin Holland (R-Rockwall) |
| Ways & Means Chair | Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) | Morgan Meyer (R-Dallas) |
| Ways & Means Vice Chair | Ryan Guillen (D-Rio Grande City) | Shawn Thierry (D-Houston) |
See the full list of committee assignments below.
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Brad Johnson
Brad Johnson is a senior reporter for The Texan and an Ohio native who graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 2017. He is an avid sports fan who most enjoys watching his favorite teams continue their title drought throughout his cognizant lifetime. In his free time, you may find Brad quoting Monty Python productions and trying to calculate the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow.
