On Day 30 of the ongoing 140-day 88th Legislative Session, Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan announced the committee assignments for all House state lawmakers.
In comparison, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick announced the Senate’s committee assignments more than two weeks ago (on Day 14), and both the Senate committees on Finance and Business and Commerce have already held organizational and public hearings.
Committee assignments mark a key milestone in the legislative session, as beyond the 30-day mark, committees have the ability to largely consider legislation deemed an emergency item by the governor. As of this publication, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has not announced any emergency items, though he is expected to do so during his scheduled State of the State address on Thursday, February 16 (Day 38).
House Appropriations Committee
One of the primary focuses of our organization is the House Appropriations Committee, which is largely charged with the jurisdiction of state appropriations and finance. Of this committee’s 27 members (16 Republican and 11 Democrat state representatives), zero boast a career rating of an A on our Fiscal Responsibility Index, while 18 of them have deplorable career ratings of an F.
The committee members are as follows (with their Fiscal Responsibility Index rating annotated):
| State Representative | Political Party | Home | 2021 Index Rating | Career Rating |
| Greg Bonnen | R | Friendswood | 54 | C- |
| Mary Gonzalez | D | El Paso | 10 | F |
| Steve Allison | R | San Antonio | 35 | F |
| Cecil Bell Jr. | R | Magnolia | 64 | F |
| John Bryant | D | Dallas | N/A | N/A |
| Mano DeAyala | R | Houston | N/A | N/A |
| Gary Gates | R | Richmond | 65 | F |
| Barbara Gervin-Hawkins | D | San Antonio | 17 | F |
| Donna Howard | D | Austin | 12 | F |
| Carrie Isaac | R | Dripping Springs | N/A | N/A |
| Jacey Jetton | R | Richmond | 43 | F |
| Jarvis Johnson | D | Houston | 16 | F |
| Armando Martinez | D | Weslaco | 13 | F |
| Trey Martinez-Fischer | D | San Antonio | 12 | F |
| Geanie Morrison | R | Victoria | 40 | F |
| Angelia Orr | R | Waco | N/A | N/A |
| Lina Ortega | D | El Paso | 12 | F |
| Toni Rose | D | Dallas | 14 | F |
| David Spiller | R | Jacksboro | 72 | C- |
| Lynn Stucky | R | Sanger | 51 | F |
| Carl Tepper | R | Lubbock | N/A | N/A |
| Kronda Thimesch | R | Carrolton | N/A | N/A |
| Ed Thompson | R | Pearland | 47 | F |
| Steve Toth | R | The Woodlands | 94 | B+ |
| Gary VanDeaver | R | New Boston | 47 | F |
| Armando Walle | D | Houston | 12 | F |
| Gene Wu | D | Houston | 11 | F |
House Ways & Means Committee
Another House committee of primary focus for our organization is the House Ways and Means Committee, which is largely charged with the jurisdiction of tax levies, among other policy areas. Of this committee’s 11 members (six Republican and five Democrat state representatives), zero have career ratings of an A on our Fiscal Responsibility Index, while nine of them have deplorable career ratings of an F.
The committee members are as follows (with their Fiscal Responsibility Index rating annotated):
| State Representative | Political Party | Home | 2021 Index Rating | Career Rating |
| Morgan Meyer | R | Dallas | 34 | F |
| Shawn Thierry | D | Houston | 13 | F |
| Angie Chen Button | R | Garland | 36 | F |
| Tom Craddick | R | Midland | 50 | C- |
| Barbara Gervin-Hawkins | D | San Antonio | 17 | F |
| Cole Hefner | R | Mount Pleasant | 89 | B |
| Sergio Munoz Jr. | D | Mission | 18 | F |
| Candy Noble | R | Lucas | 63 | F |
| Richard Pena Raymond | D | Laredo | 27 | F |
| Hugh Shine | R | Temple | 47 | F |
| Chris Turner | D | Grand Prairie | 11 | F |
Committee Assignments of Previous Taxpayer Champions
Previous Taxpayer Champions, according to our Fiscal Responsibility Index, include Republican State Reps. Bryan Slaton (Royse City), Briscoe Cain (Deer Park), Steve Toth (The Woodlands), Tony Tinderholt (Arlington), Matt Schaefer (Tyler), Terry Wilson (Marble Falls), and Cody Vasut (Angleton).
Slaton was assigned to the House County Affairs and Defense & Veterans’ Affairs committees.
Cain was assigned as chairman of the House Agriculture & Livestock Committee and is also a member of the House Insurance Committee.
Toth was assigned to the House Appropriations and Corrections committees.
Tinderholt was assigned to the House County Affairs and Public Health committees.
Schaefer was assigned to the House Licensing & Administrative Procedures and the Public Education committees. He had been on the House Appropriations Committee for the last two legislative sessions.
Wilson was assigned as chairman of the House Defense & Veterans’ Affairs Committee and is also a member of the House Agriculture & Livestock Committee. He had been on the House Appropriations Committee for the last two legislative sessions.
Vasut was assigned as vice chairman of the Business & Industry committee and is also a member of the Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee.
What Is Next?
Lawmakers have the ability to file legislation until the bill filing deadline of March 10. It is unlikely any House committee will meet regularly—with the exception of the Appropriations Committee—until after that deadline, unless it is to consider emergency items as set by the governor. If committees do meet before the bill filing deadline, it is likely to be for organizational purposes only.
With committees now assigned in both chambers of the State Legislature, expect an increasing number of bills to be filed by lawmakers, many of which will be related to their own committee assignments. It can also be expected that the legislative priorities of the leadership in each chamber will be made clear in the coming weeks.
