Good morning, 

Here is the Texas Minute for Monday, December 12, 2022.

– Brandon Waltens 

• Ahead of every legislative session, the Republican Party of Texas sets legislative priorities that they would like to see accomplished. These are priorities set by the nearly 10,000 delegates to state’s biennial convention.
   
• While they often revolve around proposed pieces of legislation, a new priority this year instead places attention on the upcoming fight for the rules that govern the operation of the Texas House: Banning Democrat Committee Chairs

• Despite Republicans controlling state government for years, Democrats are still put into leadership positions by the Speaker of the House Dade Phelan, including chairing the committees on Business and Industry as well as Public Education.
   
• As committee chairmen, these Democrats have the power to unilaterally kill legislation, including conservative priorities.
   
• Jill Glover, who leads the Republican Party of Texas' legislative priorities efforts, says, "given the track record, Republicans have no reason to expect priority legislation to be passed through any committee chaired by Democrats."
   
• Additionally, Glover points out, the powerful positions also give those Democrats access to lobbyist money that is used to defeat Republican challengers in elections. 
   

• During the March Republican primary, 81 percent of Republican voters indicated they agree that “the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature should end the practice of awarding committee chairmanships to Democrats.”

• Perhaps no other issue has exposed a bigger divide between Republican voters and the lawmakers who represent them in the state capitol. While Republican voters have remained steadfast in their opposition to Democrat committee chairmen, only five lawmakers supported banning them last session. 
   
• Momentum has continued to grow on the issue, however. Recently, the Republican Party of Texas published a list of 17 members who have indicated they will will follow the wishes of their voters and party to ban Democrat committee chairs:
   
  • Rep. Bryan Slaton
  • Rep. Tony Tinderholt
  • Rep. Matt Schaefer
  • Rep. Steve Toth
  • Rep. Cody Vasut
  • Rep. Matt Shaheen
  • Rep. Briscoe Cain
  • Rep. Valoree Swanson
  • Rep. Brian Harrison
  • Rep. Gary Gates
  • Rep.-Elect Ellen Troxclair
  • Rep.-Elect Carrie Isaac
  • Rep.-Elect Nate Schatzline
  • Rep.-Elect Terri Leo-Wilson
  • Rep.-Elect Mark Dorazio
  • Rep.-Elect Ben Bumgarner
  • Rep.-Elect Caroline Harris
  • Rep.-Elect Richard Hayes

• Lawmakers will vote on a proposal to ban the minority party from chairing committees on one of the first days of the session next year when they debate the House Rules, which dictate how the chamber will operate during the session.
   
• The first vote, however, will determine who will be the Speaker of the House. Current Speaker Dade Phelan has been supportive of the practice. His challenger Tony Tinderholt, meanwhile, was one of only a handful of Republican members to support a ban on the practice last session.
   
• House members will vote for speaker as their first vote when the legislature reconvenes on January 10, 2023.

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The districts displayed here should reflect those taking representational effect on January 1, 2023.