Now that the November elections are over and in the past, we must focus on the future of Texas, which will be determined during the 88th legislative session, which is scheduled to begin on January 10th.
State lawmakers have filed over 900 bills, focusing on an array of issues such as: property taxes, border security, gun access, abortion, health care, education, and gender issues.
Far more bills are sure to be drafted by the March 10th filing deadline, and lawmakers intend to tackle the issues in the 140-day session next year.
Meet the Freshman Class
The Texas Legislature is a bicameral body composed of a 31-member Senate and a 150-member House of Representatives. Let’s take a look at the newbies that secured their spot by winning the general election on November 8th, 2022 – they will assume office on January 10, 2023.
Texas House of Representatives:
- Angelia Orr (R-Hillsboro) representing District 13. She replaces retiring Rep. Ben Leman (R-Anderson).
- Stan Gerdes (R-Waco) representing District 17. He replaces retiring Rep. John Cyrier (R-Lockhart).
- Ellen Troxclair (R-Austin) representing District 19. She replaces Rep. James White (R-Hillister) after he resigned to run for Agricultural Commissioner and lost the Republican primary.
- Christian Hayes (Democratic Party) representing District 22. He replaces retiring State Rep. Joe Deshotel (D-Beaumont).
- Terri Leo-Wilson (Republican Party) representing District 23. She replaces state Rep. and House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mayes Middleton (R-Wallisville), who was elected to State Senate District 11.
- Janie Lopez (Republican Party) representing District 37. She replaces Alex Dominguez (D-Brownsville), who ran for Senate District 27 and lost in the Democratic primary.
- Maria Luisa “Lulu” Flores (Democratic Party) representing District 51. She replaces Eddie Rodriguez, who ran and lost in the Democratic primary for Congressional District 35.
- Caroline Harris (Republican Party) representing District 52. She replaces James Talarico (D-Round Rock), who moved to Austin and won the election for House District 50 after another State Rep., Celia Israel (D-Austin), ran for Mayor of the City of Austin and advanced to the runoff.
- Richard Hayes (Republican Party) representing District 57. He replaced Rep. Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin), after he was redistricted to District 9 and won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
- Frederick Frazier (Republican Party) representing District 61. He replaces Rep. Phil King (R-Pleasanton), who resigned to run for Seante District 10 and won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
- Ben Bumgarner (Republican Party) representing District 63. He replaces Rep. Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound) after he resigned to run for Senate District 12 and won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
- Kronda Thimesch (Republican Party) representing District 65. She replaces state Rep. Michelle Beckley (D-Carrollton), who ran for Lt. Governor and lost in the Democratic primary election.
- Mihaela Plesa (Democratic Party) representing District 70. She replaces state Rep. Scott Sanford (R-McKinney), who retired during redistricting.
- Carrie Isaac (Republican Party) representing District 73. She replaces retiring state Rep. Kyle Biedermann (R-Fredericksburg), notorious for being outside the Capitol steps during the Jan. 6 insurrection and calling for the secession of Texas from the United States of America.
- Suleman Lalani (Democratic Party) representing District 76. This is a new district that was moved from El Paso to Fort Bend County. It was previously held by state Rep. Claudia Ordaz Perez (D-El Paso), who was drawn out of the district during redistricting and who moved into House District 79 and defeated incumbent state Rep. Art Fierro (D-El Paso) in the Democratic primary and won the general election.
- Carl Tepper (Republican Party) representing District 84. He replaces retiring state Rep. John Frullo (R-Lubbock).
- Stan Kitzman (Republican Party) representing District 85. Defeated incumbent Rep. Phil Stephenson (R-Wharton) in the Republican primary.
- Salman Bhojani (Democratic Party) representing District 92. He replaces retiring Rep. Jeff Cason (R-Bedford).
- Nate Schatzline (Republican Party) representing District 93. He replaces Rep. Matt Krause (R-Fort Worth) after he resigned to run for AG/Tarrant Co. DA and lost in the Republican primary runoff on May 24, 2022.
- Venton Jones (Democratic Party) representing District 100. He replaces Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Dallas) resigned to run for Congressional District 30 and won in the general election November 8, 2022.
- John W. Bryant (Democratic Party) representing District 114. He replaces retiring Rep. John Turner (D-Dallas).
- Mark Dorazio (Republican Party) representing District 122. He replaces retiring Rep. Lyle Larson (R- San Antonio).
- Josey Garcia (D-San Antonio) representing District 124. He replaces Rep. Ina Minjarez (R- San Antonio) after she resigned to run for Bexar County Judge and lost in the Democratic primary runoff on May 24, 2022.
- Charles Cunningham (R-Humble) representing District 127. He replaces retiring Rep. and former House Public Education Committee Chairman Dan Huberty (R-Houston).
- Mano De Ayala (Republican Party) representing District 133. He replaces retiring Rep. and former House GOP Caucus Chairman Jim Murphy (R-Houston).
- Jolanda Jones (Democratic Party) representing District 147. She replaces Rep. and House County Affairs Chairman Garnet Coleman (D-Houston), who resigned due to his ill health.
