Patrick Releases Senate Committee Chair Assignments

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick released the list of committee assignments for the 87th legislative session. There are not a lot of surprises with regard to the committees, however there are some notable changes.

Patrick got rid of the Intergovernmental Relations committee and created two new committees, Jurisprudence and Local Government chaired by Sen. Joan Huffman and Sen. Paul Bettencourt. Bettencourt was Chair of the Committee on Property Tax last session which has also been dissolved.

This leaves Democrats without a single chairmanship. Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr. who had chaired the Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs last session will be Vice Chair of the Finance Committee.

Sen. Kel Seliger, who was the long term chair of Higher Education and was stripped of his chairmanship last session after butting heads with Patrick is now Vice Chair of the Transportation Committee.

See the full list of committee chairs below, and click here for the full member list.

Charles Schwertner	Administration Committee
Kelly Hancock	Business & Commerce Committee
John Whitmire	Criminal Justice Committee
Larry Taylor	Education Committee
Jane Nelson	Finance Committee
Lois Kolkhorst	Health & Human Services Committee
Brandon Creighton	Higher Education Committee
Joan Huffman	Jurisprudence
Paul Bettencourt	Local Government
Brian Birdwell	Natural Resources & Economic Development Committee
Dawn Buckingham	Nominations Committee
Bryan Hughes	State Affairs Committee
Robert Nichols	Transportation Committee
Donna Campbell	Veterans Affairs & Border Security Committee
Charles Perry	Water, Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee
Brandon Creighton	Senate Select Committee on Ports
Joan Huffman	Senate Special Committee on Redistricting