The Texas House has two new members. Rep. Eric Johnson (D-Dallas), winner of the March Democratic primary in House District 100, was the only candidate to file for the May 8 special election called to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of former Rep. Terri Hodge (D-Dallas). Rep. Van Taylor (R-Plano) defeated Mabrie Jackson in the April 13th primary runoff election in House District 66. Both Taylor and Jackson had filed for the special election called to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of former Rep. Brian McCall (R-Plano) but Jackson withdrew her name soon after her defeat in the runoff. Both were officially sworn in earlier this week and will have a jump in seniority over the incoming freshman class.
Last week, Speaker Joe Straus announced that he had hired of Albert Hawkins, former Texas Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner, as senior policy advisor. Hawkins will be employed by his committee, Texans for Joe Straus.
Several conservative legislators in Texas have banded together to form a new organization – the Independent Conservative Republicans of Texas. To learn more about the new group, go to their website at http://www.icrepublicans.com.
If you happen to call a state office today and don’t get an answer, it may be because the staff has taken advantage of today’s state holiday – San Jacinto Day. On April 21, 1836, Texans secured independence from Mexico in the Battle of San Jacinto.