Governor Perry made several appointments last week after the special session concluded. Barbara Cargill of The Woodlands was appointed chair of the State Board of Education for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2013. Cargill replaces Gail Lowe who failed to receive confirmation by the Texas Senate during the recent regular legislative session. Nizam Peerwani of Fort Worth was appointed chair of the Texas Forensic Science Commission which oversees professional conduct in forensic laboratories and facilities in Texas. Peerwani replaces John Bradley who also failed to receive Senate confirmation.
Jay Kimbrough, a former chief of staff to Gov. Rick Perry, was named deputy chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. He will also serve as interim chancellor until a replacement can be found for outgoing chancellor Mike McKinney, whose term ended June 30th.
Capt. Scott O’Grady who was flying an F-16 when he was shot down by Bosnian Serbs in 1995 while enforcing a NATO no-fly zone, announced that he is running as a Republican in House District 33, currently represented by Rep. Jodie Laubenburg (R-Rockwall).
Texas Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Tom Suehs has selected Debra Wanser as commissioner for the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS). Wanser, who has more than 30 years of health care administration experience, has been serving as DARS acting commissioner since January 1st.
President Obama has named Democratic Rep. Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas) to serve as a member of the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations. There, he’ll join about 33 other business, labor and political leaders to provide advice for former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, who now serves as the U.S. Trade Representative.
The Center for Reproductive Rights has asked a U.S. court to stop Texas from enforcing the new sonogram law, which takes effect September 1st. The Center has sued Texas to overturn the law, and the group asked U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks to issue a preliminary injunction barring its enforcement while that case proceeds.