2015 is here, and the countdown to session is closing in…
- 6 days remain until the 84th Texas Legislature convenes on Tuesday, January 13, 2015. The swearing in ceremony for state representatives and state senators will take place at noon in the House Chamber.
- All three special elections held on January 6, 2015 are headed to a run-off, date to be determined.
- Senate District 26 (being vacated by Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio): Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio) won 44% of the vote, and will face Rep. Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio), who won 25% of the vote. Van de Putte is leaving to run for Mayor of San Antonio. She will continue to serve in the Senate until her successor is elected.
- House District 17 (being vacated by Tim Kleinschmidt, R-Lexington): John Cyrier (R), a general contractor who won 46% of the vote, will face Brent Golemon, businessman/entrepreneur, who won 24% of the vote. Kleinschmidt is leaving to serve as general counsel for the Texas Department of Agriculture.
- House District 123 (being vacated by Mike Villarreal, D-San Antonio): Diego Bernal (D), a former San Antonio city councilman, won 47% of the vote and will face Nunzio Previtera (R), an insurance agent, who won 21% of the vote. Villarreal is leaving to run for Mayor of San Antonio, and his seat will remain vacant until his successor is elected.
- A fourth special election to fill the House seat vacated by recently sworn-in Senator Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham), will be held January 13, 2015—the first day of session.
- Today, Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Commissioner David Lakey announced he will leave the agency, effective January 30, 2015, to start in his new role as the University of Texas System’s Associate Vice Chancellor and UT Health Science Center’s Senior Vice President for Population Health.
Only in Austin…
Local foodie haven, Foreign & Domestic, will host its third annual Indie Chefs Week, a week of dining and drinking featuring food from more than 30 chefs from around the country. The weeklong event takes place January 6-10 at the North Loop restaurant and features a different group of seven or more chefs from around the country collaborating nightly on meals. Festivities culminate on January 10th with all of the chefs joining forces to produce a 15-course feast.