The state House committee charged with considering key electricity issues has a veteran lawmaker for its new leader. Carrollton Republican Burt Solomons, who this year begins his 8th term in the Texas House, was named Feb. 12 to helm the newly reconstituted State Affairs committee. He previously chaired the House Financial Institutions committee and was chair of the Sunset Advisory Commission in 2005, when the Public Utility Commission underwent the sunset review process.
House Speaker Joe Strauss also named former House Speaker Tom Craddick to the 15-member State Affairs committee. In all, eight Republicans and seven Democrats will have seats on State Affairs.
Not assigned to the committee is Weatherford Republican Phil King, a lieutenant of the former speaker who also was Craddick’s point man on energy issues. During Craddick”s tenure King was chair of the now-disbanded House Regulated Industries committee.
Besides Solomons, here’s the State Affairs line-up:
Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio
Tom Craddick, R-Midland
Pete Gallego, D-Alpine
Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville
Rene Oliveira, D-Brownsville
David Swinford, R-Amarillo
Sylvester Turner, D-Houston
Bryon Cook, R-Corsicana
David Farabee, D-Wichita Falls
Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth
Patricia Harless, R-Spring
Delwin Jones, R-Lubbock
Eddie Lucio III, D-San Benito
Diana Maldonado, D-Round Rock