Republicans take more key chairmanships; Dems OK with choices
AUSTIN – Republicans’ electoral victories in November translated to a stronger grip on control of the Texas House today as Speaker Joe Straus unveiled committee assignments that increased the number of Republican chairs. Arguably the two most important chairmanships held by Democrats two years ago — the Transportation Committee and the Ways and Means Committee — went to Republicans Larry Phillips of Sherman and Harvey Hilderbran of Kerrville, respectively. Straus also named Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, the chairman of the powerful Calendars Committee, the committee through which all major pieces of legislation must flow. The previous chairman, Republican Brian McCall, retired from the House.
