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Editor’s Note: Please be sure to send us news of departures, promotions, births, marriages and other milestones, so we can share it with the Capitol community. Also add us to your press release email list.
Around the Capitol / On the Move
Senate President Pro Tempore Sen. Kirk Watson was sworn in today as Governor for a Day.
Donovon Rodriguez, who most recently was with Sen. Jose Menendez, is now Chief of Staff for Rep. Ray Lopez.
Former Rep. Scott Turner has been appointed by President Trump to head the Opportunity and Revitalization Council. (h/t The Blast)
Former Sen. Leticia Van de Putte is seriously considering running for former Rep. and current US Rep. Joaquin Castro’s congressional seat, if he challenges US Sen. John Cornyn.
Teresa Beckmeyer is the new ED of the Texas Freedom Caucus. She previously served as the Director of Grassroots Engagement.
Lobby/Association News
Clarification from last newsletter:
Tessa Zavala still has her own consulting/legal firm and has informed:intel as part of that firm. BeeHive Partners is her new firm for non-legislative work.
Former Texas House member and U.S. Rep. John Culberson recently joined Clark Hill’s government and public affairs practices and will be based in both Washington, D.C., and Houston.
Juliana Kerker, former Capitol staffer and most recently with Mignon McGarry, has joined HCA Healthcare as a Director of Government Relations.
Kolby Monnig is the new president of Blue Ocean Strategic Solutions. She has been a Capitol staffer and most recently was Democratic candidate Kim Olson’s campaign manager for Agriculture Commissioner in 2018.
The Senate Hispanic Research Council (SHRC) board of directors has unanimously elected a new chairman and executive officers. Hugo A. Gutierrez, Senior Manager of State Government Relations for Marathon Oil, will serve as the new Chair of the Board of Directors and Helen Soto Knaggs will continue to serve as Vice Chair. The board also welcomes new board members, Kari Torres Meyer, Director of Federal and State Relations for CPS Energy, Gerard Torres, Director of Texas State Relations for CenterPoint Energy, and Christine Yanas, Director of Governmental Affairs for Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc
Richard Evans is now the President of Bootstrap Advocacy and is teaming up with Texas Star Alliance after previously serving as director of state government affairs at AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals for three years.
Charlie Schnabel, longtime lobbyist and a Capitol fixture for decades has retired from lobbying.
Dr. Don Rogers, Executive Director of the Texas Rural Education Association since 2007, has announced his retirement effective August 31, 2019. (h/t Quorum Report)
Darrick Eugene has started his own firm Eugene & Associates after working as a Partner for Powell & Leon for three years.
Carrie Issac, wife of former Rep. Jason Issac, has announced she will run for the seat Issac gave up to run for Congress, currently held by Rep. Erin Zwiener.
Allen Beinke, most recently with the law firm Tuggey Fernandez for eight years, has retired.
State Agency News
Seth Christensen has been promoted to Chief of Staff for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. He previously was Director of Stakeholder Relations at the agency and before that worked on Governor Greg Abbott’s staff.
Mike Arismendez is the new deputy executive director of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Arismendez is a past legislative director for State Representative Carl H. Isett and is also a former chair of the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation.
Former Sen. Kevin Eltife was elected Chairman of the Board of Regents for the UT System in December.
Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Lori Cobos as Public Counsel for the Office of Public Utility Counsel. She previously has served in several senior-level positions at the Public Utility Commission of Texas.
Shout Outs
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Congratulations to Amy Maxwell on her recnet marriage to Robert Biard.
Congratulations to Jason Smith and his wife Erin on their expected triplet boys this summer.
Congratulations to Austin McCarty and his wife Hannah Chinnakam on the birth of their daughter, Lillian Fae.
Happy Birthday!
April 7- Rep. Alma Allen, Cheryl Williams Lively, fmr Sen. Rodney Ellis
April 8- Mary Scott Nabers
April 9- Kate Raetz
April 10- Michael Ramsey, Brent Whitaker, Aaron Whitehead, Frank Reilly
April 17- Blaine Bull, Blaine Brunson, Mary Jane Manford
April 13- Rep. Ernest Bailes. Jennifer Chapman Banda
April 14- Russ Keene
April 15- Jason Embry, Jim Crow
April 16- Will Holleman, John Esparza, Lauren Lumsden
April 18- Bill Pewitt
April 19- Craig Holzheauser
April 20- Annie Spillman, Don Green, Richie Jackson, Randy Lee, Ronnie Volkening
April 22- Alex Hammond
April 23- Rep.Andrew Murr, Rep. Cesar Blanco
April 24- Jonathan Connors
April 25- Michael Garcia
April 26- Richard Evans
April 27- Matthew Russell, Kari Torres Meyer
April 29- Kyler (Arnold) Ramsey, Brady Franks, fmr Rep. Rodney Anderson
April 30- Rep. Kyle Biedermann, Shannon Rusing
In Our Thoughts
Condolences to Rep. Toni Rose and her family and friends on the recent passing of her father, Judge Charles Rose
Miscellaneous
The Texas Tribune’s Jay Root will screen his new film, Border Hustle, on May 7th at Studio 919 at the Texas Tribune.
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The Texas Tribune: The top places Texas lawmakers go to wine, dine and deal during legislative session
House members office and phone list
Senate members office and phone list
House Chief of Staff List
Senate Chief of Staff List
House Committees
Senate Committees
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Dates of Interest:
Monday May 27 — last day of regular session
June 16 — last day for governor to act on bills
Contact us at txpoliticstoday@gmail.com or text us at 512-431-5385 to let us know of other moves, birthdays, lobby sign ups, birth announcements, events, and happenings that you and your Capitol colleagues would like to read about.
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