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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
Shane Saum has been promoted to Chief of Staff for Rep. Geanie Morrison. He previously served as her Legislative Director. He is replacing Brad Tegeler.
Former Rep. Rodney Anderson was elected Dallas County Republican Party Chairman in late May.
Rep. Eric Johnson was elected Mayor of Dallas this past Saturday. The special election to fill his seat will be held in November.
Former state representative, Rep. Ron Simmons, R-Carrollton, is seriously considering running for his old seat, currently held by Rep. Michelle Beckley.
(h/t The Blast)
Doug Clements has been promoted to Legislative Director for Sen. John Whitmire. He previously served as a Legislative Assistant.
Former Comptroller Susan Combs has been confirmed as Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Policy, Management and Budget. (h/t the Quorum Report)
Brian Newby, has been elected Managing Partner of Cantey Hanger LLP. Newby served as former Governor Rick Perry’s General Counsel and Chief of Staff. He is also a former Vice Chairman of the Board of Regents, Texas Tech University System.
Michael Jenkins, legislative aide to Rep. Mayes Middleton, has been given a second job as District Director for Middleton.
State Agency News
The Texas Sunset Advisory Commission has appointed Jennifer Grossenbacher Jones as its new Executive Director. She has been serving as interim director since September 2018 and replaces longtime director Ken Levine. She will be the Commission’s first female ED.
Lauren Callahan is leaving the Texas Education Agency to take a job as Director of Media Relations at the Texas Lottery Commission. (h/t Quorum Report)
Hank Whitman, the commissioner of the Department of Family and Protective Services has announced he will resign from his post at the end of June.
Former Texas Comptroller, Susan Combs, was confirmed as the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Policy, Management, and Budget. (h/t the Quorum Report)
Shout Outs
Our thoughts are with the loved ones of Dan Van Cleve, journalist and public affairs executive, who recently passed away. Dan reported for UPI, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Dallas Times-Herald, and the Austin American-Statesman before joining IBM in Austin. After leaving IBM, he worked at Texas Parks & Wildlife and the Comptroller’s office. (h/t the Quorum Report)
Our condolences to the family and friends of Luis Wilmot, former Texas Director of AARP from 2002 to 2007, who recently passed away.
Happy Birthday!
June 10: Rep. Jeff Leach
June 12: Dave McNeely
June 13: Rep. Carl Sherman, George Christian
June 14: Shayne Woodard, Jeff Kloster
June 15: Robyn Reynolds Hadley
June 16: Sen. Kel Seliger, Rep. Ana-Maria Ramos
June 17: Merita Zoga
June 19: Bill Noble, Hon. Dale Wainwright, Veronica Gonzales, Hon. Barry Williamson
June 20: Deon Daugherty Allen, V A Stephens
June 21: Rob Parham, Rep. Dan Huberty
June 23: Wayne Franke, Becky Brownlee, Danielle Delgadillo
June: 25 Sen. Larry Taylor
June 26: Rep. John Bucy, Amy Maxwell Biard, Lara Wendler, Marc Salvato
June 28: James Henson, Joe Morris
June 29: Rep. Doc Anderson, Meghan Murphy Weller
June 30: Aaron Gregg
In Our Thoughts
Our thoughts are with Rep. Donna Howard and her family. We wish her husband Derek a full and speedy recovery.
We wish Brent Whitaker a full and speedy recovery from a recent automobile accident.
Jenna Welch, mother of former first lady Laura Bush, passed away recently at the age 99.
Correction: In the last edition, Tim Von Kennel’s name was listed incorrectly. Our apologies for the mistake.
Miscellaneous
“I’m honestly still stunned that I work here”: Meet the staffers who keep Texas lawmakers in check under the dome
Watch the Texas Tribune’s Under the Dome video about staffers at the Capitol
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Dates of Interest:
June 16: Last day the Governor may sign or veto bills passed during regular session.
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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