MINUTES
SENATE COMMITTEE ON NOMINATIONS
Monday, April 14, 2025
7:45 AM
Betty King Committee Room
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Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule 11.10 and 11.18, a public hearing of the Senate Committee on Nominations was held on Monday, April 14, 2025, in the Betty King Committee Room at Austin, Texas.
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MEMBERS PRESENT: |
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MEMBERS ABSENT: |
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Senator Donna Campbell, Chair |
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Senator Bryan Hughes |
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Senator Brent Hagenbuch, Vice Chair |
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Senator Borris Miles |
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Senator Carol Alvarado |
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Senator Brian Birdwell |
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Senator Sarah Eckhardt |
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Senator Angela Paxton |
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Senator Kevin Sparks |
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The chair called the meeting to order at 7:45 a.m. There being a quorum present, the following business was transacted:
The following members arrived after roll call was called: Senator Paxton and Senator Sparks.
Vice-Chair Hagenbuch moved that the committee vote to approve the nominations of the
individuals to the following entities: 120th Judicial District Court, El Paso County, 226th Judicial District Court, Bexar County, 228th Judicial District Court, Harris County, 250th Judicial District Court, Travis County, 278th Judicial District Court, Grimes, Leon, Madison, and Walker Counties, 306th Judicial District Court, Galveston County, 458th Judicial District Court, Fort Bend County, 471st Judicial District Court, Collin County, 477th Judicial District Court, Denton County, 480th Judicial District Court, Williamson County, 494th Judicial District Court, Collin County, 495th Judicial District Court, Harris County, 496th Judicial District Court, Harris County, 497th Judicial District Court, Harris County, 62nd Judicial District Court of Delta, Franklin, Hopkins, and Lamar Counties, Administrative Judicial Region, Fifth, Administrative Judicial Region, Ninth, Administrative Judicial Region, Seventh, Board for Lease of Texas Department of Criminal Justice Lands, Board of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas Oversight Committee, Court of Appeals for the Fifteenth Court of Appeals District, Court of Appeals for the First Court of Appeals District, Court of Appeals for the Tenth Court of Appeals District, Criminal District Attorney, Austin County, Criminal District Attorney, Panola County, Criminal District Court No. 1, Dallas County, Department of Information Resources, Employees Retirement System of Texas Board of Trustees, Governing Board of the Texas Civil Commitment Office, Governing Board of the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Office of Inspector General, Health and Human Services Commission, Real Estate Research Advisory Committee, State Board for Educator Certification, State Pension Review Board, Sulphur River Basin Authority Board of Directors, Texas A&M University System Board of Regents, Texas Board of Nursing, Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, Texas Health Services Authority Board of Directors, Texas Juvenile Justice Board, Texas Optometry Board, Texas Public Finance Authority, Texas School Safety Center Board of Directors, Texas Space Commission Board of Directors, Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation Board of Directors, Texas State Board of Acupuncture Examiners, Texas State Board of Pharmacy, Texas State Board of Public Accountancy, Texas State Technical College System Board of Regents, TexNet Technical Advisory Committee, University of Houston System Board of Regents, University of North Texas System Board of Regents, Upper Colorado River Authority, and Upper Guadalupe River Authority.
The motion carried with a record vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays, 0 present not voting, and 2 absent. Senator Sparks and Senator Paxton submitted motions in writing to be shown voting aye. This did not change the outcome of the vote. Without objection, it was so ordered.
Chair Campbell recognized Senator Birdwell, to introduce his constituent Mr. Jerry Weldon II,
who has been appointed to the Brazos River Authority Board of Directors.
Mr. Weldon made an opening statement. Chair Campbell, Vice-Chair Hagenbuch, Senator Sparks, Senator Birdwell, and Senator Eckhardt offered questions and comments. No public testimony was offered.
Chair Campbell recognized Senator Parker, to introduce his constituent Mr. Robert Vaughn,
who has been reappointed to the Texas Department of Transportation.
Mr. Vaughn made an opening statement. Chair Campbell and Senator Birdwell offered questions and comments. No public testimony was offered.
Chair Campbell recognized Senator Middleton, to introduce his constituent Mr. Doug McReaken, who has been appointed to the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents.
Mr. McReaken made an opening statement. Chair Campbell, Senator Birdwell, Senator Alvarado, and Vice-Chair Hagenbuch offered questions and comments. No public testimony was offered.
Chair Campbell recognized Senator Alvarado, to introduce Senator Miles constituent Mr. Jodi Jiles, who has been reappointed to the University of Texas System Board of Regents.
Mr. Jiles made an opening statement. Chair Campbell offered questions and comments. No public testimony was offered.
Chair Campbell recognized Vice-Chair Hagenbuch, to introduce his constituent Ms. Bernadette Coleman, who has been reappointed to the Texas Woman’s University Board of Regents.
Ms. Coleman made an opening statement. Chair Campbell and Vice-Chair Hagenbuch offered questions and comments. No public testimony was offered.
Chair Campbell recognized Vice-Chair Hagenbuch, to introduce Senator Huffman’s constituent Mr. John Rutherford, who has been appointed to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas Board of Trustees.
Mr. Rutherford made an opening statement. Chair Campbell offered questions and comments. No public testimony was offered. One witness card was submitted registering a position for the nomination of Mr. John Rutherford. See the attached witness list.
One witness card was submitted registering a position for the nomination of Ms. Laronda Graf, Teacher Retirement System of Texas Board of Trustees. See the attached witness list.
Chair Campbell recognized Vice-Chair Hagenbuch, to introduce Senator Perry’s constituent Mr. Michael Boyd, who has been reappointed to the Texas Military Preparedness Commission.
Mr. Boyd made an opening statement. Chair Campbell and Vice-Chair Hagenbuch offered questions and comments. No public testimony was offered.
Chair Campbell announced that all of the nominees on the posted agenda would be left pending
before the committee.
There being no further business, at 9:31 a.m., Chair Campbell moved that the committee
stand recessed subject to the call of the chair; without objection, it was so ordered.
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Senator Donna Campbell, Chair
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Hayden Davis, Clerk