Representative Jared Patterson has been appointed by Caucus Chairman Craig Goldman to serve as the Chair of the Policy Committee for the 88th Legislative Session. The Policy Committee is a central part of how the House Republican Caucus supports its members each session. But what is the Policy Committee?
The Policy Committee is a select group of Republican House Members who are responsible for providing analysis and vote recommendations to all members of the Texas House Republican Caucus. The Policy Committee consists of 16 Members: two members elected by the members within each of the six geographic regions of the state; two at-large members, appointed by the Caucus Chair; and the Caucus Policy Chair.
To form the Policy Committee, House districts are divided into six geographic regions: North, Central, East, Southeast, South, and West Texas. Two members are then elected by their peers to represent their respective region. This ensures that the interests of all Texans are represented equally by Policy Committee members when issuing vote recommendations.
When bills get voted out of standing House committees, the Policy Committee reviews almost every piece of legislation. The Committee will then provide analysis and vote recommendations to all Republican members of the Texas House. Vote recommendations can include either: support, oppose, or neutral.
The committee also plays an integral role in the strategy of the Caucus on the House floor. The members of the Policy Committee review amendments prior to and during floor deliberations and disseminate real-time updates and notifications to the entire membership.
To cast the best vote possible for their constituents, representatives can refer to the Policy Committee’s analysis and recommendations when voting. This ensures that all Caucus members have a thorough understanding of each and every piece of legislation they vote on.
As the Texas Legislature approaches the 60-day bill filing deadline, thePolicy Committee is organized and ready to work!