The 82nd Texas Legislature: July 27, 2011

July 30, 2011

Dear Friends,

I cannot express how wonderful it has been to be back home in House District 102. I have had the opportunity to visit with many constituents since my return and attended a number of great community events. I celebrated the July 4th holiday in Richardson where hundreds were entertained by live music and a spectacular fireworks display. It was a great family event for all!

Recently I had the pleasure of attending the Richardson Chamber of Commerce Signature Luncheon which featured discussions by regional leaders. The goal of this gathering was to talk about the issues, the challenges and the opportunities facing our area. We had a very productive program regarding economic development, transportation, infrastructure improvements and so much more.

Throughout the month of July, I’ve been visiting local organizations like neighborhood associations, tea party groups and Republican clubs. I’ve been happy to give presentations on the 82nd legislative session and answer any questions my constituents may have regarding the actions of the Legislature. I have enjoyed receiving feedback from all of you on the session and appreciate all of your helpful insights. Your input truly is invaluable to me which is why I would like your thoughts on potential topics for interim studies.

Constituent Input Requested for Legislative Interim Study Charges

Each interim the Legislature has the opportunity to study certain issues in an effort to be better prepared for the next session. Often times, these interim studies form the basis for legislation that will be considered in the following session. This is a great opportunity for legislators to carefully consider, and fully vet complicated issues prior to the 83rd legislative session.

These studies are not limited to certain topics or policy areas. An array of ideas are submitted to the Speaker’s office and he charges each House committee to study a selection of the ideas that pertain to that committee’s jurisdiction. Public hearings are then held on these topics. The hearings typically consist of invited testimony from experts and agency heads, as well as public testimony from interested citizens such as yourself.

If you have an idea that you believe warrants greater consideration by the Legislature, I invite you to submit your suggestions to me by fax or email no later than Friday, July 29th. Faxes may be sent to (512) 463-1121 or click here to send me an email.

Carter Named Thirty-Second Most Conservative Member of Texas House

In other news, I was recently named the thirty-second most conservative member of the Texas House of Representatives according to a recent study at Rice University. Click here to view the study in its entirety.

On a scale of 1 to 149, with 1 being the most liberal and 149 being the most conservative, I ranked 118 in the House. There are 150 members of Texas House of which 101 are Republicans. The ranking is based on just under 1,000 divisive roll call votes held during the combined 82nd regular and first special legislative sessions.

I am so proud of this achievement because when I was elected I made a promise to represent strong, conservative values and I am so pleased that my voting record reflects my commitment to this promise.

I am in good company regarding this ranking as I am joined by many senior members with strong conservative records such as former Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland), Rep. Wayne Christian (R-Nacogdoches), Rep. Phil King (R-Weatherford), and Rep. Linda Harper-Brown (R-Irving). Fellow conservative freshmen Rep. Van Taylor (R-Plano) and Rep. David Simpson (R-Longview) also achieved a comparable ranking.

Pictured (left to right): Rep. Stefani Carter, Richardson Mayor Bob Townsend, Rep. Angie Chen Button, and Richardson Assistant City Manager David Morgan celebrating the July 4 holiday.

Pictured (left to right): Rep. Stefani Carter, Richardson Mayor Bob Townsend, Rep. Angie Chen Button, and Richardson Assistant City Manager David Morgan celebrating the July 4 holiday.

As the legislature begins to identify, study and develop strategies to address the issues that will face our state next session, I encourage you to stay in touch by visiting my House website and my Facebook page.

As always, I’m honored to be your voice in Austin.

Sincerely,
Stefani Carter