South Texas State Reps Lose Leadership Roles In 89th Legislative Session
Photo above: State Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, addresses the House after being sworn in as House Speaker on the first day of the 89th Texas Legislative Session, in Austin. This week, Burrows announced committee and sub-committee assignments for this legislative session. Credit: Eddie Gaspar/The Texas Tribune
By Arnoldo Mata
Edinburg TX—Texas state representatives from South Texas saw diminished leadership roles as new House Speaker Dustin Burrows acceded to conservative demands that no Democrats be appointed chairs of House Committees. However, some have received notable committee and subcommittee assignments for the 89th Texas Legislature, with shifts in leadership roles and responsibilities compared to the previous session.
South Texas lawmakers lost a total of three full committee chairmanships from the 88th to the 89th Texas Legislature.
Chairmanships Lost:
- Terry Canales (District 40) – Transportation Committee Chair (88th) → Now Chair of Subcommittee on Transportation Funding (89th).
- Oscar Longoria (District 35) – Business & Industry Committee Chair (88th) → No full committee chair position in the 89th.
- Roberto “Bobby” Guerra (District 41) – Resolutions Calendars Committee Chair (88th) → No full committee chair position in the 89th.
Chairmanships Gained or Retained:
- Ryan Guillen (District 31), who previously chaired Homeland Security & Public Safety, now chairs Agriculture & Livestock—this is a shift rather than a loss.
- Terry Canales (District 40) moved from chairing the full Transportation Committee to chairing a subcommittee on Transportation Funding, which is a demotion but still a leadership role.
- Oscar Longoria (District 35) gained two subcommittee vice chair roles in Trade, Workforce & Economic Development but did not retain a full committee chairmanship.
Guillen retains his position on State Affairs and has gained a seat on the Redistricting Committee. Canales also sits on Calendars and the newly structured Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
Longoria transitioned from chairing the Business & Industry Committee in the 88th session to serving on Licensing & Administrative Procedures and Trade, Workforce & Economic Development, where he chairs the Subcommittee on Workforce and serves as Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on International Relations.
Guerra, formerly Vice Chair of Environmental Regulation, is now Vice Chair of the Agriculture & Livestock Committee and serves on Energy Resources and Redistricting.
Lopez moved from Environmental Regulation and Juvenile Justice & Family Issues to
Martinez continues his role on Appropriations but has moved from Culture, Recreation & Tourism (Vice Chair) to new assignments in House Administration and Natural Resources, where he now serves as Vice Chair.
Gamez remains on the Natural Resources and Transportation Committees but has gained a leadership role as Vice Chair of General Investigating, reflecting an expanded oversight role.
Muñoz transitioned from Defense & Veterans’ Affairs to Agriculture & Livestock, while retaining his seat on Ways & Means, a key committee overseeing tax policy.
These assignments reflect shifting priorities in the Texas House and position South Texas legislators with less leverage to influence policies related to agriculture, economic development, infrastructure, and public safety.
Even as he agreed to not appoint Democrats to Committee chair positions, Burrows received criticism from the GOP right wing for allowing them to chair subcommittees. In the pitched battle for the House Speakership, Democrats provided Burrows with the necessary votes to claim the position.