The Texas Senate unanimously elected Republican State Sen. Brandon Creighton of Conroe as president pro tempore during the first day of the legislative session.
While largely an honorary position, the president pro tempore assumes the role of lieutenant governor “in any case of absence or temporary disability.” The officer also assumes the role of acting governor if both the governor and the lieutenant governor are out of state and is third in line for the governorship.
Senate Majority Leader Tan Parker (R- Flower Mound) and State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) spoke in favor of Creighton during his nomination.
“Brandon’s experience has taught him firsthand that the challenges faced by hard-working Texans—business owners, farmers, ranchers, families, and individuals alike—are real,” said Parker. “He brought this understanding to the Texas Legislature.”
Bettencourt reflected on Creighton’s career up to the present and commended him for trailblazing Senate Bill 1760 in 2015. The law, which is still in place, established a two-thirds supermajority requirement for tax increases.
Creighton was sworn in on the Bible his “grandmother’s grandfather” was sworn in on when he represented the same district over 120 years ago. Another Creighton ancestor, Martin Parmer, was a signatory of the Texas Declaration of Independence.
“To serve as president pro tempore of the Texas Senate is an honor that would have seemed probably anything but possible to me as a young college student in the 90s working the halls of this Capitol, trying to survive my way through the university down the street,” said Creighton.
“Now is our chance to offer Texas solutions that address many issues: the dangers and chaos on our southern border, to offer education reforms that prioritize our young students and our workforce, and to offer policies that preserve Texas energy independence to reflect the understanding of how it ties directly to unlimited job creation,” he added.
Creighton led the Education Committee and the Subcommittee on Higher Education last session and presided over a critical hearing that questioned the presidents of Texas A&M and the University of Texas at Austin over diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at their institutions.
Prior to Creighton’s election as president pro tempore, Gov. Greg Abbott delivered an introductory message to the Texas Senate to accompany the swearing-in ceremony of the chamber’s members.
Republicans Adam Hinjosa and Brent Hagenbuch as well as Democrat Molly Cook are the newest members of the body, having just been elected in November.
Abbott said he looks forward to “the innovative ways” that senators will navigate “the different challenges between having a $24 billion budget surplus and a $35 billion budget request from all the different constituencies that are seeking money.”
He also quipped that he hopes the 89th legislative session will require no special sessions. The last Legislature featured four special sessions on top of the regularly scheduled general session.
Although Patrick did not comment much on the Senate’s agenda for this session throughout the first day, he did appear to take a dig at the Texas House when he turned to Abbott and praised the chamber last session for passing school choice “five times.”
“I don’t know who my partner is going to be across the hall, but we’ve passed these bills many times,” reiterated Patrick, also referring to bail reform legislation that died in the House.
Patrick had already pledged to pursue school choice, property tax relief, and strengthening the electrical grid.
Last month, Patrick signaled that banning all forms of consumable Tetrahydrocannabinol, a compound found in cannabis products, would also be a legislative priority.
The Senate voted to recess until January 15 at 11:00 a.m.
