Texas House Votes 116-23 to Ban Democrats From Committee Chairmanships Under Speaker Dustin Burrows

Jan 23, 2025, 09:17 PM

The Texas House of Representatives has voted to adopt new rules that ban Democrats from holding committee chairmanships, marking a significant shift in the chamber's power dynamics. The vote, which passed 116-23, ends a tradition of power-sharing that had been in place since the 1970s. The new rules were proposed by House Speaker Dustin Burrows and supported by a coalition of 61 Republicans and 55 Democrats. Under the new rules, committee chairs will be exclusively held by members of the majority party, while vice chairs will be appointed from the minority party. This change has been a long-standing goal for conservative activists within the Republican Party, who argued that allowing Democrats to lead committees hindered the advancement of conservative legislation. The vote represents a major victory for these activists and a significant loss of power for Democrats in the Texas House. Additionally, the rules establish 11 new subcommittees and create 3 new committees, including a 'Delivery of Government Efficiency' (DOGE) committee, while abolishing 8 existing committees.