Greetings from your Texas Capitol! Today, January 14th, 2025 the 89th Texas Legislature gaveled in and I began my eighth session serving the citizens of Senate District 22. As you know, the Texas Legislature meets every other year (in the odd number year) for 140 days to file bills, debate policies and enact laws on behalf of the people of Texas. Serving in the Texas Senate remains the great privilege of my life, one I don’t take for granted.
In the 13 months since the conclusion of the forth called special session of the 88th legislative session, my team and I have not stopped working. Just as I do after each session, I spent several months traveling Senate District 22 and meeting with constituents to discuss both the outcomes of the session and provide updates on activities directly impacting their respective communities. In addition to district visits, this interim has been unique. More so than in any of my previous interims, my post-session/ special sessions schedule was full of legislative activities, serving as Chairman of two committees, the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Economic Development and the Senate Committee on Border Security, as well as my duties as a member of several other Senate committees, and several task forces to which I have been appointed.
For those receiving our Capitol Update for the first time, let me tell you a little bit about it. This Capitol Update will cover a number of items on which I want to update you, as well as some resources and alerts for the session. Look for more updates approximately every two weeks throughout the session, though the next one will likely come next week, pending committee assignments and bill filings. Thank you to all the constituents who stopped by my office today during opening day, and if you plan to visit the Texas Capitol, please feel free to stop by our office—my team and I are still located in office 1E.3 in the main Capitol Building.
Both Lt. Gov. Patrick and Governor Abbott addressed the Texas Senate after the swearing in of the
newly elected Senators during the opening ceremonies today
Staff Announcements
“Your subordinates’ success is your success”—that’s one of my favorite military maxims, as the success of my staff in their positions helps to make me a better servant to you. Therefore, I never go into a legislative session without properly assembling and preparing a staff to help me serve the citizens of Senate District 22. We have a few familiar faces on “Team Birdwell,” but we also have some new staff members who have replaced fine members of my previous staff who have moved on to other opportunities. Like the last session, Chief of Staff JW Galloway will lead and integrate all of the Capitol, District, and Committee offices’ operations and our Legislative Director, Gatlin Moncla, will run all policy operations in my Capitol office. Additionally, our highly-skilled team includes:
- Senior Policy Analyst Hunter Hinton
- Policy Analyst Nicole Childress
- Office Manager & Scheduler Kirstee Bock
- Constituent Correspondence Manager Ryan Hogan
- Tarleton Policy Intern Lacey Malone (Junior, Tarleton State University)
- Senior District Manager Shelly Verlander (Granbury Office—Mon, except holidays, then Tues/ Arlington Office—Tues-Fri, except when Mon is a holiday)
- District Manager Robyn Morrison (Waco Office)
Along with my Capitol Office and District Office staff, I also have a highly qualified committee staffs in both the Natural Resources and Economic Development Committee Office and Border Security Committee Office. That staff includes:
Natural Resources and Economic Development:
- Committee Director Clinton Harned
- Senior Policy Analyst Brandon Campos
- Policy Analyst & Clerk Jennifer Trevino
Border Security:
- Committee Director & Council Shelby Sterling
- Policy analyst & Clerk Truman Crawford
After the opening ceremonies, the Texas Senate completed our Constitutional duty of choosing a President Pro Tem.
Senator Brandon Creighton of Montgomery County, seen being sworn in above, will serve in this role for the 89th Regular Legislative Session
Key Dates for the 89th Legislative Session
Here are a few of the key legislative dates of which I want to make you aware:
- First week of Session—Senate rules to be determined by the body.
- Mid-Late January—Committee assignments to be designated by Lt. Governor Dan Patrick.
- February 2, 2025—Governor Abbott’s State of the State Address
- March 14, 2025 (60th day)—Except for “local bills,” all legislation must be filed with the Calendar Clerk in the office of the Secretary of the Senate.
- June 2, 2025 (140th day)—The final day of the 89th regular session, also known as “sine die.” The final weeks—and particularly days—of the session are nearly non-stop; this includes Memorial Day, which the Senate will be working as we have in previous sessions.
- June 22, 2025—This is the 20th day following adjournment and the last day the Governor can sign or veto bills passed during the regular legislative session.
- September 1, 2025—This is the 91st day following adjournment, and the date that bills without specific effective dates become law.
Resources for the 89th Legislative Session
As always, I encourage you to check in on what’s happening day to day at the Capitol. The official website of the Texas Legislature (www.capitol.state.tx.us) is a great resource for legislative information during the session. You can watch live video coverage of the chambers or committees—and even archived footage—for both the House and Senate; you can track specific pieces of legislation; and you can find a bevy of other information on the FAQ page. If social media is your preferred method for following Capitol activity, be sure to follow the hashtag #txlege, which is widely used by legislators, media outlets, and citizens alike. Additionally, my staff and I both update my Facebook and Twitter accounts regularly. More information specific to the district is at my Senate homepage: www.senate.texas.gov/member.php?d=22
Senate Page Opportunities
The Honorary Page Program in the Texas Senate is an exciting opportunity providing insight into lawmaking procedures for Texans 6-18 years of age. The duties of Honorary Page often include working on the Senate Floor during a legislative session day, communicating with senior Senate staff members, making deliveries to Senate offices, and assisting with assignments from Senate offices. Any parents or guardians interested in this opportunity may contact my Office Manager, Kirstee Bock, at [email protected].
Tanner Martell served as an Honorary Page for Senator Birdwell in 2023
I hope you found the information above to be useful. Communicating with constituents is one of my top priorities, so I will appreciate you contacting any of my offices in order to make certain my staff and I know how we may best serve you. In that same vein, I hope you will consider forwarding this Capitol Update to your family, friends in colleagues residing in Senate District 22. If you know someone who would like to receive future editions of our Capitol Update, please visit my official website to subscribe!
My colleagues and I have a great deal of work ahead of us, but it’s important for you to know that I see each day as an opportunity to make sure I am casting votes based upon the principles and policies for which I told you I would fight. I appreciate the privilege to represent the citizens of Senate District 22, and it remains my distinct honor to serve each of you in this capacity.
Thanks for your interest, and God bless you,
Brian Birdwell
State Senator, District 22
Austin: (512) 463-0122 // Waco: (254) 776-6225 // Arlington: (817) 466-7327 // Granbury: (817) 573-9622
[email protected] // www.senate.texas.gov