 What is the purpose of the Policy Committee?
The Policy Committee is responsible for the development and adoption of legislative positions on all matters of State Intergovernmental Relations for the Urban Counties. Positions adopted by the committee are positions of the association, and do not require further ratification by either the board or the full membership. However, all positions adopted must be reported to the full membership at the next scheduled luncheon meeting and are subject to modification at that time.
Who serves on the Policy Committee?
Ten members of the committee are directly appointed by the ten most populous counties and ten members are elected by two groupings of less populous counties (see detail below). Members of the Urban Counties Board of Directors automatically serve on the committee as representatives of their county or group of counties. The committee is chaired by the Vice-Chairman of Policy for the Urban Counties.
| Member |
Representing |
Elected/Appointed by |
| Commissioner Sylvia
Garcia (Chairman) |
Harris County |
Vice-Chairman Policy
(auto) |
| Commissioner Tommy Adkisson, Bexar
County |
Bexar County |
Vice Chairman, Member Services (auto) |
| Commissioner Eddie
Arnold, Jefferson County |
Group A |
Elected by Group A |
| Judge Mike Bradford,
Midland County |
Group B |
Urban Counties
Chairman (auto) |
| Commissioner Kevin Burns, Wise County |
Group B |
Elected by Group B |
| Judge Jon Burrows,
Bell County |
Group A |
Elected by Group A |
| Commissioner Mike Cantrell, Dallas
County |
Dallas County |
Chairman Elect (auto) |
| Commissioner H. C. "Chuck" Cazalas,
Nueces County |
Group A |
Elected by Group A |
| Commissioner Matt
Shaheen, Collin County |
Collin County |
Appointed by
Commissioners Court |
| Commissioner Veronica
Escobar, El Paso County |
El Paso County |
Appointed by Commissioners
Court |
| Judge Chris Florance,
Rockwall County |
Group B |
Elected by Group B |
| Judge Dan Gattis, Williamson County |
Group A |
Elected by Group A |
| Commissioner Sarah Eckhardt, Travis
County |
Travis County |
Appointed by Commissioners Court |
| Commissioner Patti Jones, Lubbock
County |
Group A |
Elected by Group A |
| Judge Jim Lewis,
McLennan County |
Group A |
Elected by Group A |
| Commissioner Andy Meyers, Fort Bend
County |
Fort Bend County |
Vice-Chairman, Finance (auto) |
|
Commissioner Jay Millikin, Comal County |
Group B |
Vice-
Chairman, Education (auto) |
| Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell, Denton
County |
Denton County |
Appointed by Commissioners Court |
| Judge J. D. Salinas,
Hidalgo County |
Hidalgo County |
Vice-Chairman,
Administration (auto) |
| Judge Glen Whitley, Tarrant County |
Tarrant County |
Immediate Past Chairman (auto) |
Notes and Key to Membership:
- Counties with populations greater than 400,000 make direct appointments to the Policy Committee.
- Group A: Counties with populations greater than 200,000 and less than 400,000 elect six members of the Policy Committee.
- Group B: Counties with populations less than 200,000 elect four members of the Policy Committee.
- Members of the Urban Counties Board of Directors are automatically appointed to the Policy Committee as representatives for their group of counties.
When does the Policy Committee Meet?
The Policy Committee meets quarterly during the interim. During the legislative session, the meetings are scheduled every three or four weeks. Meetings are held in the second floor boardroom of the Urban Counties building.
Meeting agendas, minutes, and notes may be accessed via the calendar as attachments to the meeting announcements. Email announcements are sent out to the Committee members prior to each meeting.
How do I bring an issue to the attention of the Policy Committee?
Urban County officials may either contact a member of the Policy Committee directly or they may contact Donald Lee or Michael Vasquez for assistance in developing an item for the next Policy Committee Agenda. Depending on the issue, we may request that you attend the meeting to present the item to the committee in person.
How can I serve on the Policy Committee?
Members of the Policy Committee serve a two-year term and it should be noted that service on the committee involves an investment of significant time in Austin, particularly during the legislative session(s).
All members of commissioners court are eligible to serve on the Policy Committee, provided they first obtain a nomination or appointment from their respective commissioners court.
Elections for Group A and Group B are usually held a few months after the regular session ends (around the start of the next fiscal year). At the election meeting, each county has up to five votes (one for each member of commissioners court who attends the meeting) to cast in the election.
What is the Urban Counties Policy Platform?
The legislative positions of the Urban Counties are contained in the Policy Platform. Positions adopted by the Policy Committee are positions of the association, and do not require further ratification by either the board or the full membership. However, amendments to the Policy Platform must be reported to the full membership and are subject to modification during the next full meeting of the membership.
Current Urban Counties Platform
- This is the current legislative platform for the Urban Counties, including any changes made by the Policy Committee.
- Pending Urban Counties Platform - This is a mark-up version of the current platform which identifies all of the changes that were made to the Platform by the Policy Committee since the last membership meeting. This version will be presented to the full membership at the next luncheon.
- Proposed Urban Counties Platform - This draft version of the platform contains all proposed changes that will be discussed and considered at the next Policy Committee Meeting.
Is the Urban Counties Policy Platform a public document?
No. The Urban Counties Policy Platform is a continually updated internal document intended to serve as a guide for the Urban Counties officials and staff as they discuss legislative issues and work on legislation during the session.
Why is the platform split up in sections?
The Urban Counties Policy Platform contains three main divisions. The first division contains the Urban Counties Principles, which are general statements that guide the association in responding to legislative issues that may not be specifically addressed in the platform.
The other major divisions in the platform are the priority items and support items. Priority items are issues that the Urban Counties officers and staff will actively work on in the legislative session. Support items are adopted on issues where an individual county or outside association is taking the lead on the issue and the Urban Counties is simply providing its support. Support items generally do not require direct action by the Urban Counties staff.
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