AUSTIN, Texas – More than a dozen issues will be covered by leading lawmakers and recognized experts from across the political and ideological spectrum when the Fourth Annual Policy Orientation for the Texas Legislature kicks off on Monday.
Hosted by the Texas Public Policy Foundation, the event draws large crowds interested in discussing the pressing concerns before the state.
The Policy Orientation will be January 9 and 10, and a limited number of seats are available. Online registration and a complete schedule of events is available at www.TexasPolicy.com.
Highlighting the Policy Orientation will be keynote addresses, in order of appearance, by:
House Speaker Tom Craddick,
Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell,
Texas Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst,
Former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and
Texas Tax Reform Commission Chairman John Sharp.
The issues being covered this during this year’s panel discussions include: tax fairness; spending limitations; education spending; school choice; teacher pay; eminent domain; telecommunications; homeowners’ insurance; Medicaid; health care; transportation; criminal justice; and, water.
Among the legislators serving on panels are:
Sen. Florence Shapiro
Sen. Jeff Wentworth
Sen. Ken Armbrister
Sen. Kyle Janek
Sen. Steve Ogden
Sen. Tommy Williams
Rep. Beverly Woolley
Rep. Bill Keffer
Rep. Carl Isett
Rep. Dan Gattis
Rep. Dianne Delisi
Rep. Harold Dutton
Rep. Jerry Madden
Rep. Jim Keffer
Rep. John Smithee
Rep. Mike Krusee
Rep. Phil King
Other panelists include:
Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams
Texas Department of Transportation Commission Chairman Ric Williamson
Texas Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin
Texas Public Utility Commission Chairman Paul Hudson
Dallas County Judge Margaret Keliher
Dr. James Leininger
Michael Stevens, Governor’s Business Council
J.E. “Buster” Brown
John Fund, Wall Street Journal
Scott McCown, Center for Public Policy Priorities
Barry Poulson, University of Colorado-Boulder
Scott Bullock, Institute for Justice
Larry Casto, City of Dallas
Kevin Ward, Texas Water Development Board
Ron Kaiser, Texas A&M
Ann de Llano, Texas ACLU
Rob Kepply, Texas District and County Attorneys Association
Michael Cannon, Cato Institute
Jim Frogue, Center for Health Transformation
Alan Levine, Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
Charles Van Eaton, Bryan College, Tennessee
John Goodman, National Center for Policy Analysis
Donna New Haschke, Texas Classroom Teachers Association
Jay Greene, University of Arkansas
Brock Gregg, Association of Texas Professional Educators
Ray Gifford, Progress and Freedom Foundation
Jerry Ellig, Mercatus Center
Pascal Forgione, Austin Independent School District
Eric Hanushek, Hoover Institution
Patrick Brockett , University of Texas
Ernst Csiszar, Property Casualty Insurers Association of America
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