SEN. KOLKHORST REAPPOINTED AS SENATE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE CHAIR

  

State Senator Lois Kolkhorst has been reappointed by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick as Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services.

In naming Senate Committee appointments for the 87^th Legislative Session, Patrick also named Kolkhorst a member of the Senate Committees on Finance, Natural Resources and Economic Development, Transportation, Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs, as well as the Select Committee on Texas Ports.

The Health and Human Services Committee manages nearly $80 billion of healthcare spending in the state budget.  It is also responsible for setting public health policy for the state, regulating physicians and other healthcare professionals, providing legislative oversight to state agencies and boards including the Health and Human Services Commission, Department of Family and Protective Services, and the Texas Medical Board, among many other health-related licensing agencies.

Kolkhorst also serves on the Expert Vaccine Allocation Panel that is tasked with distributing the COVID-19 vaccine across the state.

Kolkhorst said she is grateful for the opportunity to continue chairing the Health and Human Services Committee, adding she will work to “continue finding solutions that protect public health and build a healthier Texas.”  She said the state must continue to work together to “strike a balance between our public health priorities, civil liberties, and economic freedoms.”

Earlier this month, Kolkhorst filed Senate Bill 348, giving parents the right to observe any and all virtual instruction and review any online teaching materials presented to their children.  Kolkhorst said she believes that “parental involvement in a child’s education is crucial to the success of the student.”