AUSTIN — State Representative Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) was appointed by Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen to serve as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and also as a member of the House Committee on Business and Industry.

The House Committee on Transportation is responsible for oversight of the critical infrastructure development for the state including state highways. The committee also has jurisdiction over the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, the Texas Department of Transportation and the Texas Transportation Commission.

"An increase in oil and gas production is always a good thing for Texas, but with it comes a significant increase in traffic on Permian Basin highways creating challenges to local infrastructure," Landgraf said. "I will continue to take the lead to improve safety on our highways and keep West Texas open for business."

Landgraf was also appointed to the House Committee on Business and Industry, which is responsible for oversight of industry and manufacturing and has jurisdiction over the State Office of Risk Management, the Risk Management Board, the Division of Worker's Compensation of the Texas Department of Insurance, and others.

"I asked for these posts because I believe I can utilize them to better serve the people of the Permian Basin and Texas. Now that committees have been assigned, I'll be rolling up my sleeves and getting to work," Landgraf said.

The 86th Texas legislative session is underway and will run through May 27, 2019.

AUSTIN — State Representative Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) has filed legislation to effectively repeal the STAAR test by eliminating the requirement to use public school assessment instruments as a criterion for promotion or graduation or to make certain accountability determinations.

House Bill 736, authored by Landgraf, seeks to eliminate current testing systems, like the STAAR test, from being used as high-stakes, one-sized-fits-all substitutes for real accountability measures.

"The state's attempt to ensure academic readiness and hold school districts accountable for student achievement through standardized state-wide testing has failed," Landgraf said.

A state-wide assessment instrument places too great of a burden on our students and teachers. Teachers are forced to "teach to the test" so that the largest number of students can achieve scores that meet the minimum level of satisfaction. This destroys any opportunity for teachers to come up with creative ways for students to learn, and limits the amount of time and attention teachers can pay to specific students. Rather than looking at the work a student has done over a semester or school year, the test looks at one day. Rather than assessing growth of students with special needs or the level of intelligence of the most gifted and talented students, the test is designed to assess the average student's understanding of basic curriculum.  

"In my view, we should value teaching over testing,” Landgraf said. “This bill will allow us to get back to the basics of education so that Texas students are prepared for college, the workforce or the military when they graduate.”

The 86th Texas legislative session is underway and will run through May 27, 2019.

AUSTIN — State Representative Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) has filed legislation to repeal the "Robin Hood" public school finance scheme.

House Bill 712, authored by Landgraf, offers a full repeal of recapture provisions, otherwise known as "Robin Hood,” which send a portion of funds from so-called property wealthy school districts to other school districts across the state.

"Over the years, the Robin Hood system has placed a disproportionately large burden on taxpayers in the oil patch to fund public schools in other parts of Texas," Landgraf said.  “But our students and teachers here in the Permian Basin also pay a high price for this scheme.”

Tremendous growth in oil and gas production has led to many school districts in the Permian Basin to be deemed "property wealthy" and are under the undue burden of the Robin Hood law.

Most Permian Basin school districts are currently experiencing some of the highest population growth rates in the nation, leading to large classroom sizes and widespread teacher shortages. The result is that West Texas schools have money forced out of their budgets at a time when its needed most for their teachers and students. Landgraf’s bill would eliminate this objectionable practice.

"This new downside of recapture only adds to the argument that the state must repeal Robin Hood and replace it with a better plan to provide adequate funding for Texas public schools," Landgraf said.  "An increase in funding for each student in Texas is something that our state must do in order to prepare our students for the next generation of high-paying jobs that will allow Texas to remain prosperous."

The 86th Texas legislative session is underway and will run through May 27, 2019.

AUSTIN — State Representative Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) took the oath of office to serve again when the Texas House of Representatives convened to begin the 86th Texas Legislative Session on Tuesday.

"It's an honor to have the opportunity to serve the people of Andrews, Ector, Ward, and Winkler counties," Landgraf said. "As I prepared for the next legislative session I traveled all over West Texas to hear directly from the people I represent and the issues they want me to address."

In the coming months the Texas Legislature will deliberate countless policy issues affecting the state and Landgraf has outlined his legislative priorities: adopt a conservative, balanced state budget; repair the method to finance schools in a way that eliminates “Robin Hood” and genuinely lowers property taxes; improve education by properly paying teachers and ending STAAR testing as the means of measuring accountability and achievement; build safer roads for the Permian Basin; and pass Monica’s Law to help prevent domestic violence.

"There's a lot of work to do in a short period of time, but I'm hitting the ground running on the first day to continue to make West Texas the best place to live, raise a family, and grow a business," Landgraf said.

The 86th Texas Legislative session convened on Tuesday, January 8th and will meet for 140 days.

AUSTIN — Thursday, State Representative Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) filed legislation aimed at preventing domestic violence. House Bill 629, "Monica's Law," as Landgraf has dubbed it, would create an online, searchable and public database listing protective orders issued by Texas courts as a result of domestic violence. Landgraf filed "Monica's Law" during the last legislative session, was passed by the Texas House, but was stalled in the Texas Senate.

Monica Deming, the inspiration behind the legislation, was murdered on November 29, 2015 in an act of domestic violence. Monica, a 32 year-old mother, was shot and killed in her Odessa home by an abusive ex-boyfriend. Two protective orders for domestic violence had previously been issued against him, but he was easily able to keep them secret.

Landgraf began crafting this legislation after being approached by Monica’s father, Jon Nielsen, a former Odessa police officer. Nielsen pleaded that, had a database been available, he and Monica would have been able to know that her abuser had a history of domestic violence.

“'Monica’s Law' cannot go back and save her life, or take away her family’s grief, but it can help prevent others from entering into tragically abusive relationships that can lead to physical violence, and worse, death,” Landgraf said. “That's why I used every legislative tool available to get Monica's law passed out of the Texas House last session and will do so again this session.”

"Monica’s Law" establishes a statewide registry where certain redacted information can be accessed by the public, but also one where law enforcement and the courts have access to all of the information provided by protective-order applicants. Information is only available after due process has been given to the abuser in a judicial proceeding.

ODESSA — State Representative Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) continues his tradition of hosting town halls throughout the four counties he serves in the Texas House of Representatives. During these events, State Rep. Landgraf will provide a brief legislative update and complimentary food. He encourages his fellow West Texans to attend, ask questions and share their views.
State Rep. Landgraf announces the following town halls:

West Odessa
Monday, September 24, 2018 | 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Kellus Turner Community Center | 2262 West Sycamore Drive

Monahans
Tuesday, September 25, 2018 | 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Ward County Event Center | 1525 East Monahans Parkway

Andrews
Monday, October 8, 2018 | 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Andrews Business & Technology Center | 201 NW Avenue D

Kermit
Monday, October 15, 2018 | 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Winkler County Community Center | 118 North Poplar

Odessa
Monday, October 22, 2018 | 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
UT Permian Basin Library - Room LL.001 | 4901 East University Boulevard

AUSTIN — State Representative Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) helped save the Department of Public Safety (DPS) driver license offices in West Texas from the chopping block.

The official decision came Wednesday morning, as the Sunset Commission declined to recommend closure of a large number of DPS driver license offices in rural communities across the state, including Andrews, Kermit, Monahans among others in West Texas. This decision means that the offices are no longer in danger of closing.

“To close DPS driver license offices in the Permian Basin while we are experiencing unprecedented population growth and skyrocketing demand for commercial drivers in the midst of this oil boom would have only intensified the challenges we already face,” Landgraf stated.

State Representative Landgraf immediately took action to prevent the proposed closures. Last week, Landgraf drove to Austin to meet with top DPS leaders and also wrote a letter to the Sunset Commission urging against the proposed DPS license office closures in the Permian Basin.

“I want to thank my fellow West Texans who helped me plead the case to DPS and the Sunset Commission that we need driver license offices now more than ever in the Permian Basin,” Landgraf said. “I’m proud our hard work paid off, and I look forward to working with DPS during the next legislative session to make sure these needed services are better provided across West Texas.”

MONAHANS — State Representative Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) attended the Ward County Commissioners Court meeting on Monday to discuss the upcoming session of the Texas Legislature.

"I appreciate Judge Holly and the commissioners allowing me the opportunity to answer questions about the upcoming legislative session," Landgraf said.  "I was also glad to provide the court and community with an update on the progress we've made in saving our West Texas DPS driver license offices from the chopping block."

Landgraf, who represents Ward County in the Texas House of Representatives, met with the commissioners court to offer any assistance the city may need from the state.

“To be a good state representative and a good legislator, I need to meet regularly with local officials here in Ward County to learn about the issues they’re facing and to make sure they’re getting the state resources they need to serve our fellow West Texans,” Landgraf added.

Landgraf is attending this and other local government meetings across the Permian Basin to prepare for the next session of the Texas Legislature, which convenes at the Texas Capitol in January 2019.

AUSTIN — State Representative Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) is speaking out against the proposed closure of several Department of Public Safety (DPS) offices in West Texas.

This week, Landgraf drove to Austin and met with DPS officials to express West Texans’ concerns over the proposed closures of the Andrews, Kermit and Monahans DPS offices — as well as the impact such closures would have on the remaining area DPS offices in the midst of an oil boom.

“The rest of the state at times seems to be unaware of the oil boom here in the Permian Basin,” Landgraf said. “With the population growth we’re experiencing and the unprecedented demand for commercial drivers in our area, we need DPS driver license offices in West Texas now more than ever.”

Landgraf also penned a letter to the Texas Sunset Commission, voicing his concern over proposed closures. All told, the commission is suggesting to shutter 87 DPS offices across the state.

In the letter, Landgraf noted that the commission’s  recommendations place an unfair burden on rural communities, as the majority of the proposed office closures are in counties with only one DPS office.

"While I understand the need to find cost efficient solutions within the agency, I don’t believe the proposed DPS office closures, without any proposed remedies for loss of access is unacceptable to rural taxpayers," Landgraf said.

Currently, the Sunset Commission has neither approved nor denied any proposals to close DPS offices.

“I’m confident that through the discussions I’ve had at the Capitol that we will save these offices from the chopping block,” Landgraf added. “I’ve pleaded our case, and expect to receive a favorable decision next week.”

MONAHANS — State Representative Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) attended the Monahans City Council meeting on Tuesday to discuss the upcoming session of the Texas Legislature. 

“Mayor Cutbirth, the city councilmen and I had a great discussion,” Landgraf said. “Monahans is a boomtown once again, and I want to do what I can to help accommodate the growth.”

Landgraf, who represents Ward County in the Texas House of Representatives, met with the city council to offer any assistance the city may need from the state.

“To be a good state representative and a good legislator, I need to meet regularly with local officials here in Ward County to learn about the issues they’re facing and to make sure they’re getting the state resources they need to serve our fellow West Texans,” Landgraf added. 

Landgraf is attending this and other local government meetings across the Permian Basin to prepare for the next session of the Texas Legislature, which convenes at the Texas Capitol in January 2019.