Lt. Governor Patrick Announces Appointments to the Sunset Advisory Commission

October 26
AUSTIN – Today, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced the appointments of Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, Sen. Dawn Buckingham, R-Lakeway, Sen. Bob Hall, R-Canton, and Emily Pataki, Cedar Park, to the Sunset Advisory Commission. Sen. Birdwell has been appointed chair. Sen. Kirk Watson will continue to serve as the lieutenant governor’s appointee. The lieutenant governor issued the following statement upon making the appointments:
“An effective and efficient government is the hallmark of conservative leadership. Those principles have made Texas strong and I am confident that these appointees will work diligently to ensure that Texas state agencies continue to operate with efficiency and accountability to best serve the people of Texas.”
Emily Pataki is the lieutenant governor’s public member appointed to the commission. She currently serves as board president of Pedernales Electric Cooperative, Inc., and is a graduate of Yale University. She is also a board member of Atec, Inc., and the Association of Women in Energy.
The Sunset Advisory Commission reviews agencies that are scheduled to be abolished by the Texas Sunset Act. Their duties include conducting public hearings and issuing a report with findings and recommendations to the legislature.
Want new articles directly to your inbox?
Subscribe to our Publishing Service.
Houston [14th] Court of Appeals Again Affirms Denial of TCPA Motion to Dismiss
The Houston [14th] Court of Appeals has affirmed the trial court’s ruling that the TCPA did not apply to Defendant Hutchison’s counterclaim for breach of fiduciary duties. Jeff Carlson and Daniel Calderon v. Hutchison, Incorporated, Farm & Ranch Holdings, LLC, and...
Houston [14th] Court of Appeals Affirms TC Denial of TCPA Motion to Dismiss in Dispute Between Investor and Investment Fund
Hatteras Evergreen Private Equity Fund, LLC, and Hatteras Investment Partners LP v. Longboard Capital, LLC No. 14-24-00938; November 20, 2025) arose from a business deal gone terribly awry. Longboat invested $1,250,000 in Hatteras’s investment fund and purchased...
In Concurring Opinion, Justice Young Identifies Misprision of 1915 Precedent Cited by Court of Appeals to Reverse TC Order Granting Rule 91a Motion to Dismiss
In a case in which the Texas Supreme Court denied review, Justice Young has issued a concurring opinion identifying an issue that could trouble the trial and appellate courts in years to come: whether and under what circumstances a trial court should consider the...