Hilderbran (R) Will Not Seek Reelection; Political Announcement Soon

Proudest of Welfare Reform, Nursing Home Reform, Parks Restoration & Tax Cuts

KERRVILLE, TX – House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Harvey Hilderbran, R-Kerrville, announced today in a Personal Privilege Speech on the floor of the Texas House that he will not seek reelection next year.

“It has been a privilege and an honor to represent the citizens of 25 Texas counties in my nearly 25 years of service in the Texas House,” Chairman Hilderbran said. “I have served with four speakers and four governors. I have served in the minority and in the majority. I have served in 13 regular sessions and 20 special sessions. It’s been an honor to have been appointed committee chair by three different Speakers. I have had the opportunity to pass major state legislation, welfare reform in 1995 with George W. Bush, nursing home reform in 1997, the Parks Restoration Act, and the important tax reform and relief package we passed this session through my committee and signed into law by Governor Perry. I love serving my district and the state of Texas.”

Hilderbran announced that this would be his final two-year term in the Texas House.

“I may not be returning to this body for its 84th Regular Session, but I will not be exiting public life,” he said. “I will continue to find ways to help grow the Texas economy and ensure a bright future for all Texans. With that in mind, I look forward to traveling throughout this state and visiting with Texans in the coming year. I will have an exciting political announcement in the coming weeks.”

While serving as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee the past two regular legislative sessions, Hilderbran oversaw the passage of $1.4 billion in tax relief and led the charge to cut wasteful spending and to make the tax system more fair and transparent. As chairman of the committee, Hilderbran oversaw the comptroller’s office and sat on the Legislative Audit Committee and the Legislative Budget Board, which prepares the draft appropriations bill and budget estimate for each state agency.

During the 2013 legislative session Hilderbran authored and oversaw the passage of House Bill 500, which offers $710 million in tax relief to 850,000 Texas businesses by permanently exempting those that make less than $1 million from paying the margins tax, guaranteeing a $1 million deduction to all other businesses, and reducing the tax rate by 2.5 percent for each of the next two years. The guaranteed $1 million exemption ensures that the margins tax is applied more fairly to all businesses.

Hilderbran is a 1983 graduate of Texas Tech University and was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1988. He lives with his wife Tracy and their two daughters in Kerrville. In the private sector, Hilderbran has extensive experience in real estate, ranching, advertising, business management, and marketing.