FROM THE GOVERNOR

Governor Abbott appoints Timmerman, Patton to Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission AUSTIN — Governor Greg Abbott appointed Tim Timmerman and reappointed Bobby Patton to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission for terms set to expire on February 1, 2031. The Commission manages and conserves the natural and cultural resources of Texas and provides hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

Timothy “Tim” Timmerman of Austin is the owner of Timmerman Capital LLC and numerous real estate investment and development entities. He is the president of the Colorado River Land Trust, board member for Central Texas Community Foundation, Austin Area Research Organization, YMCA of Central Texas, and Texas Business Leadership Council, and a member of the Texas A&M University Chancellor’s Century Council and the Texas A&M Legacy Society.

Additionally, he is the former vice chairman of St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center and a former board member of the Austin Chamber of Commerce. Timmerman received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Texas A&M University and a Master of Business Administration from The University of Texas (UT) at Austin.

Bobby Patton of Fort Worth is president of Texas Capitalization Resource Group, Inc. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the UT Development Board, UT Marine Science Institute, and the UT Liberal Arts Advisory Council and a director of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.

Additionally, he is the former chairman of the PGA Tournament Committee for Charles Schwab. Patton received a Bachelor of Business Administration from UT Austin, a Juris Doctor from St. Mary’s Law School, and a Master of Laws from the Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law.

These appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.

Governor Abbott celebrates record public education funding vote in Texas House

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott congratulated the Texas House of Representatives for providing record public education funding by passing House Bill 2.

“The Texas House took a monumental step to increase education funding and teacher pay raises that puts Texas on the path to education excellence for our students,” said Governor Abbott. “Since I have been Governor, public education funding and average teacher pay have reached all-time highs and, now, House Bill 2 will add $7.7 billion more to fund a high-quality education for the next generation of Texas leaders. I thank Speaker Dustin Burrows and Chairman Brad Buckley for their steadfast leadership, and I look forward to signing this bill into law.”

Governor Abbott requests SBA disaster declaration for northeast Texas severe weather AUSTIN — Governor Greg Abbott announced that he requested a disaster declaration from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for northeast Texas communities impacted by severe weather, including tornadoes, earlier this month.

If approved, the SBA declaration will make federal assistance available through disaster loans for Morris County and its contiguous counties.

“Today, I requested a disaster declaration for Texans in Morris County and the surrounding area who were impacted by severe weather and tornadoes,” said Governor Abbott. “Approval of this declaration will provide access to low-interest loans to help Texans rebuild their homes and businesses and move forward. I thank the Texas Division of Emergency Management for working with local officials to ensure Texans meet the eligibility requirements for financial assistance.”

If the request from the State of Texas is approved, the SBA would provide low-interest loans through disaster programs to qualifying Texans whose homes and businesses sustained damage during the severe weather incident, including but not limited to tornadoes, thunderstorms, and straight-line winds.

Governor Abbott’s request follows an analysis of the damage sustained in impacted communities conducted by local, state, and federal officials. The analysis verifies that Morris County meets the federally required thresholds for SBA assistance. Officials also reviewed disaster damage details provided by Texan through the self-reporting Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool (iSTAT) surveys.

Governor Abbott continues to take action to provide all available resources to help support local communities impacted by severe weather including: Requesting local, state, and federal partners joint preliminary damage assessment of homes and businesses in Northeast Texas communities.

Activating state emergency response resources ahead of severe weather and flash flood threats.

Governor Abbott statement on shooting at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in Dallas AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott issued a statement following the shooting at Wilmer-Hutchins High School in Dallas.

“Our hearts go out to the victims of this senseless act of violence at Wilmer-Hutchins High School,” said Governor Abbott. “I spoke with Dallas ISD Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde and Dallas ISD Chief Albert Martinez. I offered to support the school district families, students, and staff and to provide law enforcement with the tools they need to arrest the criminals involved and bring them to justice. Since I’ve been Governor, Texas has provided over $3 billion in school safety funding. This session, I am seeking an additional $500 million to further safeguard schools across the state. Cecilia and I ask our fellow Texans to join us in praying for the victims’ swift recovery and for the entire Wilmer- Hutchins High School community.”