Dustin Burrows
Biographical Information
- House District: 83 (Lubbock)
- First Elected: 2015
- Occupation: Attorney
- Education: B.A. Rhodes College, M.B.A. Texas Tech University, and J.D. Texas Tech University
- Partisan Affiliation: Republican
Contact Information
Capitol
Room 2W.13
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 463-1000
Office Staff
- Chief of Staff: Zak Covar
- Director of Speaker Operations: Paige Holzheauser
- District Affairs Coordinator: Matt Crow
Speaker’s Press Office
- Press Secretary: Kimberley Carmichael
Social Media
Powers & Duties
The speaker serves as the presiding officer of the Texas House of Representatives. Under the Texas Constitution, the House must choose one of its own members to hold this position each time a new legislature convenes.
In this role, the speaker is responsible for maintaining order during floor debate, recognizing members who wish to speak, and issuing rulings on procedural questions. The constitution also requires the speaker to sign every bill and joint resolution approved by the legislature. As a sitting member of the House, the speaker retains the ability to vote on any question before the chamber.
Additional powers and responsibilities come from the House Rules of Procedure, which are adopted by majority vote at the start of each regular session. Through these rules, House members grant the speaker authority to appoint members to standing committees—subject to seniority requirements—and to name each committee’s chair and vice chair. The speaker must also refer all legislation to the appropriate committee based on jurisdiction outlined in the rules. The rules further authorize the speaker to appoint conference committees, establish select committees, and direct committees to conduct interim studies between legislative sessions.
