Environment Texas Releases 2009 Legislative Scorecard

Environment Texas

AUSTIN—Fifteen representatives and nineteen senators voted to protect the environment 100% of the time in the 81st Legislature, according to Environment Texas’  biennial legislative scorecard.  The scorecard tracks votes on a range of votes affecting the state’s air, water, natural areas, and quality of life.

Texas Representatives voting to protect the environment 100% of the time were: Reps. Roberto Alonzo (D – Dallas), Carol Alvarado (D – Houston), Valinda Bolton (D – Austin), Lon Burnam (D – Fort Worth), Garnet Coleman (D – Houston), Joe Farias (D – San Antonio), Pete Gallego (D – Alpine), Ana Hernandez (D – Houston), Abel Herrero (D – Robstown), David Leibowitz (D – San Antonio), Diana Maldonado (D – Round Rock), Armando Martinez (D – Weslaco), Joseph Moody (D – El Paso), Marc Veasey (D – Fort Worth) and Armando Walle (D – Houston).  

The lowest scoring Representatives were Allen Fletcher (R – Tomball), Dan Flynn (R – Van), Tim Kleinschmidt (R – Lexington), Ken Paxton (R – McKinney), and Debbie Riddle (R – Tomball), each of whom voted for the environment just 13% of the time.  Rep. Al Edwards (D – Houston) had the lowest score of House Democrats with 50%.

An unprecedented nineteen state Senators voted the pro-environment position 100% of the time. They include all Senate Democrats as well as Republicans Kip Averitt (R – Waco), John Carona (R – Dallas), Robert Deuell (R – Greenville), Robert Duncan (R – Lubbock), Kevin Eltife (R – Tyler), Kel Seliger (R – Amarillo), and Jeff Wentworth (R – San Antonio). Senators Jane Nelson (R – Lewisville), Robert Nichols (R – Jacksonville) and Dan Patrick (R – Houston) had the lowest Senate scores with 43%.

Environment Texas’ scorecards are distributed door to door by the organization’s outreach staff and are available online at www.environmenttexas.org/legislature/legislative-scorecard.