81st Legislature (2009)

Did Lawmakers Make the Grade for Your Business?

 The Texas Association of Business (TAB) is proud to publish the 2009 For the Record lawmaker scorecard for the 81st Legislative Session.

 The recently-released 2009 Results brochure chronicles the hard-fought victories TAB garnered in the Legislature and presents a broad overview of how the House and Senate Chambers represented the interests of the business community as a whole.

 For the Record offers insight into how individual lawmakers voted on the issues critical to businesses, taxpayers and families. In the midst of an unprecedented global, economic turmoil, Texas businesses are now facing their greatest challenges. In 2008, just prior to the start of the 81st Legislative Session, TAB promised that the voice of Texas business would ring-out in Austin.

Each session, TAB contacts the Legislature about the bills and issues that impact small and large employers across Texas. TAB takes seriously the charge of holding lawmakers accountable for the way they vote on these issues. For the Record is one of the most valuable tools to hold legislators accountable and to ensure that they are addressing the needs of the business community.

Once the Legislature adjourns, TAB begins the process of reviewing the votes. Under current Texas law, all votes cast are not necessarily record votes. This means that many more record votes may be taken on some bills than are taken on others. The job of TAB is to request and capture record votes taken on bills that provide a snapshot of how members supported business across-the-board.

The 2009 For the Record used twelve votes to score senators and eleven votes to score state representatives. These votes accurately represent the most critical bills that TAB supported or opposed.

Legislators who score 90-100 based on our voting criteria are recognized as Champions for Free Enterprise and legislators scoring 80-89 are noted as Fighters for Free Enterprise. As members may win only one award after each session, TAB will honor the higher of the two scores — either 2009 or the legislator’s cumulative score based on their TAB-designated pro-business rating during the most recent session and sessions past.

Legislators depend on For the Record to reflect their actions during session. Constituents rely on it to know if their lawmakers are doing the job they were elected to do. And the business community counts on For the Record to assess which officeholders bring jobs to Texas, promote economic prosperity, and create a thriving workforce as part of their legislative priorities.

TAB is honored to be the voice of Texas business and will continue its long-standing mission to make the Texas business climate the best in the world.

Senate Votes

81st Session (2009) Votes Used for Score

Senator Cumulative 2009 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Averitt 81% 67% – + – + – + – + + + + +
Carona 82% 67% – + – + – + – + + + + +
Davis, Wendy 33% 33% – + – + – – – – + – – +
Deuell 77% 67% – + – + + – – + + + + +
Duncan 78% 67% – + – + – + – + + + + +
Ellis 39% 33% – + – – – + – – + – – +
Eltife 79% 67% – + – + – + A + + + + +
Estes 91% 92% – + + + + + + + + + + +
Fraser 93% 100% + + + + + + + + + + + +
Gallegos 35% 33% – + – – – + – – + – – +
Harris 84% 86% + + E + – E + + + E E E
Hegar 91% 92% + + + + + + A + + + + +
Hinojosa 45% 50% – + – + – + – + + – – +
Huffman 83% 83% – + + + + – + + + + + +
Jackson 86% 92% – + + + + + + + + + + +
Lucio 47% 50% – + – + – + – + + – – +
Nelson 87% 83% – + + + + – + + + + + +
Nichols 86% 92% – + + + + + + + + + + +
Ogden 77% 75% – + – + – + + + + + + +
Patrick 86% 92% + + + + + – + + + + + +
Seliger 85% 83% – + + + – + + + + + + +
Shapiro 86% 92% – + + + + + + + + + + +
Shapleigh 28% 33% – + – – – + – – + – – +
Uresti 46% 42% – + – – – + – + + – – +
Van de Putte 39% 42% – + – – – + – + + – – +
Watson 46% 42% – + – + – + – – + – – +
Wentworth 72% 67% – + – + – – + + + + + +
West 43% 42% – + – – – + – + + – – +
Whitmire 45% 42% – + – – – + – + + – – +
Williams 95% 92% + + + + + A + + + + + +
Zaffirini 39% 50% – + – + – + – + + – – +

House Votes

81st Session (2009) Votes Used for Score

Representative Cumulative 2009 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Allen,Alma 35% 36% – – + – – – + + – + –
Alonzo 34% 27% – – + – – – + + – A –
Alvarado 40% 40% – – + E – – + + – + –
Anchia 38% 40% – – + – – – + + P + –
Anderson 88% 91% + + + – + + + + + + +
Aycock 95% 91% – + + + + + + + + + +
Berman 96% 100% + + E + + + + + + + +
Bohac 80% 73% – + + – + + + + + + –
Bolton 50% 40% – – + A A – + + E + –
Bonnen 86% 91% – + + + + + + + + + +
Branch 87% 73% A + + – + + + + + + –
Brown, Betty 93% 100% + + + + + + + + + + +
Brown, Fred 82% 100% + + + + + + + + + + +
Burnam 26% 36% – – + – – – + + – + –
Button 91% 91% – + + + + + + + + + +
Callegari 85% 70% – + + – + E + + A + +
Castro 34% 45% – – + – – – + + + + –
Chavez 42% 45% – – + – – – + + + + –
Chisum 89% 100% + + + + + + + + + + E
Christian 90% 100% + + + + + + + + + + +
Cohen 52% 44% – – + – – E E + + + –
Coleman 27% 40% – – + – – – + + – + E
Cook, Byron 89% 82% – + + – + + + + + + +
Corte 89% 91% + + + – + + + + + + +
Crabb 88% 64% A – + + + + – + + + –
Craddick 82% 82% – + + + + + + + + + –
Creighton 92% 91% – + + + + + + + + + +
Crownover 90% 73% + + + – + + A + + + –
Darby 92% 91% – + + + + + + + + + +
Davis, John 89% 100% + + + + + + + + + + +
Davis, Yvonne 24% 27% – – + – – – + + – A –
Deshotel 42% 55% – – + – + – + + + + –
Driver 93% 90% + + + – + + + + + + E
Dukes 37% 45% – – + – – – + + + + –
Dunnam 32% 36% – – + – – – + + A + –
Dutton 33% 27% – – A – – – + + A + –
Edwards 36% 45% – – + – + – + + A + A
Eiland 46% 45% – – + – – – + + + + –
Eissler 89% 82% – + + + + + + + + + –
Elkins 86% 91% + + + + + + + + + A +
England 54% 40% – – + – E – A + + + –
Farabee 60% 55% – – + – + – + + + + –
Farias 38% 36% – – + – – – + + – + –
Farrar 26% 27% – – A A – – + + – + –
Fletcher 91% 91% + + + + + + – + + + +
Flores 36% 27% – – + – – – A + – + –
Flynn 95% 100% + + + + + + + + + + +
Frost 56% 55% – – + – + – + + + + –
Gallego 34% 36% – – + – – – + + – + –
Gattis 87% 82% – – + + + + + + + + +
Geren 81% 90% – P + + + + + + + + +
Giddings 37% 30% – – E – – – + + – + –
Gonzales 43% 45% – – + – – – + + + + –
Gonzalez Toureilles 45% 45% – – + – – – + + + + –
Guillen 42% 55% – A + – – + + + + + –
Gutierrez 36% 36% – – + – – – + + A + –
Hamilton 73% 73% – – + – + + + + + + +
Hancock 94% 100% + + + + + + + + + + +
Hardcastle 82% 91% – + + + + + + + + + +
Harless 86% 73% – + + + + – + + + + –
Harper-Brown 91% 82% + + + + + + – + + + –
Hartnett 88% 82% + + + – + + + + + + –
Heflin 54% 56% – – + E A – + + + + E
Hernandez 42% 30% – – + – – – + + – E –
Herrero 32% 36% – – + – – – + + – + –
Hilderbran 86% 82% – + + – + + + + + + +
Hochberg 34% 44% E – + – – – + + E + –
Hodge 26% 27% – – + – – – A + – + –
Homer 64% 64% – – + – + + + + + + –
Hopson 56% 64% – + + – + – + + + + –
Howard, Charlie 90% 91% + + + + + + + + + + –
Howard, Donna 49% 45% – – + – – – + + + + –
Hughes 74% 73% + – + – + + + + + + –
Hunter 81% 73% – + + – + + + + + + –
Isett 92% 91% + + + + + + – + + + +
Jackson 87% 82% – + + + + + + + + + –
Jones 67% 73% – + + – + + + + + + –
Keffer 82% 73% – + + – + + + + + + –
Kent 36% 36% – – + – – – + + – + –
King, Phil 86% 80% + + + – + + + + P + –
King, Susan 81% 82% – + + + + + + + + + –
King, Tracy 59% 45% – – + – A – + + + + –
Kleinschmidt 82% 82% – + + + + + – + + + +
Kolkhorst 86% 73% – + + – + + + + + + –
Kuempel Not scored due to health complications during the session
Laubenberg 87% 91% + + + + + + – + + + +
Legler 100% 100% + + + + + + + + + + +
Leibowitz 32% 36% – – + – – – + + – + –
Lewis 90% 90% + + + E + + + + A + +
Lucio III 54% 55% – + + – – – + + + + –
Madden 88% 82% – + + + + + + + + + –
Maldonado 36% 36% – – + – – – + + – + –
Mallory Caraway 40% 33% A – E – – – + E + + –
Marquez 55% 55% – + + – – – + + + + –
Martinez 39% 36% – – + – – – + + – + –
Martinez-Fischer 30% 45% – – + – – – + + + + –
McCall 76% 60% – + + – A P + + + + –
McClendon 34% 27% – – + – – – A + – + –
McReynolds 52% 55% – – + – + – + + + + –
Menendez 41% 36% – – + – – – + + + A –
Merritt 77% 73% – + + + + – + + + + –
Miklos 45% 45% – – + – – – + + + + –
Miller, Doug 91% 91% – + + + + + + + + + +
Miller, Sid 91% 80% – + + – + + + + + + E
Moody 36% 36% – – + – – – + + – + –
Morrison 87% 82% + + + – + + + + + + –
Naishtat 30% 45% – – + – – – + + + + –
Oliveira 41% 40% – – + – – – + + E + –
Olivo 23% 36% – – + – – – + + – + –
Orr 88% 91% – + + + + + + + + + +
Ortiz 49% 45% – – + – – – + + + + –
Otto 86% 90% – + + + + + + E + + +
Parker 92% 91% + + + + + + – + + + +
Patrick 95% 91% – + + + + + + + + + +
Paxton 94% 91% + + + + + + – + + + +
Pena 46% 55% – – + – + – + + + + –
Phillips 83% 91% + + + + + + – + + + +
Pickett 47% 36% – – + – – – + + A + –
Pierson 34% 30% – – E – – – + + – + A
Pitts Not scored due to commitments as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee
Quintanilla 41% 45% – – + – – – + + + + –
Raymond 36% 45% – – + A – – + + + + –
Riddle 84% 90% + + + + + E – + + + +
Rios-Ybarra 55% 55% – + + – – – + + + + –
Ritter 58% 55% – – + – + – + + + + –
Rodriguez 28% 45% – – + – – – + + + + –
Rose 61% 64% – + + – + – + + + + –
Sheffield 91% 91% – + + + + + + + + + +
Shelton 91% 91% A + + + + + + + + + +
Smith, Todd 82% 73% – – + + + + + + + + –
Smith, Wayne 86% 82% + + + – + + + + + + –
Smithee 84% 82% + – + – + + + + + + +
Solomons 80% 60% – – + – + + C + + + –
Strama 63% 55% – + + – A – + + + + –
Straus As Speaker of the House he did not vote
Swinford 84% 82% – + + – + + + + + + +
Taylor 90% 80% + + + – + E + + + + –
Thibaut 45% 45% – – + – – – + + + + –
Thompson 29% 36% – – + – – – + + – + –
Truitt 81% 82% – + + + + + + + + + –
Turner, Chris 45% 45% – – + – – – + + + + –
Turner, Sylvester 32% 30% – – E – – – + + A + –
Vaught 49% 45% – – + – – – + + + + –
Veasey 39% 36% – – + – – – + + – + –
Villarreal 45% 36% – – A – – – + + + + –
Vo 44% 45% – – + – – – + + + + –
Walle 36% 36% – – + – – – + + – + –
Weber 91% 91% + + + + + + – + + + +
Woolley 92% 91% – + + + + + + + + + +
Zerwas 75% 70% A + + – + + + + E + –

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