Senate: Patrick Gets Promoted

If it's all change in the House committees, on the Senate side it's more of the same. On Friday, Jan. 30, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst released his list of committees and appointments, with few shifts from 2007. All of last session's committees are back, while three subcommittees – Agriculture & Rural Affairs, Economic Development, and Higher Educa­tion – become full committees. Among the Travis Co. delegation, Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, remains chair of Jurisprud­ence, and Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, keeps his vice chairmanship of Transportation & Homeland Security. But most attention has been paid to Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston – the conservative radio talk-show bullhorn – getting two vice chairmanships (Education and Higher Education) in only his second session.