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Senate Committee on Nominations advances most nominees, splits on one law-enforcement appointee
Summary
The Senate Committee on Nominations voted to send pending nominees to the full Senate for confirmation, voting 7-0 to report the non-severed slate and 5-2 to recommend confirmation of Justin Berry to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement after a motion to sever his nomination and public concerns were raised.
The Senate Committee on Nominations on the committee recommended that the full Senate confirm the nominees that remained on the committee’s posted March 10 agenda, voting 7-0 to report the non-severed slate to the full Senate.
The committee then voted on a severed nomination, recommending that the full Senate confirm Justin Berry, who was nominated to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. The committee’s roll call on that item recorded five ayes and two nays, and the committee report will go forward to the full Senate for consideration.
The committee’s initial roll call was read by the clerk and recorded as seven members present, establishing a quorum. After a request by Senator Angela Eckhart to sever Officer Justin Berry from the pending list, the committee voted first to report the remaining nominees and then took a separate roll call on the severed nomination.
Senator Angela Eckhart explained on the record that she moved to sever Officer Berry’s nomination to allow separate consideration. Eckhart cited the dismissed indictment relating to the use of less-lethal rounds at a 2020 protest and said she had provided packets of related material to committee members. The committee proceeded to a roll call vote after brief remarks.
Votes at a glance - Committee recommendation to report non-severed nominees to the full Senate: 7 ayes, 0 nays (committee vote reading recorded by clerk). Members recorded during the roll call included Chairwoman Cheryl McCampbell (Aye), Vice Chair Hagenbuch (Aye), Senator David Alvarado (Aye), Senator Brian Birdwell (Aye), Senator Angela Eckhart (Aye), Senator Ken Paxton (Aye) and Senator Sparks (Aye). - Committee recommendation on severed nominee Justin Berry (Texas Commission on Law Enforcement): 5 ayes, 2 nays. Recorded ayes: Chairwoman Cheryl McCampbell, Vice Chair Hagenbuch, Senator Brian Birdwell, Senator Ken Paxton, Senator Sparks. Recorded nays: Senator David Alvarado, Senator Angela Eckhart.
The committee chair closed the nominations portion of the meeting and moved on to the scheduled appearances by the nominees who were present at the hearing.
