Recent History
The three-member commission was initially appointed by the governor, but an amendment to the state's constitution in 1894 established the commissioners as elected officials serving overlapping six-year terms. No specific seat is designated as Chairman; the Commissioners choose who among them will serve as Chairman. As of October 2012, the commission members are Chairman Barry Smitherman and Commissioners David J. Porter and Buddy Garcia. All three members are Republicans. Chairman Smitherman was appointed in July 2011 to fill the vacancy following Michael L. Williams' resignation from the Commission in March 2011, and is currently running for election to complete that unexpired term. Commissioner Garcia was appointed in April 2012 to fill the vacancy following Elizabeth Ames Jones' resignation from the Commission in February 2012 but is not a candidate in the current election for that seat.
Effective October 1, 2005, as a result of House Bill 2702 the rail oversight functions of the Railroad Commission were transferred to the Texas Department of Transportation. The traditional name of the Commission was not changed despite the loss of its titular regulatory duties.
Read more about this topic: Railroad Commission Of Texas
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