Rep. King gives legislative update here

State Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian) gave a legislative update and field citizens’ questions during a town hall meeting at Clarendon College’s Bairfield Activity Center last Tuesday, October 26.

Redistricting following the 2020 US Census was King’s main reason for running for re-election last time, he said, and he felt like that was successfully accomplished for rural Texans.

King said the numbers show that Texas west of Interstate 35 should have 12.6 house seats, but the redistricting bill that was approved maintains 14 house seats in West Texas. King said his district had to give up three of its northern most counties along with Armstrong County but remains largely intact otherwise.

The representative said COVID-19 and February’s winter storm made the last regular legislative session very unusual because it cut down the time lawmakers had to consider bills. The governor subsequently called three special sessions of the legislature.

Responding to a question about the possibility of a fourth special session being called, King said such a session would only happen if the lieutenant governor “bullies” the governor into having one and that it would like be to call for election audits if it happens. King said he opposes such audits as they are unfunded mandates for counties and would not change the results of elections, which Republicans already won.

King said he was most proud of passing a bill this year that makes ovarian cancer tests covered by women’s insurance policies, something he has been working on for several sessions.

Asked about water planning in Texas and the Panhandle, King said he thought it was unlikely that the state would pursue building more traditional reservoirs. He did, however, say that he is interested in the possibility of desalinating brackish aquifers as a way to provide more water resources. Development of any such plans won’t happen soon though, he said, because the state as a whole “isn’t that thirsty enough yet.”

King objected to Governor Abbott’s ban prohibiting businesses from requiring employees to be vaccinated.

“This is a free market, and I’m a capitalist,” King said.

King also said he agreed with Sen. Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo) and his concerns about the state government encroaching on the powers of local governments.

“I think it’s a dictatorship, and I think it’s terrible,” King said. “There does seem to be a theme there, and I’m not sure when that became a Republican priority.”

King also objected to former President Donald Trump calling Sen. Seliger a RINO (Republican In Name Only), saying that Trump only said that because Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told him so.

“What’s a former president doing sticking his nose in state senate race anyway?” King asked.

King also addressed attempts in Austin to prohibit so-called “taxpayer funded lobbying,” which he said is when the Texas Municipal League, Texas Association of Counties, and other groups speak on behalf of mayors, judges, and school superintendents across the state so they don’t have to all drive to Austin to make their voices heard.

“I can tell you I don’t want to have to have 17 county judges and 57 school superintendents (from my district) in my office for 140 days during a session,” King said.