Dateline: December 20, 2001

Estes draws committee slots

AUSTIN – Lieutenant Gov. Bill Ratliff last week announced changes in the Senate committee appointments following the swearing in of Sen. Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls).

Ratliff named Estes to the Senate standing committees on Intergovernmental Relations, Veterans Affairs and Military Installations, Nominations, and Natural Resources, including the Subcommittee on Agriculture.

Ratliff also added Estes to the Senate Agriculture Policy Board and announced he has also named Sen. Eddie Lucio (D-Brownsville) to serve on the board.

In other moves, the lieutenant governor appointed Sen. Todd Staples (R-Palestine) to fill the late Sen. Tom Haywood’s seat on the Senate Finance Committee after his resignation from the Senate Intergovernmental Affairs Committee.

Estes was sworn into office to fill Haywood’s seat in the Senate Chamber of the State Capitol last Monday by Gov. Rick Perry.