Jane Gray Nelson (born October 5, 1951) is an American businesswoman and former educator who represents Texas Senate District 12, encompassing parts of Denton and Tarrant counties. She was elected to the Senate in 1992 after serving two two-year terms (1988–1992) on the

Texas State Board of Education The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is the branch of the government of Texas responsible for public education in Texas in the United States.

. Governor Greg Abbott has announced his intention to nominate Nelson to succeed John B. Scott as Secretary of State in 2023.

Texas Senate

Nelson is the highest-ranking Republican woman in the Texas Senate. The tenth woman ever elected to the Texas Senate, she was the first Republican woman ever appointed chair of a standing committee and now holds the distinction of being longest-serving chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee in Texas history. In 2015, she was appointed chair of the Senate Finance Committee, being the first woman to hold the position in the history of the Texas Senate. She also serves as chair of the

Sunset Advisory Commission The Sunset Advisory Commission is an agency of the Texas Legislature that evaluates state agencies and makes recommendations to the legislature on the need for, performance of, and improvements to agencies under review. The commission is headquar ...

. During the 2013 legislative session, Nelson authored 40 bills that were passed into law by the Legislature, and she served as the Senate sponsor on 30 successful bills authored by House members. She served on 19 conference committees, including for SB 1, the appropriations bill. Nelson chaired the Article II workgroup, which increased the women's health budget by $100 million and made significant new investments in mental health and Child Protective Services. In October 2019, the Texas Parent Teacher Association named Nelson a Texas PTA Champion for Children for her leadership during the 86th Legislative Session.

Senate Health and Human Services Committee

In July 2013, Nelson presided over a 16-hour hearing on an abortion bill that drew testimony from over 3,800 people, including 357 who provided oral testimony. The bill, HB 3, sought to ban abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The bill also required abortion facilities to upgrade to ambulatory surgical standards.

Retirement from the Texas Senate

In July 2021, Nelson announced she will not seek an 11th term to the Texas Senate.

Senate Finance Committee

In 2014 Senator Nelson was appointed chair of the Senate Finance Committee, the first woman of either party to hold that position. In that capacity she authored four state budgets. Her chairmanship ended in January 2022. In June 2022, the Senate Finance committee dedicated its conference room to Senator Nelson in her honor.

References

External links

Campaign website

State legislative pageProject Vote Smart - Senator Jane Gray Nelson (TX)
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Politifact Check Senator Jane Gray Nelson (TX)
*''Follow the Money'' - Jane Nelson
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campaign contributions * {{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Jane 1951 births Living people Presidents pro tempore of the Texas Senate Republican Party Texas state senators People from Flower Mound, Texas American businesspeople Women state legislators in Texas 21st-century American politicians 21st-century American women politicians