Dallas & the Legislature: A Preview of the 85th

The Texas Tribune is pleased to present a series of events focusing on the major policy debates of the 85th Texas Legislature — and what they mean for one of the state’s largest cities and its surrounding communities.

Join us in person or on our livestream for the first installment of this series: a conversation about public education, immigration, health care, spending and taxes, and other consequential matters with state Sen. Don Huffines and state Rep. Rafael Anchia. Tribune Co-Founder and CEO Evan Smith will moderate.

Huffines, R-Dallas, has represented Senate District 16 since 2015. He serves as vice chairman of the Senate Veteran Affairs & Border Security Committee and sits on the Administration, Education, Intergovernmental Relations and Natural Resources & Economic Development committees. Previously, he served as a delegate to the 2008 and 2012 Republican National Conventions. Huffines is the co-founder of the Huffines Communities, a real estate development company.

Anchia, D-Dallas, has represented House District 103 since 2005. He serves as chairman of the House International Trade & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee and sits on the Pensions and State & Federal Power & Responsibility committees. Anchia is also a managing partner of Civitas Capital, a private equity firm, and is of counsel for the Haynes and Boone law firm.

This event will be held in the Community Room in the Mabel Peters Caruth Center at the Communities Foundation of Texas campus in Dallas (map). Visitor parking is available in the parking lot just south of the building. The event is free and open to the public and includes a light breakfast.

The conversation will also be livestreamed at texastribune.org/livestream starting at 8 a.m., and the video will be accessible for viewing afterward.

The "Dallas & the Legislature" series is sponsored by Vistra Energy, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, The University of Texas at Arlington, Texas Central, the Texas State Alliance of YMCAs and Southwest Airlines, the official airline of Texas Tribune Events. The series is hosted by the Communities Foundation of Texas. Foundation support is provided by the Dallas Women's Foundation, the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas and the Simmons Sisters Fund of the Dallas Foundation. Media support is provided by The Dallas Morning News and KERA. Tribune events are also supported through contributions from our founding investors and members.

Disclosure: Though donors and corporate sponsors underwrite our events, they play no role in determining the content, panelists or line of questioning.