| State Representative Chris Turner has served Tarrant County in the Texas Legislature for five terms, representing parts of Arlington and Grand Prairie.
As state representative, Chris has worked to increase opportunity for all Texans. Chris created the Veterans Cash scratch-off ticket that has raised more than $120 million to aid Texas veterans. He also authored the constitutional amendment to create a 100% property tax exemption for surviving spouses of servicemembers killed in the line of duty.
In 2019, Chris brokered the deal to end the stalemate on Texas' major school finance legislation by crafting a statewide teacher pay raise plan that was ultimately supported by both the House and Senate. He was instrumental in Arlington and Grand Prairie passing payday lending ordinances that protect vulnerable Texans. He has authored laws that safeguard consumers from unexpected utility rate hikes and tenants from unscrupulous landlords.
In January 2019, Chris was appointed to serve as Chairman of the House Committee on Higher Education. In this role, he improved the transferability of college credits, passed laws to protect students from violence on and off campus and is working to lower the cost of college by expanding access to open educational resources.
Chris is serving his second term as Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, where he leads 67 members with a comprehensive strategic approach to advance better public policy.
Chris also serves as Vice Chair of the House Committee on Redistricting and is a member of the Committee on Insurance.
A lifelong Texan, Chris grew up in Dallas and has lived in Tarrant County for more than 20 years. Chris is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and works as a communications consultant when he is not working in the Legislature. Chris and his wife, Lisa, live in Grand Prairie with their rescue dogs, Cassie and Cora. |