About Dennis Bonnen, R-Lake Jackson

The Honorable Dennis Bonnen, R-Lake Jackson,  was sworn in as Texas Speaker of the House on January 8, 2019. Elected to the post by his colleagues, Speaker Bonnen set an early tone for unity among the House Chamber by empowering Members to work together to achieve meaningful results that address the state’s most pressing issues. Speaker Bonnen believes in productive, efficient government that remains accountable to Texans while casting aside politics in favor of finding real solutions.

Speaker Bonnen served in the Texas House of Representatives for 24 years, representing the 25th House district that encompasses southern Brazoria County and the entirety of Matagorda County. First elected to the Legislature at the age of 24, Bonnen joined the House in 1997 and began his twelfth term of office in January 2019.

Prior to becoming Speaker of the House, Dennis Bonnen served for  three legislative sessions as Speaker Pro Tempore. In the 84th and 85th sessions, he served as Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and in the 85th session as a member of the House Culture, Recreation & Tourism Committee. Speaker Bonnen previously served as Chairman of the Environmental Regulation Committee, Sunset Advisory Committee and the House Special Purpose Districts Committee, as Vice Chairman of the Joint Committee of Oversight of Higher Education Governance, Excellence and Transparency, and as a member of the Natural Resources Committee.