Kel Seliger

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kel Seliger was sworn in to the Texas Senate to serve the citizens of Senate District 31 on March 2, 2004 to complete the term of former Senator Teel Bivins of Amarillo. He was reelected to serve a full, four-year term on November 4, 2004. The district spans 26 counties from the Texas Panhandle to the Permian Basin and includes Amarillo, Midland, Odessa and Big Spring.

Born in Amarillo and raised in Borger, Senator Seliger is a graduate of Borger public schools and Dartmouth College. He is co-owner and executive vice-president of Lake Steel, Incorporated, a steel service center. He is also a licensed commercial pilot and flight instructor.

Senator Seliger was appointed by Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst to serve as Vice-Chair of the Criminal Justice Committee for the Seventy-ninth Texas Legislature. In addition, he was appointed to the Natural Resources, International Relations and Trade, and Administration Committees.

Although still in his first term, Senator Seliger has demonstrated an in-depth understanding of the major policy issues facing the 79th Legislature. Seliger filed and sponsored over 75 bills, 50 of which were passed in one form or another during the regular session of the 79th Legislature. As Vice-Chair of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, Senator Seliger passed House Bill 2577 requiring local law enforcement agencies to report to the state the reason for a peace officer's termination to protect the integrity of the state's law enforcement officers. This legislation will help prevent those peace officers with a history of poor performance or unethical behavior, termed "gypsy cops," from taking advantage of police departments that lack the resources to investigate their employment history.

Seliger's membership on the Senate Natural Resources Committee aided him in passing several important bills for West Texas. House Bill 2161 ensures that effective pipeline safety standards are in place for all construction work around oil and gas pipelines. It also establishes a program to safely address abandoned or orphaned oil and gas wells and includes considerations for potential future periods of decline in oil and gas prices. Additionally, House Bill 951 will establish a notice and remediation process for construction around pipelines.

His involvement has earned him recognition from respected organizations throughout the state. The Texas Municipal League presented him with the 2005 Distinguished Legislative Service Award for his dedication to protecting and promoting local control. Seliger was also the recipient of the 2005 Rural Legislator of the Year Award from the Association of Rural Communities in Texas for his work in passing meaningful legislation to aid rural communities.

Prior to election to the Senate, Seliger served four terms as Mayor of Amarillo and is also a former City Commissioner and member of the Civil Service Commission. He also served on former Texas Attorney General John Cornyn's Municipal Advisory Committee and, in 2002, he was appointed to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission by Governor Rick Perry. Senator Seliger is currently a member of the National Rifle Association, the Texas Farm Bureau, and the Harley-Davidson Owners Group.

Senator Seliger and his wife Nancy live in Amarillo with their two sons, Jonathan and Matthew.

Preceded by: Teel Bivins

Texas Senate, District 31 2004 -

Succeeded by: incumbent