Cecil Bell Jr.

Cecil Bell Jr
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 3rd district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 2013
Preceded by Erwin Cain
Personal details
Born May 17, 1962
Rosenberg, Texas, USA
Nationality American
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Jo Ann
Residence Magnolia, Montgomery County

Texas

Occupation General Contractor
Religion Christian

Cecil Bell, Jr. (born May 17, 1962), is a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 3. He represents Waller County and part of Montgomery County in suburban Houston, Texas.

On May 29, 2012, Bell defeated Bob Bagley and Troy Bonin in the Republican primary election with 7,249 votes (57 percent) to Bagley's 3,359 (26 percent) and Bonin's 2,133 (17 percent). There was no Democratic candidate in the general election.[1] Freshman incumbent Erwin Cain did not seek re-election.

Representative Bell serves on the Appropriations and Economic & Small Business Development committees and the Subcommittee on Articles VI, VII & VIII.[2]

In January 2015, Bell introduced legislation, HB 623,[3] that attempts to strip the salary, pension, and other benefits from any Texas state employee who issues a same-sex marriage license. The bill includes a provision which attempts to immunize Texas from legal action challenging the proposed law by mandating that state courts dismiss any such challenges and award court costs and attorney's fees to the state.[4][5]

Bell is an advocate of expanding career and technology training at public high schools so that interested, motivated students can enter the job market without following the college or university route, for which they may be unsuited.[6]

References

  1. "State Rep. Cecil Bell Jr. (R-Magnolia)". texastribune.org. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  2. Texas House of Representatives
  3. http://www.texasobserver.org/bill-aims-to-bar-texas-clerks-from-issuing-same-sex-marriage-licenses/
  4. Baume, Matt (January 12, 2015). "More Sneaky Anti-Gay Laws Popping Up". Huffington Post. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  5. McGaughy, Lauren (January 8, 2015). "Same-sex marriage hearing all about timing for gay Texans". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  6. "Week 1: Report from the Texas Capitol", Austin Report, January 2015, p. 3; Gary Gates, president.