Gary Wayne Elkins (born March 15, 1955), is a businessman from Houston, Texas, who is a Republican former member of the Texas House of Representatives.[1] From 1995, with the advent of the George W. Bush gubernatorial administration, until 2019, Elkins represented District 135 in Harris County.[2]
Gary Wayne Elkins | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 135th district | |
| In office January 10, 1995 – January 8, 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Dalton Smith |
| Succeeded by | Jon Rosenthal |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 15, 1955 Houston, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse | Julie Ann Brown Elkins |
| Children | 4 |
| Residence(s) | Jersey Village, Texas, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Southwestern Assemblies of God University (BS) |
| Occupation | Businessman |
Elkins won his eleventh term in the state House in the general election held on November 4, 2014, when he defeated Democrat Moiz A. Abbas of Houston.[1] He won his twelfth term on November 8, 2016, with 26,685 votes (47.7 percent). He was unseated in his bid for a thirteenth term by Democrat Jon Rosenthal, who polled 28,430 votes (50.8 percent). Another 866 votes (1.5 percent) went to the Libertarian Party candidate, Paul Bilyeu.[3]
Background
editElkins graduated in 1974 from Bellaire High School in the Bellaire section of Houston. He subsequently earned a Bachelor of Science in Practical Theology from the private Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxachachie in Ellis County in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. He has worked in real estate[1][4] and since 1985 has owned Personal Credit Corporation, which operates a dozen payday-lending locations in Houston. He is a long-term legislative opponent of attempts to regulate his own industry.[5]
Elkins and his wife, the former Julie Ann Brown, have four children, Crystal Boyd, Jeremy Ross Elkins, and Grace and Rachael Elkins, and as of 2014, four grandchildren. The couple resides in the Jersey Village section of Houston.[4] He is a member of the Faith Assembly of God Church in Houston.[1]
Political life
editLegislative voting records
editInterest group ratings
editElection to twelfth term, 2016
editElkins won his twelfth term in the state House in the general election held on November 8, 2016. With 32,682 votes (54.9 percent), he defeated Democrat Jesse A. Ybanez, who drew 26,905 (45.2 percent).[8]
In 2017, Representative Elkins introduced HB 3418, which would make it more difficult for local governments to designate historic landmarks. According to the historic preservation group, Preservation Texas, Inc., the legislation would make it easier for the owners of previously-designated landmarks to uproot those facilities. It would limit public input in the zoning process and impede local governments in the passage of zoning regulations. Texas municipalities have long depended on zoning ordinances as well as historic resource surveys, and tax incentives to assist in the preservation of historic landmarks. The bill is pending before the House Urban Affairs Committee.[needs update][9][better source needed]
In popular culture
editOne of Elkins's attempts to defeat payday loan industry regulation, in which fellow Representative Vicki Truitt pointed out his conflict of interest in being opposed to it while owning several payday loans himself, was featured in an episode 14, season 1, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver segment on payday loans.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Gary Elkins' Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
- ^ "Gary Elkins". Texas Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
- ^ "Election Returns". Texas Secretary of State. November 6, 2018. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved November 20, 2018.
- ^ a b "State Rep. Gary W. Elkins District 135 (R-Houston)". The Texas Tribune. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
- ^ Editorial Board (2017-04-07). "Don't ban lobbyists from elected office". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 2019-11-23.
- ^ M. Fernandez (June 25, 2013). "Filibuster in Texas Senate Tries to Halt Abortion Bill". The New York Times. Retrieved March 9, 2014.
- ^ "Texas Voter ID Officially Takes Effect, October 21, 2013". The Huffington Post. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
- ^ "Election Results". Texas Secretary of State. November 8, 2016. Retrieved December 18, 2016.
- ^ "HB 3418", Preservation, Texas, Inc., March 28, 2017.
- ^ John Oliver (October 14, 2014). Predatory Lending: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) (Video) (YouTube). New York: HBO. Event occurs at 7:42. Retrieved June 4, 2017.