Media Article, Press Release
By: Paul Burka and Patricia Kilday Hart
Brian McCall
He was an essential member of the insurgent Republican coalition—known as the ABCs, for “Anybody but Craddick”—that joined with the Democrats to unseat Speaker Tom Craddick. Until Craddick conceded defeat to Joe Straus, the ABCs’ choice to replace him, it appeared that McCall, a longtime Craddick critic who had twice sought the speakership himself, might never have the opportunity to put his manifold talents to use. For most of Craddick’s tempestuous six-year reign, McCall was relegated to legislative purgatory, so far from the center of the action that he had ample time to write a book about how recent Texas governors have exercised power. By the time he was finished, so was Craddick.
In the postrevolutionary House, McCall emerged as chairman of the Calendars Committee, the most important position after the speakership. Calendars is the gatekeeper committee, with life or death power over all bills; nothing can cause more resentment and turmoil than the perception that Calendars is treating members unfairly. When McCall got his assignment from Straus, the first thing he did was contact nearly every living former chairman of the committee to ask his advice. In a House with 76 Republicans and 74 Democrats, he made sure that he set equal numbers of Republican- and Democratic-sponsored bills for debate. Calendars generated less controversy than it had in years, restoring the expectation of fairness for all House members.
McCall and his fellow insurgents did not seek power for themselves; most are nearer the end of their legislative careers than the beginning. Rather, they sought to demolish the authoritarian, partisan model for the speakership that Craddick had created and replace it with one that was based on fairness rather than fear, on shifting power from the Speaker’s office back to the membership. A remarkable thing happened: It worked.
CHRISTY HOPPE / The Dallas Morning News
AUSTIN – Veteran Plano lawmaker Brian McCall, who was a leader of the move to depose Speaker Tom Craddick and restore a more bipartisan tenor to the Texas House, plans to announce Monday that he has decided not to seek re-election.
Dallas Morning News Suburban Editorial Board
Plano voters will notice something missing when they step into the voting both next year – the McCall name.
Collin County has been represented in Austin by Brian McCall for nearly two decades, but the veteran House member has announced that his current term will be his last.
The McCall name has commanded respect in Plano as well as through the state Capitol. His community can take pride in the person it has sent to Austin since 1991, both for what he accomplished and the way he did it with integrity.
Texas Monthly (Burka Blog)
I am sad to see the news that Brian McCall has decided not to run for reelection. Brian made the House better just by his presence. He was the gold standard for how a legislator should conduct himself. When he had a bill on the calendar, he put on a clinic about how to pass legislation, with clear explanations and irrefutable policy arguments. His integrity was spotless. His respect for the legislative process was total.
The Plano Chamber of Commerce has named State Rep. Brian McCall as Citizen of the Year. He will be formally awarded next month at the chamber's annual gala, but we had a chance to visit with Brian one-on-one soon following the announcement.
On Tuesday, January 8th, Representative Brian McCall was surprised at a private cocktail when past Citizen of the Year recipients honored him as the 2007 Citizen of the Year.
For Immediate Release For More Information, December 17, 2007
Representative Brian McCall of Plano was a champion for more open government during the 80th Legislative
Representative Brian McCall of Plano passed an important court security bill during the 80th Legislative Session which allows the allocation of court security funds to protect associate judges who often handle some of the most emotionally charged cases, such as child custody battles.
In an effort to promote the use of fuel cells as an energy alternative, State Representative Brian McCall (R - Plano) has filed a bill that proposes eliminating sales taxes associated with the sale, use, or other consumption of nonvehicular fuel cells. As introduced, House Bill 646 hopes to encourage the use of fuel cells as an electricity source thereby increasing electricity efficiency, reducing the number of traditional power consumers and reducing air pollution.
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