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State reps sit in "Hot Seat" at political panel event

ACU hosted a panel discussion moderated by The Texas Tribune's Evan Smith on Friday, March 22. State Senator Troy Fraser and state Representative Susan King discussed the eighty-third legislative session.

Among the topics addressed: the proposed expansion of the state's participation in the federal Medicaid program; negotiations surrounding adoption of the state's pending budget; and the creation of new water sources. The panelists also answered audience questions about specific bills, education spending and preventive health care.

A native of West Texas, Fraser was first elected to represent Senate District 24, a 21-county region, in 1996 and has previously served in the Texas House from 1988 to 1992. Fraser is chairman of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources, co-chairman of the Environmental Flows Advisory Group and has served on the Economic Development, Nominations and State Affairs committees.

First elected in 2006, King is serving her fourth term in the Texas House representing District 71, which includes Taylor, Jones and Nolan counties. King is co-owner and co-director of Elm Place Ambulatory Surgical Center in Abilene, where she is a practicing surgical nurse. She has served on the House Appropriations Committee, the Appropriations Article II Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, the Appropriations Subcommittee on Current Financial Condition, the House Public Health Committee and the House Administration Committee.

Universities across Texas host the Hot Seat conversation series in partnership with the Texas Tribune. The Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that promotes civic engagement and discourse on public policy, politics, government, and other matters of statewide concern.

Learn more about the ACU Department of Political Science

Watch the full Hot Seat conversation