EFFECTIVE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATOR:

Burt leads the debate
Burt leads the debate on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives

Since his first Legislative Session in January of 1995, Burt has passed over 100 pieces of important legislation signed by Governors Bush and Perry • Created the “no-call” list that allows citizens to request that telephone marketing calls not be made to their phone • Improved the state’s jury system • Required disclosure to home buyers regarding homeowner association restrictions • Increased punishment for people possessing fake Texas Driver’s License • Allowed disabled persons to pay their property taxes in installments • Exempted retirement money in Roth IRAs from seizure by a creditor • Allowed Denton County the option of creating a coordinated county transportation authority to reduce traffic congestion resulting in the establishment of the Denton County Transportation Authority • Saved taxpayer dollars by updating state law on government purchasing requirements • Mandated that criminals pay for some of the costs of their confinement • Authored Proposition 8 which will ensure home equity lending remains a viable tool for the homeowners of Texas • Co-Authored proposition 11 that requires legislators to cast record votes to ensure transparency and accountability in the legislative process

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION BILLS

We got many calls concerning the illegal immigration bills in State Affairs - please see the letter of response below that was sent from the Representative during the 81st Legislative session. 

Burt is a strong Republican who supports tougher illegal immigration reform

"Thank you for your email inquiry on the status of the illegal immigration legislation in the House Committee on State Affairs. The Committee is comprised of fifteen members and oversees a wide range of general public policy issues affecting the State of Texas including, but not limited to, electricity, telecommunications, state agencies, as well as the illegal immigration issue.  Currently there are 300 bills that have been referred to the House Committee on State Affairs, and we anticipate that number to continue to grow daily.

To answer your question, the Committee staff is reviewing all the filed bills this session that are related to illegal immigration in order to obtain a complete picture of what is being proposed by a number of legislators. We are also attending to all the other bills in the Committee.  As Chairman Solomons stated before, we will have a public hearing in April on illegal immigration.

Chairman Solomons supports the discussion and passage of properly drafted and constitutional legislation addressing the issue of illegal immigration.  Last session, his “eligibility of work” legislation was the only bill that was voted out of the State Affairs Committee (and, he was NOT on the State Affairs Committee last session). It died in the Calendars Committee. No other illegal immigration bills even received a hearing in the State Affairs Committee last session. This session he filed two bills addressing this issue (HB 128 and HB 3949).  

Attorney General Abbot has ruled that any broad-sweeping illegal immigration measures will be preempted by the federal government and, that if the State does pass any such legislation, it must be done with the utmost care and narrowly drawn to be upheld by the courts. The State Affairs Committee staff is working with the Attorney General's office, Speaker's office, Lt. Governor's office and Governor's office to most appropriately address this issue.

In the meantime, Chairman Solomons fully supports the Governor and his initiatives to establish better border security and strengthen our outposts in eliminating the porous border.  Also, the Committee on Border & Intergovernmental Affairs is hearing the border gang violence issues.

As Chairman of the House State Affairs Committee, it is his responsibility to perform due diligence on all proposed bills to be considered by the Committee and have the Committee help craft public policy that benefits all Texans. Thank you for your input and I will have the Committee staff log your support for the bills you mentioned."
 

DEDICATED TO FAMILY AND COMMUNITY:

Married to Jamie Solomons, daughter Haley • Former Denton County Republican Party Recording Secretary, • Real Estate and Business Lawyer • General Counsel for Greater Lewisville Association of Realtors • Former Denton Assistant City Attorney • Former Municipal Judge, City of Carrollton • Former Alternate Municipal Judge, cities of Lewisville and Flower Mound • Former President, Texas Municipal Courts Association • Charter Director of Boys & Girls Club of Denton County • Member currently of Lewisville, Frisco, and Coppell Chambers of Commerce • Advisory Board Member of the Children's Advocacy Center for Denton County • Supporter of Communities in Schools

HARD WORKING REPUBLICAN:

  • Advisory Board Member of GOPAC-TX
  • State Vice Chairman for Leadership Texas ’96
  • Former President, Denton County Republican Men’s Club
  • Former Precinct Chair (215)
  • Former Election Judge for several elections
  • Delegate to Republican State Convention, 1992 & 1994
  • Republican Precinct Chairman, 1992-1993
  • Member of the Texas House Republican Caucus
  • Host/Sponsor of the North Texas Conference for 11 years

Strong supporter of President Bush, Sen. John Cornyn, Congressmen Kenny Marchant and Michael Burgess, State Senator Jane Nelson 

TELEMARKETING WATCHDOG:

Burt passed and Governor Perry signed HB 472, which strongly regulates telemarketing calls to your house. Burt’s bill allows citizens to put their name on a state “no-call” list which blocks telemarketing calls. This bill became a model for the federal no-call list, and both the state and federal no-call lists work together.

EDUCATION:

B.A., Texas Tech University, 1972

M.P.A, Southern Methodist University, 1973

J.D., University of Tulsa, 1978

Fellow of the UT Program on Dispute Resolution

 

PROFESSIONAL CAREER:

Practice in General Law, 1986 – Present • Of Counsel - Bell, Nunnally & Martin, LLP (Present) • Assistant Legal Counsel for Hexter-Fair Title Company, 1983-86 • General Counsel for Lawyers Title Insurance Company of Denton, 1981-83 • Legal Counsel to Greater Lewisville Association of Realtors, Inc. • Served as Alternate Legal Counsel to Greater Dallas Association of Realtors • Assistant City Attorney/Acting City Attorney, City of Denton, 1978-81 • Administrative Assistant, City of Richardson, 1973-75 • Presiding Municipal Judge, City of Carrollton, April 1987 - April 17, 1993 • Associate Municipal Judge, City of Lewisville, 1993-94 • Associate Municipal Judge, Town of Flower Mound, 1993-94