Cecil Bell Jr.

Cecil Ivan Bell Jr. (born May 17, 1962) is a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 3, which encompasses Waller County and a portion of populous Montgomery County in Southeast Texas.[1]

Cecil Ivan Bell Jr.
Member of the Texas House of Representatives
from the 3rd district
Assumed office
January 8, 2013
Preceded byErwin Cain (redistricted)
Personal details
Born (1962-05-17) May 17, 1962
Rosenberg, Texas, USA
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)Jo Ann Bell
ResidenceMagnolia
Montgomery County, Texas
OccupationGeneral contractor
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Army
RankMajor
UnitTexas State Guard

Politics

Bell serves on the Appropriations and Land & Resource Management committees and the subcommittee on Articles VI, VII & VIII.[2]

In January 2015, Bell introduced legislation, HB 623,[3] that prevents salary, pension, and other benefits from being paid to any Texas state employee who issues a same-sex marriage license. The bill included a provision to forestall legal action challenging the proposed law by mandating that state courts dismiss any such challenges and award court costs and attorney fees to the state.[4][5] The bill died in committee.[6]

Bell supports expanding career and technology training at public high schools so that students can enter the job market with a career certification but without following the college or university route.[7]

In 2015, Bell sought unsuccessfully to prohibit the State of Texas from complying with Obergefell v. Hodges, the United States Supreme Court legal opinion sanctioning same-sex marriage. In 2017, Bell introduced a more comprehensive bill to allow his state to declare federal laws and court decisions unconstitutional and therefore unenforceable within the boundaries of Texas. Bell has proposed that federal treaties and presidential executive orders be subject to state scrutiny to block actions which the state considers unconstitutional. The legislation would establish a 12-member Joint Legislative Committee on Constitutional Enforcement, with six members each from the House and the Texas State Senate, to consider federal actions in light of constitutional interpretation in 1787. "I think it is important for patriotic Americans to recognize the strength and necessity of our Constitution. It is also important that we defend that Constitution,” Bell told the Texas House Select Committee on State and Federal Power and Responsibility.[8][9]

Bell is a member of the Texas State Guard.[10]

Bell won his fourth legislative term in the general election held on November 6, 2018. With 48,562 votes (76 percent), he handily defeated Democrat Lisa Seger, who polled 15,314 (24 percent).[11]

On January 25, 2019, Bell, along with Steve Toth and Will Metcalf, filed House Bill 1042, which would require Texas schools and law enforcement agencies to establish active shooter response plans and law enforcement agencies to conduct annual drills while also requiring law enforcement to immediately contain or eliminate a threat.[12][13]

Bell authored a bill in the Texas House, HB 347 of the 86th Session, to ban the process of forced annexation by cities over suburban and rural areas. The bill will require a Texas city to get the approval of the people and businesses that are affected by the annexation. It passed both chambers of the Texas legislature and was signed by Governor Greg Abbott on May 24, 2019.[14][15]

Electoral history
2012[16]
2012 Texas House of Representatives, District 3 Republican Primary[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cecil Bell Jr. 7,249 56.90
Republican Bob Bagley 3,359 26.36
Republican Troy Bonin 2,133 16.74
2012 Texas House of Representatives, District 3 General Election[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cecil Bell Jr. 46,383 100


2014[19]
2014 Texas House of Representatives, District 3 Primary Election[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cecil Bell Jr. 11,761 100
2014 Texas House of Representatives, District 3 General Election[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cecil Bell Jr. 28,760 91.08
Libertarian Larry Parr 2,818 8.92
2016
Election Runners Votes %
2018
2018 Texas House of Representatives, District 3 General Election[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Cecil Bell Jr. 48,619 76.00
Democratic Lisa Seger 15,352 24.00


References
  1. "State Rep. Cecil Bell Jr. (R-Magnolia)". Texas Tribune. Retrieved May 27, 2013.
  2. Representatives, Texas House of. "Texas House of Representatives".
  3. "Bill Aims to Bar Issuance of Same-Sex Marriage Licenses". Texas Observer. 8 January 2015.
  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. "Texas Legislature Online - 84(R) History for HB 623". capitol.texas.gov. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  7. "Meet Cecil – Cecil Bell". Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  8. Chuck Lindell (April 13, 2017). "Could Texas nullify U.S. laws, rulings deemed unconstitutional?". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
  9. "Texas Legislature Online - 85(R) History for HB 2338". www.capitol.state.tx.us. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
  10. Fikac, Peggy (10 September 2017). "State lawmakers on the front lines of Harvey response". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  11. "Election Returns". Texas Secretary of State. November 6, 2018. Archived from the original on November 10, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  12. Rincon, Marialuisa. Henderson, Toth seek to enhance emergency response in hospitals; host a special threats seminar Friday, Houston Chronicle, January 25, 2019.
  13. Kent, Roy. Bill would require agencies to have plan for active shooter situations, Houston Chronicle, January 25, 2019.
  14. Owens, Autumn. Bill ending forced annexation becomes law, Weatherford Democrat, June 4, 2019.
  15. HB 347 86th Session Legislative Session, Texas Legislature Online, May 24, 2019.
  16. "Texas House of Representatives elections, 2012". ballotpedia.org. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  17. "2012 Republican Party Primary Election". elections.sos.state.tx.us. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  18. "Texas House of Representatives elections, 2012". ballotpedia.org. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  19. "Texas House of Representatives elections, 2014". ballotpedia.org. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  20. "2014 Republican Party Primary Election". elections.sos.state.tx.us. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  21. "2014 General Election". elections.sos.state.tx.us. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  22. "2018 General Election". Texas Secretary of State. Retrieved 2020-01-31.
Texas House of Representatives
Preceded by
Erwin Cain (redistricted)		 Texas State Representative for District 3
(Montgomery and Waller counties)
2013–		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
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