Voice of the Conservative Vote: Geanie Morrison

State Representative Geanie W. Morrison, R-District 30, is currently serving her eighth term in the Texas Legislature. The south Texas district includes DeWitt, Jackson, Lavaca, Refugio, and Victoria counties.

For the 83rd Legislative Session, Representative Morrison was appointed to chair the House Committee on Elections, and serve as a member of the House Committee on Insurance. During the 82nd Legislative Session, Representative Morrison was appointed to the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education. She also served as the vice-chair of the House Committee on Human Services. Representative Morrison served as the chair of the House Committee on Higher Education for three Legislative Sessions.

During her service on the Juvenile Justice and Family Issues Committee, Representative Morrison authored the Country's first Baby Moses legislation, which provides desperate mothers a responsible alternative to newborn abandonment. Since its passage in 1999, all 50 states have implemented similar measures, and hundreds of newborns have been saved nationwide - nearly 100 in the state of Texas.

Representative Morrison has been recognized by the Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators as Legislator of the Year and received the Texas Higher Education Leadership Star Award from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. In addition, Representative Morrison has been recognized for her commitment to education with the Distinguished Service Award, presented by the Texas Regional Collaboratives, received the Educational Testing Services Legislative Excellence in Education Award, the Texas Community College Teachers Association Legislator of the Year Award, and was recognized as one of South Texas' Women of the Year. On November 18, 2008, the Boy Scouts of America South Texas Council honored Representative Morrison with their Distinguished Citizen Award. She also received the Victoria Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Citizen of the Year award in 2009. Additionally in 2009 and 2011, Representative Morrison was awarded the Texas Taxpayer Advocate Award by Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, and she earned a 100% rating by the Texas Conservative Coalition for fulfilling her responsibility to the “Pledge with Texans” initiative.

Community involvement has been, and continues to be a very important part of Representative Morrison’s life. Her 15-year commitment to the Junior League of Victoria allowed Geanie to be involved in such worthwhile causes as "Making the Grade" and "Great Expectations."

During this time, she worked closely with the youth of her community to ensure that they understood their importance as an individual and that education is essential to open the doors of opportunity. As Chair of the "Great Expectations" program, she worked with pregnant teens, helping them to finish high school and pursue a college education that would provide them with the training necessary to support their family.

Prior to running for state Representative, Geanie served on the Governor's staff as the Executive Director of the Governor's Commission for Women that also housed volunteerism. She also served on the Texas Commission for Volunteerism and Community Service and the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission, both of which were appointments by then Governor George W. Bush.