The Senate Committee on Nominations voted 5-0 to favorably report a slate of nominees left pending on the committee’s March 31 agenda to the full Senate and then heard introductions and questions for seven additional gubernatorial appointees to state boards and commissions.

The committee, chaired by Chairman Campbell, convened with a quorum and immediately proceeded to take the roll and vote. Vice Chair Hagenboo moved that the nominees left pending on March 31 be favorably reported; the motion passed on a recorded voice roll call: 5 ayes, 0 nays. The clerk recorded that the slate will move to the full Senate for confirmation.

Beyond that procedural vote, the committee took testimony from individual nominees and their introducers. Colonel Jerry K. Weldon II testified as the governor’s nominee to the Brazos River Authority Board of Directors, introduced by Senator Birdwell. Weldon described a lifelong connection to the Brazos River and summarized his management experience, saying he would bring a focus on “stewardship” and balancing legislative policy with resource management. Senators pressed Weldon on transparency and prioritization after a Sunset Commission review; Weldon said he supports publishing project priorities and working with the Legislature and the public to implement the commission’s findings.

Robert Vaughn, nominated to the Texas Transportation Commission, was introduced by Senator Parker. Vaughn discussed his private-sector background and service on the commission since his 2019 appointment, saying, “I try to approach things from a customer’s perspective,” and highlighted work to expand funding for rural transportation projects.

Doug McCregan, nominated to the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents and introduced by Senator Middleton, briefed the panel on his small-business background and community involvement. Senators questioned him about the board’s customers — students and the state — and his commitment to state policy and workforce development. McCregan said he would prioritize workforce partnerships and compliance with state law.

Jody Giles, nominated for reappointment to the University of Texas System Board of Regents and introduced by Senator Alvarado, summarized his prior board service and said the UT System’s government-relations work and Permanent University Fund support capital projects and operations. He told senators he would follow state law and work with the Legislature on system priorities.

Bernadette Carrasco Coleman, nominated for reappointment to the Texas Woman’s University Board of Regents and introduced by Vice Chair Hagenboo, described her service as chair of the system’s Academic Affairs Committee and emphasized TWU’s small-student‑faculty ratio, community partnerships and new private-public programs such as an on-campus preschool that she said will help student-parents.

John Rutherford appeared for reappointment to the Board of Trustees of the Teacher Retirement System (TRS). Introduced by Vice Chair Hagenboo on behalf of Senator Huffman, Rutherford described his investment‑banking background and prior public‑pension board experience and said he views TRS as a “world-class organization” with a culture that supports fiduciary oversight. Senators asked about the board’s role in keeping the pension system solvent and communicating technical investment matters in plain English to trustees and the public.

Brig. Gen. Michael L. “Mike” Boyd testified for appointment to the Texas Military Preparedness Commission, introduced by Vice Chair Hagenboo on behalf of Senator Perry. Boyd outlined TMPC responsibilities, including grant programs and base‑community projects aimed at retention and readiness. He told the committee the commission manages Texas appropriations and grant cycles that have leveraged federal funds, and highlighted childcare, K‑12 school capacity and spouse licensure as retention issues for military families.

Members closed public testimony after a brief public-comment roll call and left the more recent nominees pending, subject to the chair’s call. The committee recorded that the slate left pending on March 31 is favorably reported to the full Senate and that the individual nominees introduced during the hearing will be considered in future committee action.

Votes at a glance

- Motion: ‘‘That the nominees left pending on March 31 be favorably reported to the full Senate for confirmation.’’ Moved by Vice Chair Hagenboo. Outcome: approved, 5 ayes, 0 nays. (Recorded roll call; no second recorded.)

What this matters

The committee’s favorable reporting of the March 31 slate sends those nominees to the full Senate for final confirmation. The individual nominees introduced at this hearing will remain pending before the committee; senators used the hearing to probe nominees on board priorities, transparency, environmental and water quality issues, higher‑education governance, pension stewardship and military-community retention needs. The discussions highlight issues the full Senate or future committee votes may address when each nomination returns for final action.

Members who spoke during the hearing included Chairman Campbell, Vice Chair Hagenboo, Senators Alvarado, Birdwell, Eckhart, Sparks and others. Nominees introduced included Jerry K. Weldon II (Brazos River Authority), Robert Vaughn (Texas Transportation Commission), Doug McCregan (Texas Tech Board of Regents), Jody Giles (University of Texas System Board of Regents), Bernadette Carrasco Coleman (Texas Woman’s University Board of Regents), John Rutherford (Teachers Retirement System Board of Trustees) and Brig. Gen. Michael L. Boyd (Texas Military Preparedness Commission).