Dallas morning news voter guide texas state senator district 8 democrat

1. Age and contact information
Age: 45
Address: 2701 W. 15th Street #564, Plano , TX
Campaign or Work Phone Number: (972) 379-7881
Email address: Campaign@VoteBrianChaput.com
Web site: www.VoteBrianChaput.com
Age: 57
Address: 6009 West Parker R., Suite 149-126, Plano , TX
Campaign or Work Phone Number: (469) 298-9074
Email address: Campaign@markphariss.com
Web site: www.markphariss.com
 
Texas State Senator - District 8
Select candidates from the list below to compare their answers to our questionnaire:
 Note: Based on your address of McKinney Springs or party selection, you’re not eligible to
vote in this race.
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss
D

2. Social media
Twitter: Answer not available
Facebook: www.facebook.com/votebrianchaput
Twitter: @markphariss
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MarkPharissforTexas/
Occupation/main source of income:
Senior Product Development and Engineering Manager
Attorney.
Education (include all degrees):
Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Dallas.
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering with a Minor in History from Washington University
in Saint Louis.
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss
Brian Chaput

3. Westminster College, B.A., 1982
Vanderbilt Law School, J.D., 1985
Highlights of current civic involvement/accomplishment:
Member of Plano Chamber of Commerce.
Through the Plano Masonic Lodge & Dallas Scottish Rite: Adopt-a-Highway, blood drives, Fantastic
Teeth, Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, and scholarship committee for student scholarships.
I coach youth soccer and softball on my children’s teams, and I am a member of the PTA at their
school. I actively participate on community adult soccer teams and running clubs as well as support
and participate in various charitable races and marathons. My wife and I are members of the Krewe
of Orpheus.
My family and I volunteer through our Temple in many small ways including Dallas White Rock Lake
cleanup, North Texas Shared Ministries volunteering, VNA Meals on Wheels, North Texas Food
Bank, community outreach, and Family Gateway.
I serve on the Board of Directors of two organizations: TeamSA Endowment, a fund that supports
the programs of San Antonio Sports (formerly the San Antonio Sports Foundation), and Equality
Texas, an organization that pursues full equality for all Texans. For the past three years, from
January 2014 to December 2017, I served on the Board of Directors of The Family Place, a Dallas-
based organization that provides safe housing, counseling services, and skills training to the victims
of domestic violence.
One of my greatest civic accomplishments was successfully suing the State of Texas in October
2013 (along with my now husband, Vic Holmes, and our co-plaintiffs, Cleopatra DeLeon and Nicole
Dimetman) to allow same-sex couples to marry the person they love in the state they love. More
importantly, we were able to talk to our fellow Texans and explain why we should be treated just
like every other Texan who cares for their family.
Highlights of past civic involvement/accomplishment:
Mark Phariss
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss

4. Chairman and 5-year member of Plano’s Heritage Commission.
Past Master of Plano Masonic Lodge #768, including 9 years as an of cer.
Board Member and Of cer of North Texas Masonic Historical Museum & Library.
In 1985, I moved to San Antonio as a new lawyer without knowing anyone other than a couple
relatives. In order to meet people, I volunteered with a variety of organizations and committees,
including the Sports Committee of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce. The Sports
Committee was tasked with bringing amateur sporting events to San Antonio both to encourage
tourism and to promote healthy habits among San Antonio’s youth. Eventually, the Sports
Committee determined that a separate non-pro t was needed to accomplish these goals so I
helped incorporate San Antonio Sports (then called the San Antonio Sports Foundation) in 1986.
I served as the pro bono outside General Counsel for San Antonio Sports from its beginning until I
moved to Dallas in 2002, and served on its Board during the entire time. As a result, I worked on
numerous events for San Antonio Sports, including the 1989 AAU Junior Olympics, the 1993
Olympic Festival, the1998 NCAA Final Four, and the bid for the 2007 Pan Am Games. In total, San
Antonio Sports has helped generate more than $446 million for San Antonio’s community, and
more importantly helped encourage San Antonio’s youth to lead healthier lives.
As part of San Antonio’s efforts to obtain the 2007 Pan Am Games, I helped draft (along with the
late Ray Hutchinson) SB 546, legislation that enabled San Antonio to bid on the 2007 Pan Am
Games and the cities of Dallas and Houston to bid on the 2012 Olympics. The legislation was
sponsored by the late State Sen. Frank Madla and signed into law in 1999 by then Gov. George W.
Bush. That legislation has since helped provide funding for a variety of local events, not just in San
Antonio but also across the state.
My involvement in helping found San Antonio Sports and in helping pass SB 546 are two of my
proudest achievements. As a result of my efforts, in December 2017 I was awarded a Lifetime
Membership with San Antonio Sports, an incredible and humbling honor.
Previous public offices sought or held:
Chairman of Plano's Heritage Commission by appointment.
I have never sought an elected of ce before.
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss

5. NA
How much funding have you raised for your campaign?
Over $75,000
In the three weeks after I led in December, I raised over $60,000 from 225 contributors.
Who are your top three contributors?
Eric Ratinoff, Laurence Scott, & Greg Hensley
Morgan Cox, Texas Equity PAC, and Jeff Thomas and Richard Garcia, DDS
Have you ever been arrested or involved in any criminal
proceedings? If so, please explain:
I have never been involved in any criminal proceedings. I was once arrested when I was in college
for being under 21 and in a restaurant for dinner that served liquor. I was with other students who
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss
Brian Chaput

6. were under 21, and we didn’t have an adult chaperone. I spent the night in jail hoping the charge
would be dropped against me immediately. While I had to wait it out and hire a lawyer, the charge
was dropped. I learned a lot about the consequence and long-term stigma associated with simply
being arrested. To those charged and convicted, I have a yearning to bring real and effective reform
to our criminal justice system. While this is not a legislative priority of mine personally, I would
support activity to improve a system that can dramatically alter one’s life without any safety net.
No.
Have you ever been involved in any civil lawsuits or
declared personal or professional bankruptcy? If so, please
explain:
I have never been involved in a civil lawsuit. I have never declared bankruptcy.
I have never declared personal or professional bankruptcy. My husband, Vic Holmes, and I were
one of the two couples that, in October 2013, successfully sued the State of Texas to marry the
person we love in the state we love. The case was initially titled DeLeon v. Perry, but subsequently
was retitled DeLeon v. Abbott. The district court rendered a decision in our favor in February 2014,
and the Fifth Circuit rendered a decision in our favor in July 2015 after the Supreme Court’s
Obergefell decision.
What is an example of how you led a team or group
toward achieving an important goal?
My life has numerous examples of my collaborative leadership style in my civic work, Masonic
af liation, sports teams, education, and professional career. Because engineers are an enigma in
Mark Phariss
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss
Brian Chaput

7. the political world, I will use my professional science and engineering experience for this example
to demonstrate key characteristics that would be greatly bene cial in government representation.
Engineering and product development is a world of innovation, and I am the leader who oversees
and manages a team of innovators. The novelty is in the engineering of a solution where none
existed before. We use our experience and training with the tools available to us, ask and seek the
assistance and review of our peers, push design into the far corners of what is possible, and
continuously learn and grow.
In one engagement, I was asked to resolve a design issue on a new laser optical measurement
device. My client envisioned a single product replacing various tools and processes commonly used
to measure facial features. Their rst prototype could never maintain its measurement calibration
outside the lab. After listening to their vision, problems, cost goals, and user experience, I
understood the fundamental physical issue breaking the accuracy of the measurement and was
able to propose a new product solution including a custom optical lens component. We partnered
with industrial designers to provide the product scale, colors, and texture to meet our client’s
vision, and my team and I engineered the electronics, mechanics, optics, software, test, and
production tools to build the product at the cost target. The product contained many new
innovations that were turned into intellectual property and became patentable ideas. My team
worked with our local manufacturer to source, assemble, test, and ship to the client’s forecast and
schedule.
I have done this dozens of times a year for the past 24 years and am successful because of my high
level of expertise in combining resources to solve problems. Every product we touch is important as
it will go into our communications infrastructure, medical products, industrial tools, energy sector,
transportation, defense, consumer electronics, and computing and storage devices that are used all
over the world. The team I lead works across multiple technical disciplines in conceptualization,
creation, and manufacturing while I collaborate with people worldwide for the duration of the
project. The products we make save lives and improve quality-of-life in addition to achieving a
nancial return on its investment. My co-workers and my team make the day-to-day work fun and
ultimately successful.
I have been a business attorney for over 32 years, and my career of helping businesses grow is the
best example of how I lead a team towards achieving an important goal.
When I was in private practice (1985 – 1999), I helped individuals start and grow their businesses
by helping them incorporate, obtain bank and Small Business Administration (SBA) nancing, buy
assets, draft and negotiate sales contracts, sell stock privately, acquire additional businesses, go
public, and comply with securities laws.
Eventually, one of my clients, RailTex, a publicly traded railroad holding company that I rst assisted
as a young attorney, rising in time to become its lead outside attorney, hired me in-house. Since
then, as an in-house business attorney (1999 to present), I have worked on thousands of
transactions--acquisitions, mergers, and nancings--and worked on other initiatives that have
enabled my client, my employer, to accomplish its growth objectives. As part of that process, I have
often led a legal department team and worked with others from many other departments. I have
always known, however, that I couldn't (and didn’t) accomplish any of my client's objectives on my
own.
A speci c example comes from work I performed pro bono from 1998 through 2002 for the Pan
Am Games Local Organizing Committee (LOC). As the LOC's outside General Counsel, I persuaded
a group of San Antonio law rms to provide legal services free of charge to the LOC in the event the
LOC won its bid for the 2007 Pan Am Games--with each rm bearing only a portion of the
responsibility for the legal services (i.e., one rm would provide free tax advice, another free real
Mark Phariss

8. estate advice, etc.). Although Rio de Janeiro was ultimately awarded the 2007 Pan Am Games, I was
pleased to be a part of the team, including the team of law rms, that were willing to help make San
Antonio’s bid a reality.
Why are you running for this office?
I am a regular person, not a politician. But as I listened to my friends and neighbors express their
frustration and dissatisfaction with the rhetoric and partisan polarization of the Texas Senate I
realized our representatives no longer speak for the real constituents of our district.
I see many of our legislators openly ignoring the pleas of the people they are supposed to
represent. I see them treating fellow legislators not as fellow Texans working toward a solution for
all our citizens, but as opponents they can treat without inclusion, respect, or civility.
I am running to bring the voice of the real people from this district to Austin – real people who want
legislators to work together to solve the complex problems we face today in Texas, not impose
extreme ideologies on our state. I also do not take for granted the simple dignity of being a moral
and upright citizen. The people of Texas deserve representatives who will act and govern with
sel essness, faith, charity, and a sense of fairness and justice.
In the months leading up to the ling deadline, I spent my time listening to everyone I could from all
over this area. I have heard their complaints and their ideas for what we need to do better. My
legislative agenda is rooted in those conversations, and in the priorities of the people I hope to
represent.
I am running for the Texas Senate because, as a proud Texan for the past 32 years, I care deeply
about my state and want to help make Texas a better place for all Texans.
Giving back to my community was an obligation instilled in me from a very early age. My mother,
who was deeply religious, taught me (and my siblings) to assist “the least of these.” (Matthew
25:40.) During the holiday season, she would take my siblings and me to visit shut-ins and those in
nursing homes, where we sang Christmas carols and distributed cookies, candies, and fudge my
mother helped us make. My years as a Boy Scout--and as a God & Country Awardee, Eagle Scout,
and Order of the Arrow member--also taught me to “do a good turn daily.” I’ve tried to implement
those youthful lessons throughout my adult life. Serving as a State Senator is just one more way I
feel I can give back to my community.
I am also running because I believe some members of the Collin County delegation have been
voting to underfund our public schools and divert money to private schools. I will be a Senator who
supports our public school system, supports the growth of good jobs, opposes policies that hurt
Texas’ reputation and competitiveness, and promotes sensible pro-business policies for our
community and its workers. And I will strive to be a partner with our locally elected of cials,
schools, chambers of commerce and citizens to help make Texas and Collin County better, rather
than pursue policies and legislation that make it more dif cult for them to succeed,
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss

9. Serving one’s state and country isn’t about attacking people different from oneself or about
ignoring the everyday needs of one’s neighbors. It should be about the humble work of ensuring our
state is run responsibly, with consideration for the generations to follow, so that all Texans can
focus on their families and futures.
Why should voters choose you over your opponent?
I moved to this district when I was 8 years old because my family saw promise in its great public
schools, strong job opportunities, and future growth. I am the bene ciary of that promise – I
graduated from Plano Senior High School, work for a great company right here, and send my two
children to our public schools.
But, ideologically-fueled decisions being made in Austin threaten the promise of this district and
every district in the state, especially when it comes to public education and economic growth.
This is why voters should choose me. I bring the thoughtful, pragmatic problem-solving skills of an
engineer to the complex problems we face. As an ardent advocate of public education, I have spent
the last year listening to real people in the district, especially our educators, to gain the deep
understanding needed to support public schools across our state.
As a business attorney for the past 32 years, I believe I can bring common sense solutions to Austin.
The legislature needs to refocus its attention on our state's important issues--like properly funding
education, attracting good jobs, and reducing traf c congestion--and avoid policies that hurt our
state's reputation and competitiveness, like bathroom bills. Classrooms, not bathrooms, will
determine our children's and our state's future.
I believe my background as a business attorney, my past work on behalf of amateur sports and
tourism, and my involvement in the marriage equality litigation show that I will work for a better
Texas. My background also shows I will ght for what is right, including full equality and
opportunity for all Texans, but will still listen to and talk respectfully with other Texans who may
have differing opinions.
Length of residency in Texas and, if applicable, your
district:
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss

10. I have lived in this district and Texas for 37 years, since 1981. My wife, Rachel, is a native Texan and
life-long resident of this district, and my children are 6th generation Texans.
I have been a resident of Texas for over 32 years and have lived in my district for almost 14 years.
What political leader do you most admire and why?
Theodore Roosevelt is my most admired political leader. He proclaimed the Square Deal and fought
ercely for the rights of every citizen against corruption and greed that permeated the country. He
saw the good across America and worked to conserve it for all citizens. He advocated for suffrage,
transparency in government, strict controls on campaign spending and lobbying, and conservation
of public land.
The political leader I most admire is Winston Churchill. I attended undergrad at Westminster
College in Fulton, Missouri, where Winston Churchill gave his famous Iron Curtain Speech in 1946.
There, I took a class on Winston Churchill, and since then I have read most of the biographies about
him. My admiration is such that I have named two beagles after him, one Winston & another
Churchill, and a third after his wife, Clementine.
I admire him, not because I agree with him on everything, but because he overcame a stutter to
become one of the world’s best orators, held rm to his most important convictions during some
very dark days, and was extremely learned. He also had an incredible work ethic and sharp wit. I
also admire him because he was not a one-dimensional individual, interested only in politics.
Instead, he had many varied interests: he was a historian, a novelist, a bricklayer, an artist, a lover of
food (perhaps too much). He was also an excellent husband and father. And he was good, if not
great, at all that he did.
I also admire him for one particular quote: “Those who serve supreme causes must not consider
what they can get but what they can give.” It’s a quote that reminds me, like the lessons my mother
and the Boy Scouts taught, that we must give back and that the measure of a person is not what he
or she gets, but what he or she gives.
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss

11. Does Texas spend enough on its public education? If so,
what changes would you recommend in how that money is
spent? If not, where is the extra money needed, and where
should it come from?
Simply put, the State of Texas is delinquent in its support for public education. The past 10 years
have seen a dramatic and irresponsible reduction in the state’s contribution to educate our
children.
We need to correct this by demanding that the state pay its half of the educational costs as
established and expected decades ago. We need ‘taxparency’ to ensure that revenue collected in
the name of education, such as property taxes and lottery proceeds, is actually spent on education.
Currently, school districts keep only a fraction of the revenue raised in property tax appraisal
increases, while most goes to the state via Robin Hood to spend where it wants. However, local
property taxes cannot continue to make up the state’s delinquency. With my proposed balanced
revenue plan where the state pays its half, the local property taxes would be relieved of the $6.6
billion dollar tax burden. Financial relief will instantly become available to our school districts to
spend on district and classroom resources, teacher compensation, and property tax relief.
This additional funding locally can bolster STEM initiatives and provide public full-day Pre-K
classes. Because education doesn’t end in the 12th grade, we should also invest in research grants
for our university system, and work to control the cost of our public universities. And because we
entrust our children and their education to teachers, we must honor their rst-responder status by
attending to TRS-ActiveCare, TRS-Care, and the retirement pension fund.
Honoring the state’s obligations to support public education can also provide an avenue to true
property tax relief. To accomplish these initiatives, we need to keep all options on the table.
Reviewing our franchise tax laws, expanding the ACA in Texas, and growing our economy can all
inject billions of dollars of tax revenue to the state funds for use on school nancing. Regardless of
how we get there, Texas legislators must prioritize funding our public schools, and I will ght for
that priority and transparency to keep all money where it belongs.
No. Texas does not spend enough on education, a failure that desperately needs to be remedied and
is the primary cause of Texas’ high property taxes.
While state spending on public education has increased over the past 10 years by 7.4%, the number
of students in the public school system has increased by 16.8% over the same time period. As a
result, the state’s spending per pupil in 2017 has actually declined by $339 from what it spent ten
years ago and its share of the spending has declined from 50% to an average of only 37%. If the
state had maintained its prior level of spending during that time period, public schools systems
would have had an additional $18.6 billion. Local communities and school districts have thus been
forced to make up the shortfall, which requires increasing property taxes. In response, some state
legislators and elected of cials have had the audacity to turn around and blame local communities
for the property tax increases that some of those in Austin--including those wagging their ngers at
the local communities-- have indirectly caused.
To add insult to injury, during this past legislative session, the Lt. Governor and the Senate refused
to pass HB 21, a bill sponsored by Rep. Dan Huberty, a Republican, which would have provided an
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss

12. additional $1.6 billion in new dollars for public education. They refused because they insisted that
private school vouchers be allowed, which would have diverted much needed monies from public
schools to private schools, further undermining the public school system.
Let me provide one example of why private school vouchers are such a bad idea. Public school
districts build and own schools, just like the average Texan typically buys and owns a house. To do
that, school districts issue debt, just like the average Texan takes out a mortgage. School districts
pay the debt from the revenue they receive, just like the average Texan pays his o her mortgage out
of family income. No Texan, having taken out a mortgage to buy a house, would willingly allow part
of the family income to be used to pay someone else’s mortgage. But that’s exactly what advocates
of vouchers for private schools propose to do to the public schools. Allowing vouchers will divert
critically needed state funds to private schools, which, by the way, are held to lower standards than
public schools. The end result is that school districts, facing additional income shortfalls from the
state, will be forced to increase property taxes to make up the difference-- just like they have had to
do because the state is already not adequately funding public education.
I believe the Texas Senate was irresponsible in not supporting HB 21 (which would have added $1.6
Billion in revenue to our public schools) and in trying to divert money away from our public schools
to private schools. The Texas Constitution speci cally provides that “[i]t shall be the duty of the
Legislature of the State to establish and make suitable provision for the support and maintenance
of an ef cient system of public free schools.” The Texas legislature, by not funding public schools
adequately and by trying to divert monies to private schools, is shirking its Texas constitutional
duties.
I owe whatever success I have had in life to the educational foundation I received in K-12 public
schools. If I am elected, I will work to dedicate more money to public school education to make sure
that the state’s 5.3 million school-age children receive the education they deserve--not just
because it is the right thing to do, and not just because it will be my constitutional duty to do so
(although it will be), but also because it is essential that Texas’ youth be prepared for the future.
Texas’ continued competitiveness is dependent upon it.
Lawmakers have suggested imposing limits on rising
tuition at state universities. Is this the best way to ensure
that college is affordable for all Texans?
It is time to stop looking at college tuition as a costly expense, and start seeing it as a long-term
public investment in a well-educated Texas workforce. But out-of-control tuition in ation has led to
student debt that is crushing thousands of young Texans, limiting their job choices, and sti ing
freedom and innovation.
One obvious method is to limit rising tuition at our state universities. We also need to nd ways to
reduce the interest rates on loans and offer incentives for graduates to return to our local
communities post-graduation. We should explore loan forgiveness programs to support in-demand
career paths that bene t Texans. And we should expand our community college programs to offer
more degrees at more affordable rates, while letting students stay close to home. To grow our
economy and secure our prosperity, we should invest in a well-trained, local workforce that is not
saddled with a lifetime of student debt.
Brian Chaput

13. The cost of higher education is too high, frequently beyond the reach of many Texans. The state has
consistently reduced the amount of money dedicated to higher education, forcing universities to
make up the difference with tuition hikes that many Texas parents and students nd dif cult, if not
impossible, to afford.
As a result, I would consider supporting a temporary freeze on state college tuition. That would
enable the legislature time to examine and explore better ways to make the cost of education
affordable to Texas families. Those solutions must include input from everyone impacted, including
students, parents, colleges, universities, and professors. My goal will always be keeping costs under
control while making sure our universities remain competitive and among the best in the world.
Currently, only approximately 30% of 8th graders achieve higher education credentials or degrees
within 6 years of high school. Education experts predict that many low-skilled workers will lose
their jobs as a result of automation and associated trends. Most future jobs will require 14 years of
education. We must work on solutions to help a greater percentage of Texans obtain post high
school education.
One way to do that is to support allowing community colleges, like Collin College in my district, to
offer baccalaureate degrees in certain elds that have a workforce demand. In the last session, SB
2118 allowed Collin College to offer nursing degrees. I approve of that bill, because it makes
college and more college programs accessible to more Texans. I will work with Collin College and
any other institution, educator, or administrator to nd solutions to help drive down the costs of
college while maintaining or increasing the quality of education in Texas
Even after voters approved two state constitutional
amendments to raise highway funds, officials say North
Texas is still billions short of money needed for its to-do
list. What is your assessment, and how should the
Legislature respond?
I believe North Texas needs to assess all transit solutions beyond just highways. Our region covers
such a large area and continuing to rely upon highways alone will only compound our problems in
the years to come. I believe we need to invest in mass transit, express lanes, and bicycle and
footpaths, and reduce our personal need for using the highways. Lowering our demand on the
roads is the only way to control spending on maintenance.
Mark Phariss
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss

14. The state legislature needs to approve investments in infrastructure packages so that the future of
Texas will be more than driving on toll roads and crumbling highways. I believe the rainy day fund
should be tapped for some of these projects, especially in high traf c urban areas where both
residents and businesses will bene t. I also believe the high-speed rail project between Dallas and
Houston will reduce some of the need for future spending on I-45, thus freeing up monies for
transportation projects elsewhere, including in North Texas.
Do you support adding limited toll, or “managed,” lanes to
new highway projects to get them started sooner and
make the region’s state highway funds go further?
I do not believe Texans need to resort to tolls to get the transportation solutions we deserve. These
toll lanes do offer added exibility to individually move faster through traf c. But, adding these
exible lanes isn’t cost effective, nor does it truly minimize commuter congestion. If you’ve
travelled the 635 express lanes you would agree there are very few cars using it for all the billions
poured into it, and the free lanes are nearly as congested as before all the time and resources were
spent. The transit needs of our region and state call for a new approach to infrastructure
development to be solvent and effective. For example, these managed lanes provide ‘express lane’
bene ts whereby one is not subject to persistent on-off traf c. I feel this is an example of a
necessary change to support our region’s traf c growth. We need new creative ideas to better
connect the outlying communities around and within District 8.
My view is that we should try to minimize the number of toll roads if at all possible. Managed lanes
for those willing to pay the extra cost may be necessary to help fund projects, though only on a
temporary basis. Charges for these managed lanes should be eliminated once the projects are
completed and paid for.
Do you support the proposed bullet train between Dallas
and Houston, a project largely financed with private funds
but which requires some public investment and use of
eminent domain? Why or why not?
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss

15. I believe the bullet train project will greatly enhance our economic opportunity in Texas. Dallas and
Houston are too close -- and too far apart -- to be supported by highways and air traf c only. A train
connecting these two urban centers will provide faster access to each other’s resources as the state
continues to grow. Public revenue growth from the public investment in our infrastructure will
outweigh the costs in the long term. The proper and fair use of eminent domain can support this
type of project.
I do support transportation projects that will make it easier for Texans to commute, will attract
businesses to the region, and are in conformance with eminent domain limitations. In this instance,
the high-speed rail project between Dallas and Houston will reduce the need for future spending
on I-45, thus freeing up monies for transportation projects elsewhere. And, although the
environmental impact study has not yet been released, I assume the project will reduce greenhouse
gases and thus have a positive impact on the environment.
In recent sessions, state lawmakers have enacted
important criminal-justice reforms in response to DNA
exonerations. What further justice reforms should the
Legislature put on its to-do list?
There are many possibilities for criminal-justice reform. I am a strong proponent of restorative
justice. There is such a huge cost associated with incarcerating the current population of
approximately 142,000 inmates in Texas. I would support efforts to review sentencing guidelines
for non-violent crimes, i.e. charges of minor possession should be reevaluated. I would support
investigating alternative methods for punishment with a conviction or instead of conviction.
And to actually reduce crime, we should commit state resources toward solutions to the root cause
of a large portion of our criminal activity. Two such causes are poverty and substance dependency,
both of which should be proactively addressed. Smart investments to eliminate root causes of
crime can achieve immeasurable bene ts for everyone. We need to nd ways to eliminate the
lifelong burden of criminal history and encourage reformation of behavior, with a goal of reducing
recidivism and ensuring successful re-integration into our communities as productive citizens.
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss

16. I support the legislation State Representative Eric Johnson introduced last session that would
require police of cers to wear body cameras. I also support legalizing medical marijuana, and
decriminalizing the possession of small amounts. I also believe in reduced sentences for non-violent
offenders and making rehabilitation options more easily available so that a single low-level mistake
does not become a lifetime lost.
In addition, I would look at policies that reduce the frequency of school suspensions because school
suspensions result in an increase in students dropping out and ultimately ending up in trouble and
incarcerated, a scenario aptly called “the school to prison pipeline.”
What is your position on proposals to (a) legalize
medicinal use of marijuana and (b) reclassify possession of
small amounts of pot as a fine-only offense? Does this
language need to be updated?
We need to consider all possibilities around our historic approach to scienti c research, laws, and
the socioeconomic impact Texas lawmakers have assigned to many issues such as this. Medicine,
industry, state regulation, and criminal reform would all bene t from a fresh approach to our state
and federal laws on this matter. I would support reform with transparent discussion for its legality
and uses within our state. Several states have recognized revenue bene t from taxable sales.
Additionally, removing a whole category of offenders from our justice system would free courts and
law-enforcement agencies to pursue more urgent community concerns. Additionally, Texas could
bene t due to its geographical location that might further curtail ancillary illegal activity due to
better state control of the legal cultivation and distribution within its borders.
Medicinal use of marijuana should be legalized and the possession of small mounts should be a
decriminalized. Too many individuals are going to prison unnecessarily, particularly in communities
of color. Taking these actions will save the state money currently estimated at about $55/day to
incarcerate an individual. These savings would be better used educating our children or helping the
state address its transportation issues.
Texas is great at creating jobs. But many workers in the
Dallas area work full time and are still in poverty. What
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss

17. changes, if any, should Texas lawmakers consider to
address this?
We need to maintain focus on creating good jobs for all Texans. We need to protect entry-level
workers from mistreatment by our labor laws. Part-time and contract work should bene t both
businesses and workers, and not just be a work-around that allows businesses to depress wages or
avoid giving bene ts. Furthermore, the minimum wage should be adjusted for in ation regularly
and macro changes to the geographical cost of living. However, the best change Texas could
implement is to invest in our public education as a resource for workers and employers. Trained and
educated workers have the ability to earn a better living for themselves. Pre-K, K-12, county
colleges, and public universities all contribute to the economic value of our citizens, whose
potential can be ful lled if we provide a key to unlocking their economic independence and
entrepreneurial capability.
First, while Texas may have been great at creating jobs, it continues to pursue policies that will hurt
its ability to create jobs in the short- and long-term. Adequately funding public education is critical
to maintaining the “Texas Miracle,“ and not pursuing unnecessary divisive issues that create a
negative image for Texas--such as bathroom bills and “show your papers” laws--is also critical. Just
the mere prospect of passing a bathroom bill this past legislative session generated over $200
million in bad publicity for the State of Texas, according to Texas Competes, and cost the state $66
million in tourism business. In July, Texas fell from its No. 1 spot to No. 4 on CNBC's rankings of
business-friendly states.
As the Texas Association of Business has made clear, if the Texas legislature had passed a bathroom
bill, Texas would have lost up to $8.5 billion in business annually and up to 187,000 jobs. If Texas
had passed Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s bathroom bill, Texas’ tourism and convention business, which
accounts for approximately 13% of Texas’ GDP, would have taken a signi cant hit. Businesses
considering relocation to Texas would have reconsidered, and Texas would have fallen further in
CNBC’s ranking of business-friendly states, ultimately making it more dif cult for Texans to nd a
good job with good pay.
The Texas legislature should start spending more time on issues Texans care about, like education,
that will make a difference in their day-to-day lives, and stop pursuing legislation that is not only
wrong, but that gives Texas a black eye and makes it less desirous for businesses to do business
here. I’m not willing to let the Texas legislature chase away businesses that will hire Texans just so
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick can claim a political victory for solving a non-existent problem.
Second, Texas should consider raising the minimum wage through gradual increases to help make
sure Texas jobs are quality jobs. Texas should also consider legislation to allow paid parental leave
and make workforce training--training that is absolutely essential in an ever-changing world--more
readily available.
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss

18. Do you believe federal oversight would help improve Texas
foster care or should the state handle that entirely on its
own?
Texas has had many de ciencies in its foster care system due to funding and prioritization from the
state. Despite promises for action and improvement, legislators continue to further neglect our
foster children. Unless and until Texas has one of the leading foster care networks in the nation, I
would never suggest that federal oversight is unhelpful or unnecessary. It is the responsibility of
Texans to take care of our own, especially our most at-risk children, but I would never feel too
proud to ignore ideas and input from any concerned resource.
Texas needs to x the problem it created. I applaud the legislature for increasing funding for Child
Protective Services (CPS) by about $500 million, which included necessary pay raises for
caseworkers, who truly are laboring under incredibly demanding circumstances. Texas needs to
properly fund CPS so that it can handle the caseloads, protect our most vulnerable Texas children,
and avoid any federal oversight. Texas should also provide the proper equipment to the CPS
employees to replace outdated computers and software in order to be more ef cient and effective.
What changes, if any, would you make in Texas’ open
records and open meetings laws?
I believe in transparency for all our government operations and understand the purpose of these
laws is intended to guard against abuse, collusion, and corruption. I do not have any speci c
changes I would propose at this time. I have yet to see any ideas worthy to consider, and unless my
constituents could present a reasonable cause to address a change, I expect to focus my time in
Austin on higher priority legislation for my district.
I support transparency and any efforts to make the public more aware of what the Texas legislature
is trying to accomplish. It’s important for an informed electorate and a working democracy.
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss

19. The 2017 legislative session was dominated by the
“bathroom bill” debate. Do you favor re-introducing this
legislation — and if it is reintroduced, would you support
or oppose it?
I oppose this legislation. I found this bill to be misguided in its details, divisive in nature, and a poor
representation of the concerns and priorities of our state. I oppose any action that seeks to
discriminate against and target our minorities. In addition to this legislation being mean-spirited
and cruel, it is bad for the Texas economy, as was demonstrated by the large corporations’ and
business owners’ vociferous opposition to it. Normally all the negative feedback would be enough
for this bill to disappear, but if we do not change our representatives in Austin, our voices will be
ignored again.
I strongly oppose the re-introduction of a bathroom bill.
As noted earlier, the mere prospect of passing a bathroom bill this past legislative session
generated over $200 million in bad publicity for the State of Texas, and cost the state $66 million in
tourism business. As the Texas Association of Business has made clear, if the Texas legislature had
passed the unnecessary bathroom bill, Texas would have lost approximately $8.5 billion in business
annually and up to 185,000 jobs. Moreover, Texas’ tourism and convention business, which
accounts for approximately 13% of Texas’ GDP, would have taken a signi cant hit. Businesses
considering relocation to Texas would have reconsidered, and Texas would most likely have fallen
further in CNBC’s ranking of business-friendly, ultimately making it more dif cult for Texans to nd
a good job with good pay.
But the bathroom bills are also mean-spirited, targeting a minority for political gain and proposing a
solution where no problem exists. The Texans I know have compassionate hearts as big as Texas,
and Texas’ leadership is out of step with the people they purport to represent. I will never support a
bathroom bill because, as Speaker Joe Straus is reported to have told Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, “I’m not
gonna have the suicide of a single Texan on my conscience.”
Federal courts have now ruled that Texas lawmakers acted
with racial animus when they passed the Texas voter ID
laws. Efforts to soften the law have so far not allowed it to
pass constitutional muster. Should the voter ID law be
changed? And if so, how?
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss

20. The Voter ID law should be changed. The arguments in favor of it were wrong and we can
demonstrate how this law has suppressed voter turnout. I would work to implement laws that
promote inclusion and increase turnout amongst our eligible population by creating easier methods
to register, better access to early voting, and extended hours on voting day. This is one example
where Texas and the nation still have a lot of work to do to guarantee equal suffrage for all eligible
citizens. The right to vote is our democracy’s most inviolable law, and I’ll speak against any
lawmaker’s effort to stymie a single legal vote through restrictive suppression tactics.
Yes. Texas’ voter ID laws have been found to violate the federal Voting Rights Act and to have a
discriminatory impact, if not a discriminatory intent, by a federal district court, a panel of the 5th
Circuit, and the full 5th Circuit.
To address these issues, a new law, SB 5, was passed in 2017 that allows those without a voter ID to
cast a ballot after showing documents with their name and addresses--like a voter registration
certi cate, utility bill, bank statement, or check. But it requires the voter to certify that there is a
“reasonable impediment” to the voter obtaining a voter ID, and makes it a third degree felony
subject to 10 years in prison if the certi cation is inaccurate.
With these provisions, SB 5 will continue to discourage quali ed voters from voting and will not
solve Texas’ legal issues. I recommend Texas’ voter ID laws be revised as follows:
First, the types of permitted photo IDs should be broadened to include all government-issued IDs,
including student IDs (just like in Alabama and Florida, among other states).
Second, the “reasonable impediments” certi cation should be eliminated and instead, if any
certi cation is to be required, it should simply be a certi cation that the utility bill, bank statement
or check that is provided is indeed the voter’s. Remember, prior to 2011 these documents were
allowed without any certi cation, without any issues of fraud.
Third, the Texas Secretary of State should study ways to boost voter turnout and reveal details
about its spending on voter education efforts (provisions that were originally included in the Texas
House legislation but eliminated in SB 5).
Ultimately, Texas needs to adopt measures that encourage, not discourage, voting. Parents trying to
juggle their many responsibilities, a student trying to balance the demands of going to college and a
part-time job, or an elderly person who has worked his or her entire life but is no longer able to
drive should not nd it dif cult to vote at the ballot box. It is simply un-American to discourage
voting. Additionally, Texas needs to review the security of its voting machines and give voters
greater con dence in reported results and our democratic system.
In 2017, Texas passed one of the nation’s strongest
sanctuary city bans. Do you believe local police should be
able to check the immigration status of the people they
stop? Do you believe the state should punish local officials
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss

21. who don’t cooperate with all requests from federal
immigration authorities?
The root cause issue behind this law needs to be resolved in a straightforward manner. Immigration
enforcement is the responsibility of the federal government. The state’s attempt to assist the
federal law enforcement agency is without legitimate authority even if the attempt to enforce
immigration compliance may have been well-intended at best.
This state law is discriminatory, poorly constructed, and should be repealed. One known
repercussion of the current law is that some vulnerable minorities have been forced into a
dangerous underworld where they cannot easily seek protection and support from legal authority
and are exposed to the risk of violence and exploitation.
Police are needed to protect and serve their community. Police are obligated to make the entire
community secure and provide an unbiased, safe place where all people are assured assistance
when they need it. Local of cials and police are our rst-responders, and they should be
commended, not punished, for serving and protecting their community and ful lling their oath.
Let’s let them focus on their primary public duty.
Like the Texas Association of Business, I believe Texas should not have adopted “show me your
papers” legislation. Arizona had previously adopted similar legislation but, after litigation over
several years, Arizona entered into a settlement agreement and ceased to enforce it. Texas is now
embroiled in similar litigation on the constitutionality of the legislation. Even if the legislation is
ultimately determined to be constitutional, it’s unwise because it can lead to racial pro ling and
hurt the reputation of Texas nationally and internationally.
I also believe Texas should not punish local of cials for exercising appropriate judgment on when to
cooperate with federal authorities. Public safety is undermined, not enhanced, when minority
communities fear cooperating with local authorities. For example, someone who might otherwise
willingly pull over for an ordinary traf c stop may now engage in a high speed escape which will put
lives at risk. An immigrant family may choose not to report a re at their apartment complex out of
fear they will be deported as a result of stepping forward, putting property and even lives at risk. An
abused wife might decline to report spousal abuse out of fear she might be deported, separating
her from her children, with the result that the family violence might increase and someone,
including innocent children, might wind up seriously hurt or killed. Out of concern for public safety,
I believe the state should defer to local authorities on how best to deal with their minority
communities.
What changes, if any, should be made to the state’s gun
laws?
Brian Chaput
Mark Phariss