Legislative Research Committee

The Supreme Court of Texas and Texas Court of Criminal Appeals have a strong interest in studying the organization and practices of the Texas Judicial Branch related to behavioral and mental health needs of individuals before the courts. On October 1, 2019, the two highest Courts in the state ordered the creation of the Legislative Research Committee (LRC), to make relevant recommendations to the Texas Judicial Council. In the 2021 regular legislative session, 10 of the 16 JCMH proposals were entered into law. In the 2023 regular session, six of 12 JCMH proposals were entered into law. In the 2025 regular session, the JCMH submitted 13 proposals to the Texas Judicial Council; proposals were included in two bills: SB 1164/HB 5463 (Zaffirini/Moody) and HB 5465/SB 2213 (Moody/Zaffirini). Senate Bill 1164 was eventually passed and signed by the Governor and is effective as of September 1, 2025.

• Hon. Bill Boyce, Chair
  JCMH Vice Chair
  Partner, Alexander Dubose Jefferson
  Justice (Fmr.), 14th Court of Appeals
• Hon. Brent Carr
  JCMH Jurist-in-Residence
  Judge, 255th District Court (Ret.)
• Hon. John Specia, Jr.
  JCMH Jurist-in-Residence
  Judge, 255th District Court (Ret.)
• Magdalena Morales-Aina
  Director, El Paso Community Supervision & Corrections Department
• Dr. Monique Allen
  Associate General Counsel, Memorial Hermann Health System
• Kelsey Bernstein
  Chief of Government Relations, Texas Council of Community Centers, Inc.
• Hon. Renee Rodriguez-Betancourt
  Judge, 449th District Court, Hidalgo County
• Catherine Bialick
  Deputy Associate Commissioner, Texas Health &Human Services Commission
• Sonja Burns
  Mental Health Advocate
• Hon. Nelda Cacciotti
  Assistant Criminal District Attorney – Mental Health, Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office
• Angel Carroll
  Principal Consultant, Angel Carroll Consulting Group
• Hon. Danny Dominguez
  Justice of the Peace, Webb County Precinct 2 Place 2
• Sergeant Shawn Edwards
  Program Director, Burleson Health Resource Center
• Hon. Drue Farmer
  Board Chair, StarCare Lubbock
• Hon. Alyse Ferguson
  Associate Judge, Collin County Probate Court
  Of Counsel, Rosenthal Kalabus & Therrian
• Lesli Fitzpatrick
  Director of Special Litigation, Texas Department of Criminal Justice
• Eric Fox
  Law Enforcement Liaison, Central Counties Services
• Sara Gonzalez
  Vice President of Advocacy & Public Policy, Texas Hospital Association
• Dr. Robert Greenberg
  Emergency Medicine Physician, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center
• Hon. Matt Hand
  Judge, Potter County Court at Law #2
• Greg Hansch
  Executive Director, NAMI TX
• Dr. Courtney Harvey
  Mental Health Statewide Coordinator & Associate Commissioner, Office of Mental Health Coordination, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
• Hon. Guy Herman
  Judge, Travis County Probate Court No. 1
• Sen. Joan Huffman
  Texas State Senator
• Trina Ita
  Deputy Executive Commissioner fpr Behavioral Health Services, Texas Health & Human Services Commission
• Hon. Dave Jahn
  Judge, Denton County Probate Court No. 1
• Lee Johnson
  Chief Executive Officer, Texas Council of Community Centers, Inc.
• Louise Joy
  Member, Reed, Claymon, Meeker, Krienke & Spurck, PLLC
• Hon. Evelyn Keyes
  (Ret.) Justice, 1st Court of Appeals
• Megan LaVoie
  Administrative Director, Texas Office of Court Administration
• Beth Lawson
  Chief Executive Officer, StarCare Specialty Health System
• Chief Mike Lee
  Director of Research & Development, Harris County Sheriff's Office
• Katrina L. LeVert
  Assistant County Attorney, Fort Bend County Attorney's Office
• Hon. Pam Liston
  City Attorney, City of Decatur
  Of Counsel, Messer Fort, PLLC
• Chris Lopez
  Assistant General Counsel, Texas Health and Human Services Commission
• Hon. Stacey Mathews
  Judge, 277th District Court, Williamson County
• Beth Mitchell
  Litigation Coordinator, Disability Rights Texas
• Rep. Joe Moody
  Texas House of Representatives
• Hon. Roxanne Nelson
  Judge, Burnet County Justice Court, Pct. 1
• Denise Oncken
  Mental Health Bureau Chief (Ret.), Harris County District Attorney’s Office
• Angela Ott
  Policy Specialist, Disability Rights Texas
• Hon. Larry Phillips
  Judge, 59th District Court, Grayson County
• Erika Ramirez
  Senior Director of Health Policy, Texas Hospital Association
• Hon. Robin Ramsay
  Judge, Denton County Magistrate Court
• Prof. Brian Shannon
  Paul Whitfield Horn Professor, Texas Tech University School of Law
• Melissa Shearer
  Mental Health  Division Director, Travis County Public Defender's Office
• Dr. Jennie Simpson
  Associate Commissioner and State Forensic Director, Texas Health & Human Services Commission
• Lt. Scott Soland
  Patrol Lieutenant, Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office
• Chief Stan Standridge
  Chief of Police, San Marcos Police Department
• Hon. Charles Stephens
  Judge, Comal County Court at Law, No. 2
• Hon. Ryan Kellus Turner
  Executive Director, Texas Municipal Courts Education Center
• Hon. Cynthia Wheless
  Judge, 417th District Court, Collin County
• Hon. Deborah Wigington
  Judge, Comal County Court at Law #3
• Hon. Angela Williams
  Justice of the Peace, Williamson County Precinct No. 2
• Steve Wohleb
  Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Texas Hospital Association
• Eric Woomer
  Owner & Consultant, Eric Woomer Policy Solutions

Updated January 2026