David H. Cain

CAIN, DAVID (1947~) Senator David Cain, a native Texan from the Panhandle city of Pampa, represents Senate District 2 in the Texas Senate. This is a 10 county district which stretches from inner-city Dallas to Tyler, and from the Oklahoma border south to Ellis County. Cain was elected to a second term in the Texas Senate in November, 1996. He is vice-Chair of the Senate Economic Development Committee, and serves on the Senate State Affairs Committee, the Senate Jurisprudence Committee, and the Senate Intergovernmental Relations Committee. To date, Senator Cain has been appointed to eight interim committees. He has been named to six Senate interim committees including Civil Justice, Electric Utility Restructuring, Jurisprudence, Redistricting, State Affairs, and Transportation. He serves on two joint House and Senate committees on Probate Courts and selecting the State Artist. Additionally, Cain serves as vice-Chair of the Energy and Transportation Committee and as a member of the Commerce and Communications Committee of the National Conference of State Legislatures and as a member of the Executive Committee of the Southern Legislative Conference of the Council of State Governments. Senator Cain is the author of the Property Tax Appraisal Bill of Rights. This landmark legislation, passed in the 75th session, places an annual cap on property tax appraisal increases - a first in Texas history. Cain also distinguished himself in the last session by voting against proposals that would have increased state taxes. In addition to his contributions to property tax reform, Cain has worked diligently in other areas. He has authored and passed sweeping consumer protection reforms to protect Texans from abusive HMO and health care insurance practices. He has compiled a flawless voting record on tort reform packages in the Senate. He has proposed and passed tough legislation cracking down on criminal street gangs, and giving local communities a greater voice in the location of criminal justice facilities. He is the author of the Crime Victims Compensation Fund. Cain has authored the legislation that has reduced the size of state government by eliminating 26 boards and commissions, and has also proposed the merger of the Public Utility Commission with the Railroad Commission. Additionally, he has focused on educational opportunities by safeguarding funding for small- and medium-sized school districts, merging East Texas State University and Baylor College of Dentistry with the A&M system, and expanding UT-Tyler and UT-Dallas into four year institutions. Cain served in the Texas House of Representatives before being elected to the Senate. There he served as Chair of the House Transportation Committee and as Chair of the Texas Sunset Commission. Cain has been named to Texas Monthly magazine's list of "Ten Best Legislators." He has been honored as "Texas Medicine's Best Legislator" by the Texas Medical Association. He received the Russell Perry award for outstanding leadership on statewide transportation issues. The Mid-Sized School Association awarded him with the "Golden Apple" award for protecting small and mid-sized school district funding. The Dallas Morning News featured him as an "outstanding" legislator, and the Texas Chamber of Commerce recognized him as a "Friend of Business" for his leadership on business issues. He has also been acknowledged as "Crime Fighter of the Year" by the Combined Law Enforcement Agencies of Texas and the Greater Dallas Crime Commission. Senator Cain lives in East Dallas with his wife Sally. He is a practicing attorney with the firm of Burleson, Pate & Gibson. He has two children, David and Jennifer, and is an active member of the First United Methodist Church.