Our “Money Behind the Committee Chair” series spotlights the Texas lawmakers chairing prominent committees during the 87th Legislative Session, as well as the individual donors and PACs who have supported their campaigns leading up to this session.

There’s a lot of talk about Texas’ Big Three — Governor Greg Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, and new Speaker of the House Dennis Bonnen. Considered the three most powerful politicians in Austin, and all conservative Republicans, they made headlines when they declared in January that they would be working as a team to reform property taxes and the school finance system.

The Texas Trial Lawyers Association (TTLA) is the go-to PAC for plaintiff’s attorneys looking to make an impact on public policy. Because Republicans have held political majorities in Texas for more than two decades, trial lawyers have had a hard time carving out a niche from which to conduct their work. TTLA exists to empower legislators who are willing to take on Republican leadership and advocate for more leeway in judicial proceedings and awards.