Senator Lois Kolkhorst: District 18

Senator Lois W. Kolkhorst is a sixth-generation Texan with ancestral roots dating back to the Texas War of Independence. Married to her high school sweetheart, Jim, she is a dedicated mother and small business owner. Born and raised in Senate District 18, she attended public schools before graduating from Texas Christian University, where she was an Academic All-American and a four-year letter winner with the Lady Frogs golf team.

In 2014, after serving seven successful terms in the Texas House, she was elected to the Texas Senate in a special election, becoming only the 17th female to have served in the Texas Senate since 1845. Senator Kolkhorst serves almost a million constituents in 18 counties in her district, from parts of Montgomery, Harris, and Fort Bend counties through south central Texas, all the way to the coast, including Rockport/Fulton in Aransas County.

As Chair of the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, Senator Kolkhorst establishes public health policies and oversees physicians and licensed health professionals. Following the 89th legislative session, Kolkhorst was recognized by Capitol Inside as one of the top 10 legislators in their recently published “Best of the Texas Legislature 2025.” From the article:

“(Senator) Kolkhorst was the only Senate Republican selected to the first team - thanks in part to the lead role she played on a measure (her Senate Bill 17) that restricted land sales in Texas to individuals and interests from countries that the federal government has designated as national security threats. But Kolkhorst's food labeling bill (SB 25) proved to be one of the Legislature's biggest surprises in 2025 and already is having a substantial impact in Texas and around the nation as well.”

In March of 2026, Senator Kolkhorst was named as the Chair of the Sunset Advisory Commission by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. The Sunset Advisory Commission is a unique commission comprised of five state senators and five state representatives, plus two public members who are appointed to evaluate and review all state agencies, determining whether they are operating as efficiently as possible or need to be reformed, downsized, or eliminated.

All 130-plus state agencies come before the Commission on a rotational cycle. In the upcoming 90th Legislative Session, the Sunset Advisory Commission will review nine agencies, most notably the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), Department of State Health Services (DSHS), Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), Texas Health Services Authority, Statewide Interagency Aging Services Coordinating Council, and Texas Council for Developmental Disabilities.

In addition to her duties as Chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and now Chair of the Sunset Commission, Senator Kolkhorst serves on the Senate Committees on Finance, Business & Commerce, Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Administration, the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas Advisory Committee, the Texas Infrastructure Resiliency Fund Advisory Committee, and the Legislative Budget Board. Following the horrific floods in the Texas Hill Country this summer, Senator Kolkhorst was named to the Senate Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding Committee and to the Select Committee on Civil Discourse and Freedom of Speech in Higher Education Committee to study and address the issues of free speech, bias, and political violence on our college campuses.

Known by her colleagues as a dedicated worker, Kolkhorst has passed hundreds of pieces of legislation that affect every aspect of Texas law, from increasing government transparency to advocating for private property rights and lower taxes.

Senator Kolkhorst and her husband are blessed with two children, Lois Kate and Jake. An avid hunter and fisherman, Senator Kolkhorst also enjoys gardening, sports, and the great outdoors.