Senator Paul Bettencourt

Occupation: President and CEO, Bettencourt Tax Advisors L.L.C.

Legislative Experience: Senate Member: 2015 - present

First elected to the Senate in 2014, Senator Paul Bettencourt represents Senate District 7, which encompasses most of West Harris County and now parts of Montgomery County. He previously served 10 years, from 1998 - 2008, as the Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector, where he introduced “Smart Government” at the Harris County Tax Office and developed a customer service-driven organization. His team created the first major county online property tax payment system and the first county tax office website with online vehicle registration in Texas. (His motto was “Get on-line, not in-line.”) He is well-known as the “Tax Man” for his outspoken efforts to cut property taxes.

A champion for conservative solutions to Texas' challenges, Senator Bettencourt has built a strong reputation at the Capitol advocating for taxpayers. His work during the 86th and 87th Sessions earned him the distinction of many awards by leading organizations such as; "Senate MVP" by Capitol Inside, "Bull of the Brazos" by Texas Monthly, the Legislative Legacy Award by Texas Public Policy Foundation and many others.

Senator Bettencourt is the Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Government and serves on the Senate Finance, Education, Criminal Justice, and State Affairs Committees. In addition to serving on these Legislative Committees, Senator Bettencourt was appointed to serve on the Special Education Funding Commission, the Texas Commission on Virtual Education, and the Texas Commission on Virtual Education Funding Subcommittee during the interim. He was also named to the Redistricting and Protect All Texans Committees by Lt. Governor Patrick. He also served as the Chair of the Senate Republican Caucus from January 2016 to February 2021.

A Bachelor of Science graduate of Texas A&M University in Industrial Distribution, Senator Bettencourt is the President and CEO of a tax consulting company in Houston. He is also a radio and television personality..