About Geanie

State Representative Geanie W. Morrison

State Representative Geanie W. Morrison, R-District 30, is currently serving her sixth term in the Texas Legislature. The south Texas district includes DeWitt, Jackson, Lavaca, Refugio, and Victoria counties.

Geanie is married to Jack R. Morrison, Jr., a CPA in the accounting firm of Bumgardner, Morrison & Co., LLP. They have two children, Lauri and Matt. Lauri is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in Finance. She is married to Chris Perry of Austin and they have two children, Cole Matthew Perry 9 and Ella Simone Perry almost 4. Matt completed his service in the United States Air Force in October 2000, and has since obtained degrees from Texas State University in Accounting and Business Management. Matt graduated from the University of Texas School of Law in 2009 and is employed by the Atlas and Hall law firm in McAllen, Texas. Geanie is the daughter of Vesta Williams and the late Gene Williams. She has two brothers, Jeff Williams of Victoria and Wayne Williams of The Woodlands and one sister, Carol Williams, of Prairie Lea, Texas. Her mother-in-law, Audre Morrison, also resides in Victoria.

For the 81st Legislative Session, Representative Morrison was appointed to the House Committee on Appropriations and as vice-chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education. Representative Morrison served as the chair of the House Committee on Higher Education for the 78th, 79th and 80th Legislative Sessions. She serves as the co-chair of the National Council of State Legislatures - Blue Ribbon Commission on Higher Education and as a Commissioner of the Education Commission of the States. Rep. Morrison was selected to co-chair the Education Committee of the National Council of State Legislatures, serving as a representative for higher education. During the Bush Administration, Representative Morrison was asked to serve on the National Summit steering committee for the U.S. Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education. In the fall of 2007, Representative Morrison was named vice chair of the National Council of State Legislatures Standing Committees for 2007-2008 and was appointed by the Governor to the Southern Regional Education Board. Most recently, Representative Morrison was named to the Commitment to Excellence Steering Committee of the Texas Education Reform Foundation.

During her service on the Juvenile Justice and Family Issues Committee, Representative Morrison authored the Country's first Baby Moses legislation, which provides desperate mothers a responsible alternative to newborn abandonment. Since its passage in 1999, all 50 states have implemented similar measures, and hundreds of newborns have been saved nationwide - nearly 100 in the state of Texas.

Representative Morrison has been recognized by the Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators as Legislator of the Year and received the Texas Higher Education Leadership Star Award from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. In addition, Representative Morrison has been recognized for her commitment to education with the Distinguished Service Award, presented by the Texas Regional Collaboratives, received the Educational Testing Services Legislative Excellence in Education Award, the Texas Community College Teachers Association Legislator of the Year Award, and was recognized as one of South Texas' Women of the Year. On November 18, 2008, the Boy Scouts of America South Texas Council honored Representative Morrison with their Distinguished Citizen Award. Most recently, she was recognized by Texans for Fiscal Responsibility with a 2009 Taxpayers Champion Award.

Community involvement has been, and continues to be a very important part of Geanie's life. Her 15-year commitment to the Junior League of Victoria allowed Geanie to be involved in such worthwhile causes as "Making the Grade" and "Great Expectations." During this time, she worked closely with the youth of her community to ensure that they understood their importance as an individual and that education is essential to open the doors of opportunity. As Chair of the "Great Expectations" program, she worked with pregnant teens, helping them to finish high school and pursue a college education that would provide them with the training necessary to support their family.

Prior to running for state Representative, Geanie served on the Governor's staff as the Executive Director of the Governor's Commission for Women that also housed volunteerism. She also served on the Texas Commission for Volunteerism and Community Service and the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission, both of which were appointments by then Governor George W. Bush.