State Agriculture Commish-Elect Taps Property Rights Attorney to be General Counsel

Texas Agriculture Commissioner-elect Sid Miller announced that State Representative Tim Kleinschmidt (R, Lexington) will be the General Counsel of the Texas Department of Agriculture. Kleinschmidt will assume his new role in mid-January.

Miller said that Kleinschmidt is the best property rights attorney in Texas.

“When I announced the formation of my transition team, I promised that I would be seeking out the best and brightest to help me become the best Agriculture Commissioner in our state’s history—folks who were dedicated to helping me strengthen the Texas Department of Agriculture and helping to ensure that it is working to improve the lives of the people of Texas. State Representative Tim Kleinschmidt fits the bill and I am excited that he will be joining my team at TDA,” Miller said.

Kleinschmidt, a Lee County attorney, rancher, family-man and civic leader, was recently elected to a fourth term in the Texas House of Representatives, where he serves on the Agriculture & Livestock and the Homeland Security & Public Safety Committees. He is currently the Chairman of the House Republican Caucus Policy Committee.

“I was humbled when Agriculture Commissioner-elect Miller reached out to me about assuming a leadership role in the Texas Department of Agriculture. He told me that he was looking for people to join his team who understood the serious issues facing Texas agriculture, and who would be dedicated to working with him to ensure that TDA is and continues to be the best state agriculture agency in the nation," Kleinschmidt said.

“After prayerful consideration and discussions with my family and law partners, I have notified Commissioner-elect Miller to let him know that I have taken him up on his offer. Later this week, I will be sending a letter to Governor Perry announcing my intention to resign my seat in the Texas House of Representatives in mid-January. It has been a great honor to represent the fine people of Texas House District 17 since 2009. I am confident that this seat will remain in strong, conservative hands and I am excited about joining TDA. I look forward to working for and providing good counsel to my friend and former Texas House colleague, Sid Miller,” Kleinschmidt added.

Tim Kleinschmidt, who has practiced law in Texas for 34 years, has been the longtime city attorney for the cities of Giddings, Lexington, and Round Top. He graduated as valedictorian from Lexington High School in 1975, received a Bachelor of Science with honors from Texas A&M University in 1978 and a degree of Juris Doctor from Baylor University School of Law in 1981. Tim was admitted to practice law in Texas in 1981, and is a member of the State Bar of Texas. He and his family are active members of the First Baptist Church of Lexington. He is a member of the Texas Farm Bureau, Lee County Bar Association, a life member of the NRA, and belongs to the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, the Texas Wildlife Association, Texas Conservative Coalition and numerous other organizations.

Kleinschmidt currently serves as the state representative for House District 17, an area that stretches south from the east of Austin in central Texas. His resignation will trigger a special election.

Commissioner-elect Miller said that the announcement of his appointment of Representative Kleinschmidt was the first of several announcements concerning key staff members at the Department of Agriculture.