Harold Dutton Jr.

Harold Dutton Jr. is an American politician serving as a member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 142. First elected in 1984, he is one of the longest-serving members of the chamber. Throughout his tenure, he has been a prominent figure in education policy, notably authoring the 2015 amendment that granted the Texas Education Agency the authority to intervene in failing school districts. While a Democrat, Dutton has occasionally broken with his party on key legislative issues, including his support for the state takeover of the Houston Independent School District and his votes on legislation concerning transgender youth.