| Elected to the State House in 2018, Houston is in his third term in the General Assembly, representing portions of Barrow, Clarke, Jackson and Oconee counties. Professionally, Houston has spent his career helping grow small businesses in his district. Today, he works at Carter Engineering, where he's focused on expanding this successful small business. He previously worked at Cannon Financial Institute - another small business in his region - where he served clients across the country in the financial industry. In the House, Houston has championed a number of important priorities for his community. In his four legislative Sessions, Houston has authored 14 bills that have passed the legislature - including legislation targeting human trafficking and domestic violence and legislation to support substance abuse recovery. Houston was named a "Champion of Recovery" by the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse for his work on this legislation. He's also fought for and passed multiple healthcare reforms to lower costs and increase access for Georgians - and passed a 10% pay cut for politicians. In 2021, Houston passed a bill to provide paid parental leave for teachers and state employees - legislation that Ivanka Trump helped champion - and passed important criminal justice reform. He also spearheaded a bill to prohibit local governments from defunding the police. Houston was elected by his colleagues in 2022 to serve as the Majority Caucus Vice Chairman as part of the House Majority Leadership Team. Houston serves on the Ethics, Ways & Means, Appropriations, Insurance, Public Health, Urban Affairs, Creative Arts & Entertainment, and Governmental Affairs Committees. Houston is the Vice Chairman of the Higher Education Appropriations subcommittee. As a third-generation Athenian and grandson of the late Judge Joseph Gaines, Houston has long been engaged in his community. He is a member of the Athens Rotary Club and previously served on the Envision Athens Steering Committee, Junior League of Athens Community Advisory Board, LEAD Athens Alumni Association Board of Directors and multiple K-12 and University of Georgia boards. Houston currently serves on the School of Public and International Affairs Alumni Board and the Northeast Georgia Boy Scouts Council Executive Board. He is a 2015 LEAD Athens graduate, and a graduate of the Zell Miller Foundation's Leadership Institute. A summa cum laude graduate of the University of Georgia, Houston served as student body president while at UGA and was named to its 2020 "40 Under 40" class. |