Changes

|district=1

|district=1

|state=Texas

|state=Texas

|term_start=January 2011 -

|term_start=January 2011 - January 2015

|preceded=Stephen James Frost

|preceded=Stephen James Frost

         |former=

         |former=

|succeeded=

|succeeded=Gary VanDeaver

}}

}}

'''George E. Lavender''' (born September 7, 1955) is a small businessman from Texarkana, [[Texas]], who is a freshman [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 1, encompassing Bowie, Cass, Marion, and Morris counties in the northeastern portion of the state.<ref name=lrl>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=5679&searchparams=chamber=~city=~countyID=0~district=1~first=~gender=~last=~leaderNote=~leg=82~party=~roleDesc=~Committee=|title=George Lavender|publisher=lrl.state.tx.us|accessdate=September 29, 2011}}</ref>

'''George E. Lavender''' (born September 7, 1955) is a small businessman from Texarkana, [[Texas]], who is a freshman [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] former member of the Texas House of Representatives for District 1, encompassing Bowie, Cass, Marion, and Morris counties in the northeastern portion of the state.<ref name=lrl>{{cite web|url=http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=5679&searchparams=chamber=~city=~countyID=0~district=1~first=~gender=~last=~leaderNote=~leg=82~party=~roleDesc=~Committee=|title=George Lavender|publisher=lrl.state.tx.us|accessdate=September 29, 2011}}</ref>

   

   

Lavender was reared in Texarkana, [[Arkansas]], the sister city of Texarkana, Texas, where he now resides with his wife, the former Jan Timberlake. He graduated in 1973 from Arkansas High School in Texarkana, Arkansas, and holds a bachelor's degree in management from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He is active in the First [[Baptist]] Church of Texarkana, Texas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.texastribune.org/directory/george-lavender/|title=State Rep. George Lavender|publisher=texastribune.org|accessdate=September 29, 2011}}</ref>

Lavender was reared in Texarkana, [[Arkansas]], the sister city of Texarkana, Texas, where he now resides with his wife, the former Jan Timberlake. He graduated in 1973 from Arkansas High School in Texarkana, Arkansas, and holds a bachelor's degree in management from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He is active in the First [[Baptist]] Church of Texarkana, Texas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.texastribune.org/directory/george-lavender/|title=State Rep. George Lavender|publisher=texastribune.org|accessdate=September 29, 2011}}</ref>

Thus far in his legislative career, Lavender is best known as the author of legislation, signed into law by Governor [[Rick Perry]], which permits the manufacture of incandescent light bulbs in Texas. Under current federal law signed in 2007 by U.S. President [[George W. Bush]] (also Perry's predecessor as governor), effective in 2012, incandescent bulbs must be replaced by flourescent lights on grounds that the latter are more energy-efficient. Lavender, however, notes that the flourescent bulbs contain [[mercury]] and are manufactureed mostly in [[China]]. "The last thing we need in this economy is to send American jobs overseas and raise costs to consumer based on dubious claims of increased energy efficiency. This law defends our constitutional rights from an overreaching federal government," said Lavender."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/58821320?access_key=key-hvx7ylz2vu517dhvovi|title=Let There Be Light in the Lone Star State: Governor Perry Signs Lavender's Incandescent Light Bulb Bill into Law|publisher=scribd.com|accessdate=September 29, 2011}}</ref>

Thus far in his legislative career, Lavender is best known as the author of legislation, signed into law by Governor [[Rick Perry]], which permits the manufacture of incandescent light bulbs in Texas. Under current federal law signed in 2007 by U.S. President [[George W. Bush]] (also Perry's predecessor as governor), effective in 2012, incandescent bulbs must be replaced by flourescent lights on grounds that the latter are more energy-efficient. Lavender, however, notes that the flourescent bulbs contain [[mercury]] and are manufactureed mostly in [[China]]. "The last thing we need in this economy is to send American jobs overseas and raise costs to consumer based on dubious claims of increased energy efficiency. This law defends our constitutional rights from an overreaching federal government," said Lavender."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/58821320?access_key=key-hvx7ylz2vu517dhvovi|title=Let There Be Light in the Lone Star State: Governor Perry Signs Lavender's Incandescent Light Bulb Bill into Law|publisher=scribd.com|accessdate=September 29, 2011}}</ref>