Abbott at dedication of campus facility to former House speaker: 'Bonnen's career has allowed students at Brazosport College to seek new opportunities'

Gov. Greg Abbott helped Brazosport College (BC) late last month dedicate a campus facility in Lake Jackson to former Texas House of Representatives Speaker Dennis Bonnen, according to press releases from the governor's office and the school 55 miles south of Houston.

According to BC, the building is formally known as the Speaker Dennis H. Bonnen Central Building and houses much of the school's services sector.

The 50-year-old Bonnen, a Republican, served in the lower chamber of the state legislature from 1997 to 2021, representing a district that includes most of Brazoria County. He presided over the House from 2019 to last year.

In Abbott's remarks at the dedication ceremony, he touted Bonnen for his work on matters including, but not limited to: School finance reform, property tax reform and border security.

"From working on school finance reform to border security to making sure Texas remains a no-income tax state, Speaker Bonnen's time in office was dedicated to the good of Texas, but he always remembered to support communities back in his home district," the governor, a Republican, said, per his office. "Speaker Bonnen's long and storied career has allowed students at Brazosport College to seek new opportunities and build brighter futures, and I am proud to be here with other members of the legislature to honor his legacy of leadership and support for the Lake Jackson community through the dedication of this new building."

According to BC's release, Bonnen highly prioritized the two-year institution during his time as a legislator.

The school said that Bonnen, who served in Austin alongside his older brother Greg a decade ago, was instrumental in reversing a budget recommendation that would've deprived all state funding to BC.

Bonnen also assisted BC in establishing two baccalaureate programs, per the release.

At the time when BC moved to name the building after Bonnen last year, college president Dr. Millicent Valek said the lawmaker's support for the school is "continuous."

“His leadership has been essential to so many important initiatives that allow us to carry out the mission of the college and strengthen the region we serve," Valek said in a campus-issued release.

Born on March 3, 1972 in Angleton, Bonnen is a businessman by profession who holds a political science degree from St. Edward's University in Austin. He's a married father of two.