Governor Abbott Reappoints Three To Commission On Jail Standards

March 30, 2023 | Austin, Texas | Appointment

Governor Greg Abbott has reappointed Duane Lock, Ben Perry, and Esmaeil Porsa M.D. to the Commission on Jail Standards for terms set to expire January 31, 2029. The Commission establishes standards for the care and treatment of county prisoners and the construction, maintenance, and operation of county jails.

Duane Lock of Southlake is president and strategic leader for River Oaks Energy in Dallas. He is the former president of the University of Southern Mississippi Foundation Board and Executive Committee and a member of the Private Directors Association. He received an honorable discharge from the United States Marine Corps. Lock received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Master of Business Administration from Rockhurst University.

Ben Perry of Waco is McLennan County commissioner for the 4th Precinct and is an insurance executive at Higginbotham Insurance Company. Additionally, he has 14 years of past service in public safety as a police detective for the City of Waco and as a police officer and firefighter for the city of Woodway. He is president of the McLennan County Appraisal District and EOAC Waco, a member of the Texas Department of Insurance, and a board member of the Heart of Texas Fair & Rodeo.

Esmaeil Porsa M.D. of Houston is president and chief executive officer of Harris Health System. He is a medical expert officer of civil rights and civil liberties for the Department of Homeland Security and a trustee of the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare. Additionally, he is vice chair for Teaching Hospitals of Texas and is a board member of the Houston Chapter of the American Heart Association, the Greater Houston Partnership, and the Texas Hospital Association. Porsa received a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Our Lady of the Lake University, a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, a Master of Public Health from the University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston, and a Master of Business Administration from University of Texas in Dallas Naveen Jindal School of Management.

These appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.