Shelby Slawson
Shelby Laine Slawson (born May 3, 1977) is an American attorney, businesswoman, and politician. She has represented the 59th District in the Texas House of Representatives since 2021. A member of the Republican Party, Slawson also serves as an attorney at her own law firm, Slawson Law, PLLC in Stephenville, Texas. Early life, education, and career. Born and raised in Texas, where she then graduated from Stephenville High School. She then went on an attended University of Texas at Dallas earning an undergraduate degree in government and politics in 2000. She later earned her Juris Doctor from the  University of Texas School of Law in 2003. Since then she has worked in her small businesses of Erath Rentals, Slawson Roofing, Inc., StephenvilleForRent.com, and as an attorney for her law firm. Slawson also served as an appointed board member for the Stephenville Economic Development Authority (SEDA). Elections. In 2018, Slawson ran for Erath County judge, later to lose to Alfonso Campos in a runoff election in the Republican primary. Shelby filed in June 2019 to run for the Texas House of Representatives District 59 seat, to run against J. D. Sheffield, who was the incumbent at the time. She  defeated Sheffield in the 2020 Republican primary runoff with 61% of the vote in July 2020. Slawson ran unopposed in the November 2020 election. Slawson had endorsements from Sid Miller and Pat Fallon. On March 11, 2021, state senator Bryan Hughes of Mineola, Texas introduced a fetal heartbeat bill entitled the Texas Heartbeat Bill (SB8) into the state senate and Slawson introduced a companion bill (HB1515) into the Texas House. The bill allows private citizens to sue abortion providers after a fetal heartbeat has been detected. The SB8 version of the bill passed both chambers and was signed into law  by Texas Governor Greg Abbott on May 19, 2021. It will take effect on September 1, 2021.