Editing Jefferson County, Texas (section)

=== State ===
Jefferson County was represented in [[Texas State House District 21]] from 1999 to 2015 in the [[Texas House of Representatives]] by the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[Allan Ritter]], a businessman from Nederland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/25363/allan-ritter#.UwYx25WPIfg|title=Allan Ritter's Biography|publisher=votesmart.org|access-date=February 20, 2014}}</ref> On January 13, 2015, Republican [[Dade Phelan]] of Beaumont succeeded Ritter, who did not seek reelection in 2014.

It is also represented in [[Texas State House District 22]], which takes in much of Beaumont and Port Arthur, by [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] [[Joe D. Deshotel]], who has served in this seat since 1999. In the 81st Legislative Session, Deshotel was appointed to serve as chairman of the House Business and Industry Committee, a post he continues to hold today.<ref>[https://house.texas.gov/members/member-page/?district=22 "Bio: Rep. Deshotel, Joe."], Texas House Member</ref>

The [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]] operates three facilities in the county: the [[Gist Unit]], a state jail;<ref>"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/bj.htm Gist Unit] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125212409/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/bj.htm |date=2010-01-25 }}." [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]]. Retrieved on January 11, 2010.</ref> the [[Stiles Unit]], a prison;<ref>"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/st.htm Stiles Unit] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125212031/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/st.htm |date=2010-01-25 }}." [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]]. Retrieved on January 11, 2010.</ref> and the Leblanc Unit, a pre-release facility, in an [[unincorporated area]] of Jefferson County.<ref>"[http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/ba.htm Leblanc Unit] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108140655/http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/stat/unitdirectory/ba.htm |date=2010-01-08 }}." [[Texas Department of Criminal Justice]]. Retrieved on January 11, 2010.</ref>

In addition, the [[Texas Youth Commission]] operated the Al Price State Juvenile Correctional Facility in an [[unincorporated area]]<ref>"[http://www.tyc.state.tx.us/programs/facility_address.html Facility Address List] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725200244/http://www.tyc.state.tx.us/programs/facility_address.html |date=2010-07-25 }}." [[Texas Youth Commission]]. Retrieved on July 31, 2011.</ref> within the Mid County region.<ref>Moore, Amy. "[http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/education/article/Al-Price-one-of-three-juvenile-facilities-to-close-1408479.php#photo-1029508 Al Price one of three juvenile facilities to close]." ''[[The Beaumont Enterprise]]''. Friday June 3, 2011. Retrieved on February 28, 2012.</ref> The facility was among three selected for closure on August 31, 2011, because of agency budget shortfalls.<ref name="3closing">"[http://www.tyc.state.tx.us/news/press_06-03-11.html TYC Announces Closure of Three Facilities] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305203532/http://www.tyc.state.tx.us/news/press_06-03-11.html |date=2012-03-05 }}." [[Texas Youth Commission]]. Retrieved on July 3, 2011.</ref> In 2015 the county commissioners announced that it would lease the facility to a Beaumont charter school, Evolution Academy, at a minimal cost for 35 years. This was reported as an attempt to prevent the state from housing sex offenders here who had completed their sentences.<ref>[http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/article/Al-Price-unit-to-house-charter-school-6335148.php Dan Wallach, "Here's what's moving into the old Al Price detention center"], ''Beaumont Enterprise,'' June 18, 2015; accessed January 2, 2016</ref>