Angie Chen Button

Before Button was born, communists took control in China, forcing Button's parents to flee to Taiwan. The family of 7 lived in a 300-square foot, one-room hut without a bathroom or a kitchen. The Chen's were one of the few Christian families in their small village. She came to the United States, where, as a graduate student in Public Finance and Management Services at the University of Texas at Dallas, she met her future husband, Darcy Glen Button (born May 31, 1955). For more than three decades, the couple has resided in Richardson and Garland. They have a grown son, Dane Chen Button, who is a graduate of Richardson ISD, and two grandchildren. Button describes her life as "the American dream, Texas-style."[3]

Button has a long record of civic involvement. She is a former member of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Board and is active in the Chamber of Commerce and the advisory board of The Women's Museum: An Institute for the Future. She has been honored by the Young Women's Christian Association and Southern Methodist University. She holds the "Corporate Achievement Award" from the National Organization of Chinese Americans. Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, rated Button 85 percent in 2009, when it named her a "Taxpayers' Advocate." She received the "Champion of Free Enterprise Award" from the Texas Association of Business as well as being named a "Courageous Conservative" by the Texas Conservative Coalition.[3]

In 2008, the incumbent Republican Representative Fred Hill did not seek reelection in District 112. Button entered a highly competitive primary election. She led with 4,138 votes (37.9 percent) and was forced into a runoff with Randall Dunning who polled, 3,818 votes (35 percent). James E. Shepherd who drew 2,955 votes (27.1 percent).[4] In the second round of balloting, Button prevailed, 3,103 votes (53.2 percent) to Dunning's 2,732 (46.8 percent).[5] In the general election on November 4, 2008, Button defeated the Democrat Sandra Phuong Vule, 30,998 (56.1 percent) to 21,919 (39.6 percent). Another 4.3 percent of the vote was cast for the Libertarian Party nominee, Philip M. White.[6]

Button is one of the few legislators in Texas history to have voted for a major tax cut in every session in which she served. Button also passed a large pay increase for teachers, librarians, counselors, and school nurses.

Button is currently the chair of the House Committee on Urban Development[7] and serves on the House Committee on Higher Education.

She authored legislation to better inform women who recently gave birth to assist in them receiving the proper follow-up care.

She co-sponsored legislation to provide marshals for school security as a separate law-enforcement entity. She sponsored the successful bill to extend the franchise tax exemption to certain businesses. Button voted for the adoption of the biennial state budgets in both 2013 and 2011. She voted to require testing for narcotics of those individuals receiving unemployment compensation. She sponsored the law to forbid texting while driving.[8]

Button supported the bill to prohibit the state government from engaging in the enforcement of federal regulations of firearms. She co-sponsored but did not vote on the final passage of the measure to allow college and university officials to carry concealed weapons in buildings and vehicles in the name of campus security. She voted to reduce the time required to obtain a concealed-carry permit. She backed the redistricting bills for the state House and Senate and the United States House of Representatives.[8]

Button voted to prohibit smoking in public places. She voted to establish eligibility for indigent health care. She voted to establish student centers at public colleges and universities. She also supported photo identification of voters casting a ballot.[8] The measure finally took effect in October 2013 and was used widely without incident in the primaries on March 4, 2014.[9] In 2013, Button backed related legislation to forbid a voter from turning in multiple ballots.[8]

Button won reelection to her fifth term in the state House in the general election held on November 8, 2016. With 31,234 votes (57.2 percent), she defeated Democratic challenger Jack Blackshear, who received 23,351 ballots (42.8 percent).[15]

Button defeated Democratic challenger Brandy K. Chambers in 2018 and again in 2020 to win a seventh term.

• History of Chinese Americans in Dallas–Fort Worth