Jim served in the Texas Legislature for 20 years representing House District 60. Throughout his tenure in the Texas House of Representatives, he served as Chairman of various House committees including: Natural Resources, Energy Resources, Ways and Means, Economic Development, and the Select Committee on Property Tax Relief.
During his prominent legislative career, Representative Keffer was a recognized leader among his peers. In just his fourth term in the House, Keffer was selected as Chairman of the House Economic Development Committee. During the 78th Session, he worked with his Democratic colleagues to usher in several business reforms as well as establish the Texas Enterprise Fund, which is the main economic development tool used by the Governor to attract and retain businesses for the state.
Representative Keffer also earned a reputation as a powerful advocate for rural communities, he led efforts to reform the education system, eliminate Medicaid fraud, and provide additional financial security for retired teachers.
During Chairman Keffer’s tenure as Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee he successfully passed bills that created revenue sources for our public schools by reforming the state’s business tax, created the Enterprise Fund, and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute (CPRIT).
He capped off his successful legislative career as Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. As chair, he played a key role in the passage of historic legislation to fund the State Water Plan. He served three terms as chair of the Energy Resources Committee; moreover, he chaired the Select Committee on
Property Tax Relief, and he served as both chair and vice chair of the Economic Development Committee and as a member of numerous other committees, including Business and Industry, Redistricting, and Pensions and Investments.
Prior to running for the Texas Legislature, Keffer served as Republican County Chairman for Eastland County. In 1997, he became the first Republican to ever represent District 60, which encompasses Brown, Callahan, Coleman, Eastland, Hood, Palo Pinto, Shackelford, and Stephens Counties.
Representative Keffer has been recognized and honored with numerous awards and citations for his workings, and was also named by Texas Monthly Magazine as one of the “Top Ten Legislators.”
He is president of EBAA Iron Sales, Inc., an iron foundry with locations in Eastland and Albany, Texas, and is a graduate of Texas Tech University. He and Leslie, his wife of 44 years, have three grown sons, a daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren.