Meet cody

Representative Cody Thane Vasut is a conservative problem-solver representing House District 25, comprised of southern and western Brazoria County since 2021. He currently serves as Vice Chair of the Business & Industry Committee and member of the Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committees in the 88th Session.

Cody is an 8th-generation Texan and 5th-generation resident of Angleton, where he grew up around the dinner table at his grandfather’s house learning about local issues and the ways his parents and extended family were serving their community to address them. Cody took their example to heart and has devoted himself to serving his community to ensure it remains a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

Cody graduated summa cum laude from Texas A&M University with a B.B.A. and M.S. in Management. He was honored to serve as the 37th Speaker of the Student Senate his senior year. Cody went on to graduate summa cum laude and valedictorian from the University of Houston Law Center with a Juris Doctorate.

For more than a decade, he has worked as an attorney, representing a variety of businesses in oil and gas, personal injury defense, employment, and theft of trade secret litigation across the United States. Cody previously served as President of the Brazoria County Bar Association and is a Texas Bar Foundation Fellow.

In 2011, Cody founded a college ministry, Revive, which has ministered to hundreds of young adults at Brazosport College and across the area. In 2016, he was elected to serve on Angleton City Council. On council and in the legislature, he is known for his transparency, deep inquiry into issues, and common-sense approach to solving problems.

Cody also serves on the Board of Directors for the Pregnancy Help Center of Brazosport, where he puts his pro-life values into practice supporting the ministry’s work to assist new families and single mothers across southern Brazoria County and beyond. Cody is passionate about changing hearts, minds, and laws to end abortion and protect innocent children.

He is also a member of the Board of Directors for Harvest for the Hungry, which provides education and produce to area residents to combat food insecurity. He is also a member of the Angleton Rotary Club, which performs various service projects and funds programs that better the lives of area residents.

Cody and his wife, Kate, have two daughters, Sparrow and Lily, and one son, William. They attend Second Baptist Church in Angleton, where Cody serves as a lay preacher and drummer in the praise band.

Additional details on Cody’s record in the Texas Legislature can be found below. The list is not exhaustive. You may find further details on the legislation he has authored and his voting record at https://capitol.texas.gov.

Record in the 88th FIRST, SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH CALLED SessionS (June-July and October-November 2023)

  • Co-authored the largest property tax cut in history, saving homeowners an average of $1,300 in 2023 (SB 2, 88-2).

  • Co-authored legislation to double the franchise tax exemption and eliminate no-tax-due reports to help small businesses (SB 3, 88-2).

  • Co-authored ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates by private employers to protect medical liberty and drafted amendment to strengthen protections for medical students performing clinicals (SB 7, 88-3).

  • Co-authored and successfully defended against points of order the strongest border security legislation in the nation (SB 4, 88-4).

  • Co-authored legislation to increase public school funding, raise teacher pay, and end the STAAR test. (HB 1, 88-4). Stood with parents by opposing an amendment that stripped education savings account from the bill (HB 1, Amendment 2, 88-4).

  • 5th most conservative member of the House. (2023 Rice Special Session Index).

  • Limited Government Award and 6th most conservative member of the House, The Institute for Legislative Analysis. (2023 Analysis of Votes on Limited Government).

  • Courageous Conservative Award, Texas Conservative Coalition.

Record in the 88th Regular SESSION (January - May 2023)

  • Passed 27 bills through the House, 11 bills into law, and numerous other amendments into law.

  • Vice Chair, House Business & Industry Committee and member of the House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee.

  • Secretary of the conservative Freedom Caucus.

  • Secretary of the Texas Conservative Coalition.

  • Founding member and Treasurer of the Texas Nuclear Energy Caucus.

  • 3rd most conservative member of the House. (2023 Rice Index).

  • Faith & Family Champion. (2023 Texas Values Action Faith & Family Scorecard).

  • Received Free Enterprise Champion Award by Associated Builders and Contractors for work during 88th Session. (The Facts, October 2, 2023).

  • A+ Dream Team rating for protecting medical liberty. (2023 Texans for Vaccine Choice Report Card).

  • Rated top 10 most conservative member of the House (#9). (2023 YCT Ratings).

  • Rated top 10 most fiscally conservative member of the House (#9). (2023 TFR Ratings).

  • Pro-life hero of the 88th Session, Texas Right to Life. (Pro-Life Heroes of the 88th Legislature).

  • Argued more than 150 points of order to defend conservative legislation and amendments, including nearly all major conservative victories.

  • Authored legislation to lower appraisal caps (HB 145, 88-R), eliminate property taxes (HB 1513, 88-R), abolish the STAAR test (HB 1981, 88-R), make it easier to access to public information (HB 613, 88-R), increase access to campaign finance reports (HB 524, 88-R), enact 12-year term limits (HJR 34, 88-R), rein in executive power during emergencies (HJR 32, 88-R), protect private schools from state regulation of curriculum (HJR 37, 88-R), and protecting parental rights (HJR 38, 88-R).

  • Joint-authored ban on wealth tax in Texas (HJR 132, 88-R).

  • Authored Bianca’s Law, which gives law enforcement more tools to prosecute child abduction (HB 3025, 88-R).

  • Authored bill to enhance training requirements for district clerks on the proper selection of juries (HB 616, 88-R).

  • Authored bill to help resolve a decades-long dispute between the City of Freeport and Port Freeport over industrial development in and near the city. The law prohibits future expansion of port facilities into residential areas of the city without the consent of the citizens of Freeport. The law also prohibits heavy industrial development in the former East End and provides the Port regulatory certainty to promote economic development in the area. (HB 5336, 88-R).

  • Authored bill to protect businesses from frivolous exposure lawsuits if they respect medical liberty and choose not to require employees to receive a vaccine. (HB 609, 88-R).

  • Authored bill to eliminate unfunded mandate for Brazoria County, saving taxpayers hundreds of thousands each year. (HB 630, 88-R).

  • Authored bill to ensure those who participate in trap-neuter-return programs to keep feral cat populations under control are not charged with animal abandonment by fixing ambiguity in penal code. (HB 3660, 88-R).

  • Helped draft amendment to House Rules to provide penalties for members who break quorum. (HR 4, Amendment 1, 88-R).

Record in the 87th FIRST, SECOND, and THIRD CALLED Sessions (July-October 2021)

Record in the 87th Regular Session (‘21)

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  • Successfully defended more than a dozen conservative bills from points of order by Democrats, including election integrity legislation (SB 7, 87-R), bail reform (HJR 4, 87-R), an efficiency audit of the Texas Temporary Assitance for Needy Families program (HB 1516, 87-R), and constitutional carry (HB 1927, 87-R).

  • Successfully raised points of order against floor amendments that would have expanded government or threatened individual liberty.

Community Involvement and awards

  • Founder and President of the Board of Directors, Revive Young Adult Fellowship, Inc.

  • Former First Vice President, Brazoria County Cities Association

  • Former President and Member of the Board of Directors, Brazoria County Bar Association

  • Member of the Board of Directors, Brazoria County Bar Foundation

  • Fellow, Texas Bar Foundation (From the Foundation: “Each year, the top 1/3 of 1% of Texas attorneys are invited to become Fellows (or members) of the Texas Bar Foundation. Election to the Fellows is one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon a member of the State Bar of Texas. Nomination is based on outstanding contributions to the legal profession as well as a commitment to the community.”)

  • Member of the Board of Directors, Pregnancy Help Center of Brazosport

  • Member of the Board of Directors, Harvest for the Hungry

  • Member, Greater Angleton Chamber of Commerce, Brazoria Chamber of Commerce, Brazoria County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Brazosport Area Chamber of Commerce, Sweeny Chamber of Commerce, and West Columbia Chamber of Commerce

  • Member, Sunday School Teacher, Vision Team Member and Lay Preacher, Second Baptist Church of Angleton

  • Member, Angleton Rotary Club

  • Leader Under 40 Award, The Facts, 2021

Contributions to the Republican Party of Texas

  • Delegate to Republican Party of Texas State Convention: 2018, 2020, and 2022

  • Delegate to Multiple Republican Party of Texas Senate District 11 Conventions

  • Delegate to Multiple Republican Party of Texas Precinct 56 Conventions

  • Team member and block walker for several Republican campaigns

  • Long-time financial supporter of the Brazoria County Republican Party

  • West Brazos Member, Brazoria County Republican Party

  • Member, Brazoria County Young Republicans

  • Associate Member, Angleton Republican Women

  • Associate Member, Brazosport Republican Women

  • Associate Member, West Pearland Republican Women

(Updated March 2024)