Craig Eiland

{{Short description|American lawyer and politician}}

{{use mdy dates|date=July 2021}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| image = CraigEiland.jpg |

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Allen Craig Eiland

| honorific-suffix =

| state_house = Texas

| district = 23rd

| term_start = 2003

| term_end=January 13, 2015

| preceded = Patricia Gray

| succeeded =Wayne Faircloth

| state_house2 = Texas

| district2 = 24th

| term_start2=1994

| term_end2= 2003

| preceded2= Mike Martin

| succeeded2= Larry Taylor

| party = Democratic

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1962|04|04}}

| birth_place = Stanton, Martin County

Texas, USA

| death_date =

| death_place =

| resting_place=

| spouse = Melissa Orebaugh Eiland

| children=Four children

| residence = Galveston, Texas

| alma_mater = Baylor University (B.B.A.), (J.D.)

| profession = Attorney

| website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20090106224152/http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist23/eiland.php Official Website]

}}

Allen Craig Eiland (born April 4, 1962) is a Democratic former member and Speaker pro Tempore of the Texas House of Representatives. From 2003 until 2015, Eiland represented Texas House District 23, which includes Galveston, Jamaica Beach, Texas City, and the Bolivar Peninsula in Galveston County and all of Chambers County.{{cite web|url=http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist23/bio/eiland.htm |title=Texas House of Representatives Member Biography |publisher=Texas Legislative Council |date= |accessdate=2009-01-15 |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20080822022743/http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist23/bio/eiland.htm |archivedate = 2008-08-22}}{{cite news|url=http://www.khou.com/news/neighborhood-news/Eiland-loses-speaker-pro-tem-spot-to-Republican--115715259.html |work=KHOU |author=Aulds T.J. |title=Galveston: Eiland loses speaker pro tem spot to Republican |date=2011-02-10 |accessdate=2011-02-12 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713145451/http://www.khou.com/news/neighborhood-news/Eiland-loses-speaker-pro-tem-spot-to-Republican--115715259.html |archivedate=2011-07-13 }}

Prior to redistricting in 2003, Eiland was the member for House District 24, which roughly covered all of Galveston County west of Interstate 45.{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2002_3524061 |title=Houston Chronicle's Voter's Guide 2002: Texas House of Representatives |publisher=Houston Chronicle |date= |accessdate=2009-01-15}}

Eiland was first elected to the House in 1994. For eight years he served on the Insurance and Appropriations committees, including four years as Vice Chair of the Insurance Committee and two years as chair of the House Pensions and Investments Committee.

In 2009, Speaker Joe Straus named Eiland the House Speaker Pro-tempore, a job which entails leading the house in Speaker Straus' absence. Eiland was also named to the powerful House Appropriations committee and the Insurance committee.{{cite web|url=http://www.house.state.tx.us/committees/assignments/81/committee.pdf |title=Texas House of Representatives Standing Committee Appointments |publisher=Texas House of Representatives |date=2009-02-12 |accessdate=2009-02-12 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629225357/http://www.house.state.tx.us/committees/assignments/81/committee.pdf |archivedate=June 29, 2009 }}{{cite news|url=http://galvestondailynews.com/story/133068/|work=Galveston County Daily News|title=Eiland named to state House leadership role|author=Aulds, T.J.|date=2009-02-13|accessdate=2011-02-12|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101216132421/http://galvestondailynews.com/story/133068/|archivedate=2010-12-16}} In 2011 Beverly Woolley of Houston was chosen to replace Eiland after Republicans captured a super majority of seats (101 out of 150) in the 2010 elections.

He is viewed by his colleagues as an expert on insurance matters and the state budget in general and the Medicaid and CHIP program budgets specifically. Texas Monthly magazine has also named Eiland one of Texas' 10 Best Lawmakers.{{cite web|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2003_3664995 |title= Texas Monthly puts DeLay on worst-lawmakers list |publisher=The Houston Chronicle |date= |accessdate=2009-01-15}}{{cite news|url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ike/galveston/6453331.html|work=Houston Chronicle|author=Ratcliffe, R.G.|title=Isle lawmaker Eiland rises above idling Legislature|date=2009-06-01|accessdate=2011-02-12}}

In the November 4, 2014, general election, Eiland did not seek reelection.

Eiland served on the House Appropriations Committee and was the vice chairman of the Insurance Committee.

A native of Stanton in Martin County, Eiland resides on Galveston Island. He and his wife, the former Melissa Orebaugh, have four children (William Gray Eiland, Delaney Eiland, Blake Eiland, and Robert Tucker Eiland). They are members of Moody Memorial First United Methodist Church in Galveston.

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