Rep. Moody, Joe

Biography

 Joe Moody is Speaker Pro Tempore of the Texas House of Representatives, a position he’s held under three different speakers. He serves on the committees on House Administration, General Investigating, Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence, and Criminal Jurisprudence. He’s also the founder and co-chair of the Criminal Justice Reform Caucus.

 Joe is a lifelong El Pasoan who followed the example of public service set by his father, District Judge William Moody, and his mother, El Paso school teacher Magdalena Morales-Moody. Joe was married to Adrianne Riley in 2011. They have two sons and one daughter: William, Preston, and Ryleigh.

 Although Joe’s legislative efforts have touched on topics from veterans issues and mental health to education and equality, his passion has been criminal justice reform. He’s devoted particular attention to preventing wrongful convictions, rightsizing penalties for drug offenses and for juvenile offenders, and improving access to justice for the indigent.

 Joe’s work has earned him numerous accolades, including awards from the Mexican American Legislative Caucus, the Texas District and County Attorneys Association, the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, and Equality Texas. He was named a top ten legislator in 2017 and 2019 by Texas Monthly, Newsmaker of the Year in 2023 by the El Paso Times, and Texan of the Year by the Dallas Morning News in 2024. 

Outside of the Texas Legislature, Joe works as senior counsel for WestStar Bank. He and his family are members of St. Matthew Catholic Church.