Rep. Hayes, Richard

Biography

Rep. Richard Hayes represents Texas House District 57, which was created by the 87th Texas Legislature in 2021. District 57 comprises a swath across mid-Denton County and includes all of Corinth, Hickory Creek, Lake Dallas, Shady Shores, Oak Point, Lakewood Village, Ponder, Dish, Paloma Creek, and Savannah; most of Little Elm and Hackberry; and parts of Denton, Argyle, Highland Village, Northlake, New Fairview, Copper Canyon, Cross Roads, and Frisco.

Rep. Hayes serves on the House International Relations & Economic Development Committee, and the Urban Affairs Committee. He is a member of the Texas House Republican Caucus Policy Committee, Freedom Caucus, Energy Caucus and the Manufacturing Caucus.

A Texas native and real estate and business trial lawyer, Rep. Hayes is founding partner of Hayes, Berry, White & Vanzant, L.L.P., a respected law firm serving the North Texas region since 1985.

Rep. Hayes is a strong advocate for reducing government bureaucracy, significant property tax reduction, parental school choice and curricula reform, and securing Texas' southern border. A strong Second Amendment supporter, Richard is a Life Member of the Gun Owners of America and the National Rifle Association.

One of fewer than 350 Professional Registered Parliamentarians in North America, Rep. Hayes has served as Parliamentarian to the Republican Party of Texas. A Life Member of the Republican National Committee, Rep. Hayes is a member of the Republican National Lawyers Association and the Council for National Policy Board of Governors. In addition, Rep. Hayes has served as Chair of the Denton County Republican Party.

Rep. Hayes has long recognized that quality leaders of tomorrow require mentoring today. As a youth, he gained valuable leadership skills, guidance, and direction in the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), so part of his community give-back has been long service to BSA in various capacities, from scoutmaster to Council officer. In addition, Rep. Hayes has provided leadership tools to many high school and college students through his volunteer coaching of local parliamentary procedure teams; his students have won both national and state championships.

Today, Rep. Hayes serves on the North Texas State Fair & Rodeo Association Board of Directors and the Board of Advisers of St. Mary’s University School of Law, with prior appointment by Gov. George W. Bush to the Texas Woman’s University Board of Regents. In addition, he has served on boards of the Denton Public Schools Foundation, North Texas Mobility Corporation, Denton Chamber of Commerce and Denton Kiwanis Club.

Rep. Hayes earned his B.B.A. degree from Texas Christian University, M.B.A. from Texas A&M University, and J.D. from St. Mary’s University School of Law. He served as a briefing attorney for Adrian Spears, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, and as an Assistant Criminal District Attorney in the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office in San Antonio.

Rep. Hayes and his wife, a licensed R.N. and retired public school nurse and teacher, have been married for 48 years. They have five children, one of whom serves on the Houston City Council, and eight grandchildren. The Hayes are members of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Denton.