Kelly Hancock
Kelly Gene Hancock is an American businessman and politician who has served as the acting Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts since 2025. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served in the Texas State Senate for District 9 and in the Texas House of Representatives from the 91st district, representing part of Tarrant County from 2007 to 2025. He resigned from the Senate in 2025 to become the Chief Clerk for the Texas Comptroller's Office.
Early life, education, and career
A Fort Worth native, Hancock has resided his entire life in the Mid-Cities area of Tarrant County. In 2003, Hancock and his brother Cary founded Advanced Chemical Logistics, a chemical distribution company in Northeast Fort Worth.Hancock graduated from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, in 1986 with a Bachelor of Business Administration.
Political career
Hancock is a lifelong conservative who began his political career serving for thirteen years on the Birdville ISD school board. In 2006, he was elected to the first of three consecutive terms in the Texas House of Representatives for District 91.Texas Senate
In the Texas Senate's 83rd Legislative Session of 2013, Hancock was tabbed to serve on the following committees: Transportation, Jurisprudence, Business and Commerce, and Senate Administration. Hancock serves as the vice chairman of the Economic Development Committee.In September 2013, Hancock announced his intent to run for a second term in the Senate.
Hancock was named one of the "Worst Legislators" in Texas by Texas Monthly magazine in 2017.
In 2021, Republicans in the Texas legislature drew heavily pro-Republican gerrymandered maps to vastly increase the number of safe Republican districts. Hancock's district, which had been a competitive district in the 2020 election, was redrawn to make it much more Republican.
Hancock was reelected to the state Senate in the general election held on November 6, 2018. With 132,001 votes, he defeated his Democratic opponent, Gwenn Burud, who polled 112,113. His margin in Tarrant County was sufficient to overcome his loss in increasingly Democratic Dallas County.
Legislation
NCAA championship game in Arlington
In April 2013, Hancock authored Senate Bill 398, which ensured AT&T Stadium in Arlington would be eligible for state funds in the facility's pursuit of a BCS National Championship game in College Football. Governor Rick Perry signed the bill into law. AT&T Stadium hosted the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship Game in 2015.Voter fraud
In the 2017 special legislative session, Hancock spoke in support of a bill to increase the penalty from misdemeanor to felony when one is convicted of intentionally submitting false information on a mail-in ballot application. Hancock said mail-in voting has been targeted for illegal voting and election fraud and that the legislation is needed. Democrat Jose Menendez of San Antonio, however, argued against the legislation on grounds of "unintended consequences."Delivery of alcoholic beverages
In 2019, Hancock co-sponsored a bill that was signed by governor Greg Abbott on June 12, 2019. Dealing with the sale and delivery of alcoholic beverages to private citizens, this law allows food establishments to sell and deliver alcohol along with food deliveries.Texas Comptroller
On June 19, 2025, Hancock suddenly resigned from the Texas Senate in order to become chief clerk of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts office. His appointment to the role meant he became acting comptroller when Glenn Hegar resigned on July 1 to become chancellor of the Texas A&M System. It also allowed Greg Abbott to skirt a state law which stipulates "Senators — even former ones — cannot be appointed to another position that requires Senate confirmation during their term." The same day, he announced he would run for a full term in 2026 with Abbott and Hegar's endorsement. His opponents in the Republican Primary are Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick and former State Senator Don Huffines.In December 2025, Hancock filed a request for opinion with the Texas Attorney General's Office asking if his office could exclude schools linked to a “foreign terrorist organization” or a “foreign adversary” from the state's school voucher program. The move was seen as targeting schools with alleged affiliations with Muslim advocacy group Council on American–Islamic Relations, which Abbot had designated a terrorist organization in November 2025, or the Chinese Communist Party. Attorney general Ken Paxton issued a legal opinion confirming the Comptroller's power to exclude schools from the voucher program on this basis in January 2026.