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Before Button was born, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) took control in China, and Button's parents fled to Taiwan. The family of 7 lived in a 300-square foot, one-room hut without a bathroom or a kitchen. The Chen's were one of the few Christian families in their small village. She came to the United States, where, as a graduate student in Public Finance and Management Services at the University of Texas at Dallas, she met her future husband, Darcy Glen Button (born May 31, 1955). For more than three decades, the couple has resided in Richardson and Garland. They have a grown son, Dane Chen Button, who is a graduate of Richardson ISD, and three grandchildren. Button describes her life as "the American dream, Texas-style."[3]
Button has a long record of civic involvement. She is a former member of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Board and is active in the Chamber of Commerce and the advisory board of The Women's Museum: An Institute for the Future. She has been honored by the Young Women's Christian Association and Southern Methodist University. She holds the "Corporate Achievement Award" from the National Organization of Chinese Americans. She received the "Champion of Free Enterprise Award" from the Texas Association of Business as well as being named a "Courageous Conservative" by the Texas Conservative Coalition.[3] In 2021 following the 87th session, Button was named as one of Texas Monthly's Best Legislators. [4]
Political life
In 2008, the incumbent Republican Representative Fred Hill did not seek reelection in District 112. Button entered a highly competitive primary election. She led with 4,138 votes (37.9 percent) and was forced into a runoff with Randall Dunning who polled, 3,818 votes (35 percent). James E. Shepherd who drew 2,955 votes (27.1 percent).[5] In the second round of balloting, Button prevailed, 3,103 votes (53.2 percent) to Dunning's 2,732 (46.8 percent).[6] In the general election on November 4, 2008, Button defeated the Democrat Sandra Phuong Vule, 30,998 (56.1 percent) to 21,919 (39.6 percent). Another 4.3 percent of the vote was cast for the Libertarian Party nominee, Philip M. White.[7]
Button is one of the few legislators in Texas history to have voted for a major tax cut in every session in which she served. Button also passed a large pay increase for teachers, librarians, counselors, and school nurses.
Button is currently the chair of the House Committee on International Relations and Economic Development and serves as a member of the Ways and Means Committee.
She passed legislation to better inform women who recently gave birth to assist in them receiving the proper follow-up care and has authored legislation to improve access to quality child care.
She co-sponsored legislation to provide marshals for school security as a separate law-enforcement entity. She sponsored the successful bill to extend the franchise tax exemption to certain businesses. Button voted for the adoption of the biennial state budgets in both 2013 and 2011. She voted to require testing for narcotics of those individuals receiving unemployment compensation. She sponsored the law to forbid texting while driving.[8]
Button supported the bill to prohibit the state government from engaging in the enforcement of federal regulations of firearms. She voted to reduce the time required to obtain a concealed-carry permit. She backed the redistricting bills for the state House and Senate and the United States House of Representatives.[8]
Button voted to prohibit smoking in public places. She voted to establish eligibility for indigent health care. She voted to establish student centers at public colleges and universities. She also supported photo identification of voters casting a ballot.[8] The measure finally took effect in October 2013 and was used widely without incident in the primaries on March 4, 2014.[9] In 2013, Button backed related legislation to forbid a voter from turning in multiple ballots.[8]
Reelection
Button won reelection to her fifth term in the state House in the general election held on November 8, 2016. With 31,234 votes (57.2 percent), she defeated Democratic challenger Jack Blackshear, who received 23,351 ballots (42.8 percent).[10]
Button defeated Democratic challenger Brandy K. Chambers in 2018 and again in 2020 to win a seventh term.
