Edmund Kuempel, R-Seguin, was found in an elevator near the House chamber, revived with a defibrillator, and taken to an Austin hospital shortly before 11 p.m. Tuesday night.The House, which had expected to work until midnight, abruptly adjourned as word spread. After he was treated by Rep. John Zerwas, a Richmond anesthesiologist and House member, and emergency medical crews, Kuempel was taken to University Medical Center Brackenridge, just blocks from the Capitol. The Central Texas lawmaker is 66 years old. He took office in 1983 and ranks 5th in seniority in the 150-member House. He was in the running for Speaker late last year and early this year, and was one of 11 Republicans who met on a Friday night in January, chose from among themselves and elevated Joe Straus in what turned out to be a successful challenge to Speaker Tom Craddick. Kuempel chairs the Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee, a blandly named panel that oversees gaming and other high-octane legislation. He's also a member of the agenda-setting Calendars Committee. He spent the beginning of the week trying to rustle up the handful of votes he said he needed to pass a constitutional amendment that would allow casino gambling in Texas.

Rep. Edmund Kuempel is in stable condition at an Austin hospital after collapsing at the Capitol last night, but remains in intensive care.Here's an update from House Speaker Joe Straus' office:

UPDATE ON HOUSE CHAIRMAN EDMUND KUEMPEL (Austin) -- This morning House Chairman Edmund Kuempel (Seguin) remains in intensive care in stable condition. The next 24-48 hours are critical. Last night, Chairman Kuempel was hospitalized after collapsing at the Capitol. He was attended to by emergency medical services personnel before being transported to Brackenridge Hospital. His family has asked that colleagues and friends not visit the hospital at this time, but asks everyone keep Edmund in their prayers. More details to follow as they become available.

Democrat Tom Schieffer talked to a crowd of 250-300 supporters and gawkers at Austin's Scholz Garten.Here's a listen: His speech (7:32) And his scrum with reporters (8:00)

Albert Hawkins, who oversaw the consolidation of the state's health and human service agencies in 2003 and has presided over them ever since, will retire sometime this summer.

Gov. Rick Perry hasn't named a replacement, and aides say several candidates are still in the running. Hawkins' current term at HHSC ended in February. He wasn't reappointed, aides said, because he had already told the governor he planned to retire. The appointment requires Senate consent; if someone is nominated while lawmakers are here, they'd have to win that consent before the end of the session to keep the job. Someone nominated after the session is over could hold the post until at least the end of the next legislative session.

Hawkins, 56, worked at the Legislative Budget Board from 1978 to 1994 and joined then-Gov. George W. Bush's staff as budget director. He followed Bush to Washington, D.C., as secretary to the president's cabinet, and returned in 2003 to take over the newly created Health and Human Services Commission, which oversees five agencies with about 50,000 employees. Hawkins hasn't said what he'll do after he leaves, and his exact departure date hasn't been determined.

Dr. William Henrich is the sole finalist for the presidency at the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio. He'll succeed Dr. Francisco Cigarroa, who was promoted to chancellor of the UT System earlier this year.

Alan Bernstein, the Houston Chronicle's local political writer (and a 29-year veteran of that paper) is leaving the People of Ink behind and joining Harris County, where he'll head government relations and communications for Sheriff Adrian Garcia.

Bounced: Shanda Perkins, nominated by Gov. Rick Perry for a spont on the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. That's a full-time job that pays $95,000 per year, and the Senate decided she's not qualified and voted, 27-4, against her confirmation. The back story: Perkins is a political activist from Burleson who was accused of spurring an investigation into another woman who was selling sex toys at parties. The courts threw out that case; Perkins told senators she didn't initiate the complaints.

Sentenced: Former U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent, for lying under oath after he was accused of sexually harassing two female aides, to 33 months in federal prison. There's a twist: He hasn't resigned, or been impeached, and will continue to collect his salary until one of those things happens.

Appointed, by Gov. Rick Perry (and noting that all appointments made during a session have to be approved in that same session, or the candidates are busted, a sign that the Guv's pretty sure about these):

• Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin to another two-year term in that job.

• Light Townsend Cummins of Austin College in Sherman as the Texas State Historian.

• Ellis Matthew Skinner II of Spicewood, who runs an eponymous contracting company, to the board of regents at Texas State Technical College System.

• Greg Bailes of Bee Cave as presiding officer of the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy. Perry reappointed James Flagg, an associate prof at Texas A&M, to that board. And he named four new members, including Ray Ferguson of Abilene, Jon Keeney of Taylor Lake Village, Maribess Miller of Dallas, and Thomas Prothro of Tyler to that board. Keeney is a consultant; all the others are accountants.

Deaths: State District Judge Scott Ozmun, an attorney and former Travis County Democratic Party chairman, of cancer. He was 50.