AUSTIN, Texas -- As state lawmakers get back to work, there are plenty of fresh faces now among the 181 members of the Texas House and Senate.

There are six new senators and twenty-seven new state representatives. Most of them have never held state office before are and working to get the lay of the land.

The majority of the new House members are Democrats. Twelve of them won in Republican-held House districts.

“People were frustrated with the way state government has been functioning the last few cycles and they wanted to see a change,” said Rep. John Bucy, D-Cedar Park.

Bucy beat Republican Tony Dale in the midterm election and now represents the people of House District 136, which encompasses the western portion of Williamson County and much of Northwest Austin.

Bucy is pushing for lawmakers to reform the way the state pays for public education.

“We must significantly increase funding,” Bucy said. “We probably need at least $12 billion in the biennium. I don’t know if we’ll get that much but I think we’re going to make significant progress.”

Click the video link above to watch the full interview with freshman lawmaker Bucy.