Today, across Texas and the United States of America, we celebrate Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. It is a day to honor the brave law enforcement officers who serve and protect our communities. To many of us, they are our partners or spouses, sons or daughters, brothers or sisters, or friends. They go out in the front lines every day to protect our communities, sacrificing their lives to keep our families safe.

Our law enforcement men and women risk their lives on a daily basis. There is no routine traffic stop or routine response to a call for help. We thank our officers for keeping us safe and patrolling our neighborhoods, streets, and highways day and night. We thank their families for the sacrifice they have to make and for their suffering, pain, and heartache when their loved one does not come home. Actions speak louder than words and this past session, the Texas Legislature kept its promise in ensuring law enforcement has the resources they need to do their jobs.

Funding to keep our communities safe and providing law enforcement with the tools and resources needed was one of our priorities this past session. The state budget included $22 million for DPS to equip their vehicles with bullet resistant windshields and $10 million for bullet resistant personal body armor. We appropriated $15 million for grants to local law enforcement agencies to establish a body-worn camera program. The budget also included $200,000 for the Peace Officer Mental Health Program; $15 million for border prosecution grants; $10.2 million in grants for local border security; and $7.9 million for the anti-gang activities, among others.

This past session the Legislature established COVID-19 as a presumptive illness for first responders who die from or are disabled by complications related to the virus. This will simplify the process of obtaining benefits, compensation, and assistance. The state also now requires that certain first responders be provided all employee benefits and compensation if they are ordered to quarantine or isolate due to a possible or known on-duty exposure to a communicable disease.

To prepare Texas peace officers for the incredible amount of responsibility and complexity that comes with their career, the state must provide robust and effective training and the resources necessary to adequately train new officers. H.B. 3712 requires the basic training course to include training on the prohibition against using certain neck restraints like chokeholds, an officer’s duty to intervene and stop or prevent another officer from using excessive force against a suspect, and an officer’s duty to request emergency medical services personnel and provide first aid or treatment in certain circumstances.

To protect both citizens and the law enforcement community, we passed S.B. 24 in response to the growing number unfit officers bouncing from one law enforcement agency to another following termination. This bill requires law enforcement agencies to review an applicant’s criminal history, personnel files, and prior conduct before hiring them. The hiring agency must then certify to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement that it has reviewed the required materials. If a hiring agency fails to comply with these basic requirements, TCOLE will suspend the peace officer license of the head of the law enforcement agency.

Just as important, we focused on addressing the mental health needs of law enforcement officers. According to reports, there were 228 law enforcement officers who died by suicide in 2019, nearly double the number killed in the line of duty (132). That same year, there were 19 law enforcement suicides in Texas alone. This past session, I was pleased to co-author S.B. 64 which will create a voluntary peer-to-peer support network focused on training our officers to provide support to each other. I also supported S.B. 1359 which requires each law enforcement agency to develop and adopt a policy allowing the use of mental health leave for peace officers who experience a traumatic event while on the job.

Lastly, this past session I authored S.B. 1071 to provide totally disabled state peace officers with a monthly retirement payment based on today’s salary schedule. It is crucial that we take care of the peace officers who put their lives on the line for our families every day.

Join me on this Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, in thanking our law enforcement men and women for their service, dedication, and commitment to keep our communities and our families safe.

[Picture above: Senator Hinojosa with Trooper Danny Shown and members of the Texas Department of Public Safety Officers Association in the Senate Chamber at the Texas Capitol. Picture was taken to commemorate the passage of SB 1071.]

AUSTIN, TX — Today, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) approved the City of Corpus Christi’s request of $4.751 million in financial assistance from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) to address the flooding of the Oso Creek. The City of Corpus Christi’s project includes planning and design of stormwater system improvements.

Oso Creek, which serves as the natural storm water conveyance for the region, extends 24 miles through the City’s limits and extraterritorial jurisdiction and terminates on the Cayo del Oso. The creek has been subjected to severe floods including four major storm events occurring in September 2010, May 2015, September 2018, and most recently July 2021. Each event resulted in flooding of several neighborhoods, including the Lakes, Kings Crossing, Sun Valley Estates, Oso Parkway, and Cedar Ridge on the north side of the creek.

For other cities, counties, or water seeking funding, the cost savings through the CWSRF can be significant. The program is a federal-state partnership that provides communities with below-market interest rate loans for a wide range of water quality infrastructure projects. As part of the $4.751 million, the City of Corpus Christi is eligible for $1,190,000 in principal forgiveness because the service area of the project qualifies as a disadvantage community under the CWSRF. The City is also saving approximately $348,614 over the life of the financing based on a 20-year maturity schedule and current interest rates.

Senator Hinojosa issued the following statement:

“I am pleased that the TWDB has approved the City of Corpus Christi’s project funding request of $4.751 million to deal with the flooding of the Oso Creek. Over the past eleven years, the Corpus Christi area has experienced higher number of extreme storms and an increase in severity. Flood mitigation is necessary for this fast-growing region. The proposal will have a positive impact on approximately 123,300 people living in the service area of the project.”

As we begin a new year, many of us are certainly making resolutions involving our health – eat better, exercise more, get more sleep, to name just a few. But often left off this list is to improve our mental health. Our brains make everything else we do possible and should be prioritized just like the rest of the body. This is especially true for our children whose brains are still rapidly developing and who are learning healthy habits that will be with them for the rest of their lives.

In normal times, children experience all forms of stress that come with “growing up.” These stresses have only been multiplied with the COVID-19 pandemic and the constant shifting sands of online, in-person, or hybrid school; cancellations of extracurricular activities; and limited interactions with their friends and family. As we navigate this new year, it is important for us to do everything we can to provide these children with the tools and resources to ensure they are able to maintain good mental health. It is also important for schools to identify students at risk of committing suicide or that can harm others to intervene as quickly as possible.

One critical tool we have is the array of resources developed through the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium created by legislation which I co-authored in 2019. The Consortium works through regional health institutions to close gaps in mental health care across the state. In South Texas, UTRGV was selected to serve in this role and increase access for all children in our region. In 2019, as vice chair of the Senate Finance Committee, I supported the initial appropriation of $99 million dollars for the Consortium to begin its work. This past Third Called Special Session, we appropriated an additional $113 million to ensure the resources are there for not just preserving mental health services for children but to also expand mental health initiatives for pregnant women, and women who are up to one year postpartum.

A key program created through the Consortium is the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT) program, which provides school-based access to mental health services. This program creates or expands telemedicine and telehealth programs to identify and assess the mental health needs of at-risk children and youth where they are, school. To date, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Hidalgo, La Joya, Lasara, McAllen, Rio Hondo, and United school districts as well as the Jubilee Academies participate in this program. This is a good start, but I encourage more school districts to join TCHATT and bring these valuable resources to more students.

Another important program created through the Consortium is the Child Psychiatry Access Network (CPAN), which consists of a network of psychiatrists that provide consultation services and training to primary care physicians throughout the state to improve care for children with behavioral health needs. So far, just short of 2,000 providers have enrolled in CPAN, a number which has been limited due to difficulties associated with COVID-19. As with TCHATT, I urge every provider to enroll in this Network so that children’s mental health issues can be spotted earlier and on a more widespread basis.

We all have a role to play in promoting good physical and mental health. As we begin a new year that is very focused on many aspects of our physical health, let’s not forget the importance of mental health for everyone, children and adult alike.

AUSTIN, TX — Yesterday, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) awarded a $322,680 grant to Robstown ISD from the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grant program. The grant will help purchase and install equipment to initially serve 60 students, providing training in the occupation of welder, cutter, solder and brazer.

The JET grant program annually provides grants for equipment to eligible education institutions to defray the costs associated with developing career and technical education programs or courses leading to a license, certificate, or post-secondary degree. JET recipients must use equipment to train students in high schools and community colleges for jobs in high-demand occupations or emerging industries.

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa has been a strong supporter of the JET program and in securing funds from the Legislature for these grants. In 2015, Senator Hinojosa authored and passed Senate Bill 1351, which transferred oversight of the JET grant program from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts to the TWC. The transfer helped ensure the state-funded program is a priority and bolster the TWC’s capacity-building mission to prepare Texans for today’s workforce.

Senator Hinojosa issued the following statement:

“Congratulations to Robstown ISD on receiving this $322,680 JET grant! For years, I have championed legislation and supported funding for initiatives such as the creation of the JET grant program. The grants help our students get the essential technical skills they need for a job and help put Texans back in the workforce in today’s job market. I commend the Robstown ISD administration, board of trustees, and the staff that worked to request these funds. I also appreciate the Texas Workforce Commission for their commitment to the JET program and its continued success.”

AUSTIN, TX — Today, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick appointed Sergio Contreras to the Broadband Office Board of Advisors. This Board of Advisors was created in House Bill 5 during the 2021 legislative session and is situated within the Office of the Comptroller of Public Accounts. The board of advisors will provide guidance to the State Broadband Development Office (SBDO) regarding the expansion, adoption, affordability, and use of broadband service and the programs administered by the office.

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, co-author of the legislation to expand broadband in Texas, worked with Senator Robert Nichols, author of SB 5/HB 5 to ensure South Texas was represented in the Board of Advisors. The legislation requires that one of the Lt. Governor’s appointees be a resident of South Texas. Senator Hinojosa recommended the appointment of Sergio Contreras to Lt. Governor Dan Patrick earlier this year.

“I appreciate Lt. Governor Patrick appointing Sergio Contreras to the Broadband Office Board of Advisors,” said Senator Hinojosa. “I was pleased to recommend Sergio for an appointment to this important position. He is a lifelong resident of the Rio Grande Valley and understands the needs of our communities. Having worked for AT&T for close to 20 years, he is familiar with broadband issues and what it takes to provide this service. More importantly, he currently serves as the President/CEO of the Rio Grande Valley Partnership and knows firsthand the challenges our families and businesses face when they lack access to quality high-speed internet,” added Senator Hinojosa. “I am confident Sergio will do a great job in helping lead the expansion of broadband across Texas and in advocating for the needs of our South Texas communities,” concluded Senator Hinojosa.

The State Broadband Development Office will serve as a resource for information regarding broadband service in the state, and engage in outreach to communities regarding the expansion, adoption, and affordability of broadband services. Additionally, the SBDO will serve as an information clearinghouse regarding federal programs that provide assistance to local entities with respect to broadband service. The SBDO will also prepare a state broadband plan that establishes long-term goals for greater access to, affordability, and adoption of broadband service.

AUSTIN, TX — Today, Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa filed for re-election for another term in the Texas Senate. Senator Hinojosa intends to continue his work for Senate District 20 by providing for an educated and healthy workforce, investing in critical infrastructure, creating jobs, and furthering economic development. He has proven session after session that his approach to public policy and his decisions on legislation are based on what is best for our South Texas families.

Senator Hinojosa issued the following statement:

“I am honored to serve the people of Senate District 20 and I have filed for re-election to finish the work I started when I was first elected. I have dedicated my life to public service and to advocating for fully funding public education, increasing access to affordable health care for everyone, especially our most vulnerable, investing in our transportation and drainage infrastructure, creating high paying jobs, and improving the quality of life for our South Texas families.

 With the population and economic growth in our South Texas communities, our region continues playing a role in shaping our state’s future. I am committed to keeping the needs of South Texas at the forefront and will continue working across the aisle to address issues challenging our state and put people over politics while governing with compassion. I will keep fighting to finish my work and meet the needs of our communities. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve my constituents and humbly ask for the continued support of voters in Senate District 20.”

Senator Hinojosa has received the prestigious honor of being named “Top Ten Best Legislators” for Texas Monthly magazine three times, and named “Top Ten Legislator” by Capitol Inside three times.

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa proudly represents the counties of Nueces, Jim Wells, Brooks, and Hidalgo (part). Senator Hinojosa currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Jurisprudence, Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Redistricting, and serves on the Senate Committees on Natural Resources & Economic Development; Transportation; Criminal Justice; Constitutional Issues; Future of College Sports; and Select Committee on Texas Ports.

AUSTIN, TX — Austin, TX — Today, Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr., announced he will not be seeking re-election to the Texas Senate, ending his legislative career after more than three decades of service to the State of Texas.

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa released the following statement:

“Senator Eddie Lucio has dedicated his life to public service. I have worked alongside him in the Texas Senate for nearly two decades. As a longtime vice chairman of the Senate Education Committee and most recently as vice chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Lucio has been a strong voice for the people of his district and the Rio Grande Valley.

As a legislator, Senator Lucio worked to improve our public education system. He led the charge in ensuring our children with disabilities had the resources and support they needed to be successful in school. He fought for the historic funding for our public schools that led to pay raises for teachers and school employees. Senator Lucio has also been a longtime advocate for expanding higher education opportunities in South Texas including playing a key role in the creation of UTRGV and the School of Medicine.

As chairman of the Senate International Relations and Trade Committee and later chair of the Senate Intergovernmental Relations Committee, Senator Lucio was a leader in addressing issues with colonias in South Texas. He authored and passed a proposed constitutional amendment in 2007 that voters approved authorizing the issuance of $250 million in bonds to help meet the water and wastewater infrastructure needs of economically distressed areas. In 2019, Senator Lucio again led the way to get the voters to approve another $200 million in bonds to support communities that otherwise could not afford to secure access to safe drinking water.

I congratulate Senator Lucio on his successful legislative career. We have worked together on many important projects for South Texas. We are known in the Capitol and in the Valley as the one-two punch. His passion will be missed in the Senate but his accomplishments and legislative successes will have a lasting impact in the lives of many Texans. I wish Senator Lucio a happy and healthy retirement and much success in his future endeavors.”

“The greatest wealth is health” is an aphorism that captures the impact of health on our lives and underscores the importance of access to health care for all, regardless of income. It ties-in to the frequently debated question, namely, “Is health care a right or a privilege?”

In the Rio Grande Valley or “Valley”, almost half a million low-income Texans rely on Medicaid for healthcare. This program covers 1 in 12 adults, 2 in 5 children, and 5 in 8 nursing home residents statewide. An even greater share of these populations receive Medicaid services in the Valley because the number of individuals living in poverty in our border communities is almost double the number of Medicaid eligible individuals across the state. With our community disproportionately affected by higher rates of obesity, diabetes mellitus, influenza and pneumonia, and kidney and liver disease, Medicaid coverage is essential to our community’s health.

Because Medicaid provides an essential safety net to our community’s working poor, children, and seniors, it is essential that the current dispute between the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and the federal government be resolved.

I am hopeful that our current Medicaid waiver and several related supplemental directed payment programs (DPPs) will be approved by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). These DPPs are essential to support health care services for thousands in the Rio Grande Valley, including providing nearly $180 million a year to hospitals to help cover these costs.

Years ago, multiple counties in the Valley, including Hidalgo County, implemented a new financing structure that has been successful, under legislation I authored, authorizing a Local Provider Participation Fund (LPPF). These LPPFs allow for hospital districts, counties and cities throughout Texas to fund the required non-federal share of Medicaid to be financed through mandatory payments from local hospitals, without raising property taxes. Such a financing structure is an integral part of our Medicaid ecosystem, especially in the Rio Grande Valley, where we simply do not have the dense, high-income tax base of the state’s urban centers.

However, these LPPFs have become a key sticking point in the negotiations between the federal government and the State of Texas. The ongoing dispute has disrupted Medicaid funding with no clear end in sight.

Every dollar of this essential funding expired on Aug. 30 and would have been replaced seamlessly on Sept. 1. Instead, the DPPs are stuck in limbo as Texas and the federal government navigate their dispute. Consequently, our local Medicaid providers have gone a full month without this essential funding—funding that is critical to supporting our safety net.

Much of our region is “medically underserved,” as defined by the federal government. That means most of our residents are within a two-hour drive of only one hospital, and many of those hospitals operate month-to-month, without the reserves to withstand a sudden and prolonged drop in Medicaid funding.

Our communities cannot afford to lose essential providers—especially during an ongoing pandemic! The loss of essential hospital Medicaid services would undermine our region’s recovery efforts and would further entrench longstanding disparities in health outcomes and inequitable access to care for our region’s strong Hispanic population.

I urge both sides to resolve this dispute as quickly as possible. Lives depend on it.

AUSTIN, TX — On Monday, October 18, the Texas Press Association presented Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa with the “Champion of Transparency” award for his record of supporting the Texas Public Information Act and legislation that improves legal notice requirements of government activities during the 87th Regular Legislative Session. Senator Hinojosa was a joint-author of SB 1642 (87R), which updates the public notice requirements and the proposal procedures for navigation districts.

Senator Hinojosa has authored and supported open government legislation throughout his career. This past regular session, he supported SB 1225 (87R), which clarified existing law around how governmental agencies can use the “catastrophe notice” provision of the Texas Public Information Act (TPIA). Concerns were raised that some governmental bodies abused temporary suspension of responding to requests during the COVID-19 pandemic, which was not consistent with the intent of TPIA.

In addition, Senator Hinojosa supported other measures that promoted transparency including HB 1322 (87R) and HB 1154 (87R). HB 1322 requires state agencies to publish brief summaries of proposed rules on their websites. HB 1154 aims to increase transparency of special purpose districts by requiring them to post on a website specified financial and operating information of the district. Senator Hinojosa has a long record of supporting transparency and open government as the public has the right to know what the government is doing with their tax dollars.

In response to receiving the award, Senator Hinojosa issued the following statement:

“I appreciate the Texas Press Association presenting me with the “Champion of Transparency” award. I look forward to continue working with TPA on measures that would strengthen the public’s access to information and provide additional transparency into the way our government works. The access to information assists voters to hold government officials accountable. It is important that Texans can remain informed on the administration of government at all levels.”

AUSTIN, TX — As the Third Called Special Session of the 87th Texas Legislature comes to an end, Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa co-authored Senate Bill 8, legislation that will provide funding for projects in the Rio Grande Valley, Senate Bill 52 which invests in our universities, and Senate Joint Resolution 2 which would provide additional property tax relief for homeowners, if approved by the voters in May 2022.

SB 8 by Senator Jane Nelson, which appropriates $13.3 billion in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act spearheaded by President Joe Biden and approved by the United States Congress earlier this year, was passed by the Texas Legislature and is now headed to the Governor for final approval. The bill includes $16.7 million for upgrading existing laboratory facilities associated with a level 1 trauma facility in Hidalgo County and new laboratory infrastructure in Starr County. Additionally, this bill appropriates $180 million in funding for recovery grants for tourism, travel, and hospitality industry, $2 billion for state and local hospital surge staffing, $500 million for broadband infrastructure, $95 million for food banks, an additional $15 million for community colleges for workforce training under the TRUE program, $52 million for the Sexual Assault Program for victims of domestic violence, and $7.2 billion to replenish the Unemployment Compensation Fund ensuring that businesses are not faced with an increase in unemployment taxes due to pandemic-related layoffs. These are just some of the highlights of items funded in the bill.

The Legislature also passed SB 52 by Senator Brandon Creighton, which invests in public universities across the state to fund capital projects or improve existing facilities on their campuses. Senate Bill 52 includes $44.9 million in funding for the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley that can be used for a health affairs building or deferred maintenance, including the replacement of a chiller at one of their campuses as well as any other necessary repair needed to their existing facilities.

SJR 2 by Senator Paul Bettencourt proposes to increase the mandatory homestead exemption for school district taxes from $25,000 to $40,000. This will result in homeowners receiving property tax relief every year. Since this is a constitutional amendment, it would have to be approved by the voters in May 2022 before it takes effect.

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa made the following statement:

“During the Third Called Special Session, our RGV legislative delegation worked together and advocated for funding for our South Texas priorities. I am pleased that in addition to funding grants for tourism, broadband expansion, replenishing the Unemployment Compensation Fund to help our businesses, and many other investments, we were also able to secure funds for local projects. We continue to secure funding that increases access to care and makes investments in health care infrastructure to better serve our community. Senate Bill 8 includes $16.7 million to upgrade existing laboratory facilities associated with a level 1 trauma facility in Hidalgo County and construct a new laboratory in Starr County.

I also applaud Lt. Governor Dan Patrick’s request for construction projects for universities and appreciate Governor Abbott for adding this item to the special session call. Our universities not only educate our students, they are also economic drivers for our communities. Many institutions have facilities that need to be repaired or replaced and the $44.9 million appropriated to UTRGV in Senate Bill 52 can be used for construction or for the replacement of a thermal energy plant as well as new chillers to provide proper temperature control in their buildings.

Lastly, I encourage the voters to support Senate Joint Resolution 2 next May to provide much needed property tax relief to homeowners. This proposed constitutional amendment would increase the homestead exemption for school districts from $25,000 to $40,000, with no adverse impacts on our schools.”