AUSTIN, TX — Texas’s highly successful annual Sales Tax Holiday is scheduled this year from Friday, August 6th through midnight Sunday, August 8th and will offer Texans an opportunity to save millions in sales tax on clothing and various back-to-school items. The Texas Comptroller’s office estimates that shoppers will save an estimated $107.3 million in state and local sales tax during this sales tax holiday. With the new school year almost upon us, the timing is perfect for students of all ages to stock up on clothes and supplies.

“The back-to-school season is an excellent opportunity for our Texas families to find bargains and low prices, and at the same time is an economic driver for our local businesses. I encourage our families to take full advantage of the sales tax holiday and save more of their hard-earned dollars by shopping this coming weekend. These purchases can be done in stores or from an online seller doing business in Texas,” Senator Hinojosa stated.

Texans who shop during this weekend will not have to pay sales taxes on clothing, school supplies, face masks, backpacks, or footwear priced under $100. Items sold online and layaway plans qualify, as well. The following link to the Texas Comptroller’s webpage will provide more information and a complete list of tax-free items: https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/publications/98-490/

Today, Legislators had a call with Texas Department of State Health Services Commissioner John Hellerstedt to discuss COVID-19. He made it very clear we are again at a CRITICAL point. We are seeing a surge of COVID cases and hospitalizations across the nation, and Texas is NO EXCEPTION!

The Delta variant is more transmissible, more deadly, and individuals with underlying vulnerabilities are at higher risk of severe infection and death. 95-99% of those currently hospitalized are unvaccinated. The slides below prove that the vaccine works.

We cannot eliminate this terrible and deadly disease without more individuals in our state getting the vaccine. If you have not gotten the vaccine, please get one as soon as possible. The vaccine not only protects you, it protects all of us.

Help us put COVID behind us. Find a COVID-19 vaccine near you by clicking on this link, www.vaccines.gov.

AUSTIN, TX — On Friday, July 23rd, the Office of the Governor and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) announced the awarding of $52.9 million in Housing Stability Grants to 31 organizations across the state for housing stabilization in the state. Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa invited several eligible entities to participate on the call for applications and commends the entities that submitted an application for funding consideration.

The organizations awarded in Senator Hinojosa’s senate district include: Community Action Corporation of South Texas ($998,297), Accessible Housing Resources, Inc. ($250,000), and the Salvation Army of the Coastal Bend ($225,000), serving the counties of Nueces, Brooks, and Jim Wells. These organizations must use the funds by August 31, 2022. The final contract may reflect additional or fewer counties in order to increase coverage areas or to avoid duplication of services. The $52.9 million is coming from $1.3 billion TDHCA received from the U.S. Treasury Department through the Consolidated Appropriations Act to help income-eligible residents struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I appreciate Governor Abbott and TDHCA awarding over $50 million in federal funding for the new Housing Stability Grants that will benefit many residents within my district,” said Senator Hinojosa. He added “I especially appreciate and congratulate the organizations who very quickly responded to the call to apply for these funds. I am encouraged by these awards as these grants will help prevent evictions and support renters and homeowners who are still recovering from challenges and economic hardships caused by the pandemic and Winter Storm Uri.”

The grants will be used for housing stabilization activities that include outreach and shelter services. The grants will also allow TDHCA to partner with the Texas Veterans Commission and connect veterans experiencing homelessness, or those at risk, with direct local assistance that includes housing, transportation, and mental health services. The organizations may use the funds for various activities including hosting clinics to help access the Texas Rent Relief Program, providing landlord incentive payments and helping with job placement. TDHCA is also giving a $20 million grant to the Texas Access to Justice Foundation so attorneys can provide advice for rent relief and evictions.

AUSTIN, TX – At the Texas Transportation Commission (Commission) meeting on June 30, 2021, the Commission awarded the Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority (RMA) $27 million in grant funding for the State Highway 365 Project which is from FM 396 (Anzalduas Highway) and extends east and south to US 281 (Military Highway), a distance of approximately 12.2 miles in Hidalgo County. The members of the Hidalgo County legislative delegation have been working with the Commission, RMA leadership, and TxDOT staff to secure these funds to move this project forward.

“I appreciate the Texas Transportation Commission’s unanimous approval of the $27 million in grant funding so that the RMA can move forward with the construction of the SH 365 Project,” said Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa. He added, “For the past several years I have been working with RMA Chairman David Deanda, facilitating meetings with TxDOT staff, and making sure this project remained in the Unified Transportation Program (UTP).” The UTP is TxDOT’s 10-year plan that guides the development of transportation projects across the state. “I also want to thank Terry Canales, Chairman of the House Transportation Committee, and all the members of our legislative delegation for their letters of support, phones calls to the Commission, and tireless commitment to this project,” said Senator Hinojosa.

In a letter Senator Hinojosa sent to the Commission prior to the meeting, he wrote, “This is a project that will significantly improve our communities by diverting nearly one million international trucks per year from our local roads through neighborhoods and school zones where they cause significant safety issues and are a strain on an already congested system.” After the meeting, Senator Hinojosa re-emphasized the importance of this project, “In a recent report from TxDOT, it is estimated that the number of northbound commercial vehicles and rail crossings in the Texas-Mexico border is forecast to grow from a combined 5.6 million in 2019 to 14.9 million in 2050,” said Senator Hinojosa. “For this reason, it is important that we invest in our infrastructure so that Texans can reap the financial benefits and the number of jobs trade with Mexico generates for the Texas economy. This is an important investment for the future of the Valley.”

The State Highway 365 project was a priority for the Hidalgo County RMA, the RGV Metropolitan Planning Organization, and many business and community leaders in the Rio Grande Valley. The Hidalgo County RMA now has until May 1, 2022 to execute a construction contract for this project.

AUSTIN – Today, Senator Jane Nelson, chair of the Senate Finance Committee announced she will not be seeking re-election, ending her legislative career after nearly three decades in the Texas Senate.

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa released the following statement:

“Senator Nelson made history when she was appointed chair of the Senate Finance Committee in 2015, making her the first woman to hold this powerful chairmanship. I had the honor and privilege of working with her as vice chair of the Senate Finance committee for three sessions. With her leadership we crafted and passed budgets that invested in public education, healthcare, including mental health and GME expansion, higher education, and infrastructure. I congratulate her for her long, successful, and historic legislative career, and wish her much success in her future endeavors.”

Every legislative session is different. With such a big state, we never know what challenges we will have to address. This past session, addressing the impact the coronavirus pandemic had on our economy, our schools, our healthcare system, and our workforce was a priority. Just as important was addressing the serious shortfalls in the Public Utility Commission and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas’ management of our electricity grid during Winter Storm Uri. It was equally important that we passed a state budget that takes care of the needs of our state and our communities to help us recover from these challenges.

The state’s $248 billion budget for the next two years fully funds the state’s commitment to the public education investments made by HB 3 during the 2019 session. Coming into this session, there was concern that the pandemic and the declines in tax revenues would require these investments to be scaled back. However, we kept our promise of not only fully funding public education, protecting the salary increases to our teachers and school employees, but also added additional funds. Part of the $2 billion increase for public education funding in the state budget includes $664 million for targeted programs to help students and schools affected by the pandemic. This was made possible in large part to the bipartisan federal COVID-response legislation, including the American Rescue Plan signed by President Biden. Education is the best equalizer and these investments will continue helping our students get an education.

The budget also continues our investments in higher education. We added $486 million to higher education to bring our total investment to $8.6 billion, $1.25 billion of which is for financial aid programs. The budget also increases funding at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley by $29 million for a total of $364.3 million. This increased funding includes our continued support of the School of Medicine which saw an increase of $3.8 million for a total of $72.8 million. We also allocated $1.9 million for the Cervical Dysplasia Cancer Immunology Center and will continue working with UTRGV and UT System leadership to expand cancer care in South Texas.

Additionally, the approved budget bolsters our healthcare workforce by increasing funding for graduate medical education by $48 million to a total of $199 million to maintain a 1.1 to 1.0 ratio for residency slots. This increase in GME funding will also help the recently authorized UTRGV school of podiatry program, which will allow students to pursue careers in the medical and surgical care of the foot and ankle – an important specialization for the Valley due to its high incidence of diabetes and related diseases of the lower extremities.

Mental health continues to be a priority for the legislature. The approved budget strengthens our commitment by including $8.4 billion in behavioral health funding across 25 state agencies. This includes an increase of almost $20 million for the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium which will now be funded at nearly $120 million to provide early intervention for students at risk of suicide, substance abuse, or becoming a danger to themselves or others.

For our retirees, the 2019 legislative session was focused on the Teacher Retirement System. This session, we worked to address issues related to the Employees Retirement System. We passed Senate Bill 321 which will be used to start paying down the $14.7 billion unfunded liability in conjunction with an increase in the state’s investment into this system from $350 million to $510 million annually. These moves not only help shore up the pension fund, but also saves the state $34 billion in interest over 33 years.

Other major statewide funding items we passed include $352.6 million for women’s health programs, which is an increase of $10.2 million from the previous budget. Funding for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department was increased by a total of $100.6 million to a total of $316.9 million. This means more funds for our state parks and more available grant funds for our local parks. Transportation funding also remained a priority and $26.5 billion has been approved for highway planning and design, construction, and other purposes.

The budget we approved also includes funding for many of our South Texas priorities including another $5 million for the South Texas International Airport in Edinburg to continue expanding the hangar for emergency and first responders; up to $10 million for the Raymondville Drain project from the Texas Water Development Board; $3.5 million for the Center for Urban Ecology at Quinta Mazatlan; $1 million in grants for the Border Zone Fire Departments; $500,000 for the Texas Transnational Intelligence Center; $500,000 for the Women’s Institute for Technology Employment Training; $500,000 for the Trade Agricultural Inspection Grant Program; and, continued the funding for Border Infrastructure which has led to $60 million per biennium being allocated by the Texas Transportation Commission.

The budget we passed increases access and funding to services needed by our most vulnerable populations — the young, elderly, sick, and poor. We invested in education, healthcare, public safety, and infrastructure. This budget will benefit our state and our South Texas communities by paving the way for an educated and healthy workforce and a successful Texas economy recovering from the pandemic and the winter storm.

Every legislative session is different. With such a big state, we never know what challenges we will have to address. This past session, addressing the impact the coronavirus pandemic had on our economy, our schools, our healthcare system, and our workforce was a priority. Just as important was addressing the serious shortfalls in the Public Utility Commission and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas’ management of our electricity grid during Winter Storm Uri. It was equally important that we passed a state budget that takes care of the needs of our state and our communities to help us recover from these challenges.

The state’s $248 billion budget for the next two years fully funds the state’s commitment to the public education investments made by HB 3 during the 2019 session. Coming into this session, there was concern that the pandemic and the declines in tax revenues would require these investments to be scaled back. However, we kept our promise of not only fully funding public education, protecting the salary increases to our teachers and school employees, but also added additional funds. Part of the $2 billion increase for public education funding in the state budget includes $664 million for targeted programs to help students and schools affected by the pandemic. This was made possible in large part to the bipartisan federal COVID-response legislation, including the American Rescue Plan signed by President Biden. Education is the best equalizer and these investments will continue helping our students get an education.

The budget also continues our investments in higher education. We added $486 million to higher education to bring our total investment to $8.6 billion, $1.25 billion of which is for financial aid programs. The budget also provided over $145 million in funding for Texas A&M Corpus Christi, over $2 million of which supports the growing engineering programs we recently created. Moreover, the budget increased funding for Del Mar Community College by nearly $2 million, provided $8.5 million to the UT Marine Science Institute, and added a new $3 million to create the Texas A&M Corpus Christi Unmanned Aircraft Emergency Management program.

Additionally, the approved budget bolsters our healthcare workforce by increasing funding for graduate medical education by $48 million to a total of $199 million to maintain a 1.1 to 1.0 ratio for residency slots. This increase in GME funding will help increase the number of highly trained doctors in our region.

Mental health continues to be a priority for the legislature. The approved budget strengthens our commitment by including $8.4 billion in behavioral health funding across 25 state agencies. This includes an increase of almost $20 million for the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium which will now be funded at nearly $120 million to provide early intervention for students at risk of suicide, substance abuse, or becoming a danger to themselves or others.

For our retirees, the 2019 legislative session was focused on the Teacher Retirement System. This session, we worked to address issues related to the Employees Retirement System. We passed Senate Bill 321 which will be used to start paying down the $14.7 billion unfunded liability in conjunction with an increase in the state’s investment into this system from $350 million to $510 million annually. These moves not only help shore up the pension fund, but also saves the state $34 billion in interest over 33 years.

Other major statewide funding items we passed include $352.6 million for women’s health programs, which is an increase of $10.2 million from the previous budget. Funding for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department was increased by a total of $100.6 million to a total of $316.9 million, including $500,000 for the Texas State Aquarium Wildlife Rescue Center. This means more funds for our state parks and more available grant funds for our local parks. Transportation funding also remained a priority and $26.5 billion has been approved for highway planning and design, construction, and other purposes.

The budget we approved also includes funding for many of our Coastal Bend priorities including $8.6 million for Healthy South Texas, headquartered in Corpus Christi; $40 million for port access improvements; $30 million in Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance (DEAAG) Grants; and $9.7 million for boll weevil eradication.

The budget we passed increases access and funding to services needed by our most vulnerable populations — the young, elderly, sick, and poor. We invested in education, healthcare, public safety, and infrastructure. This budget will benefit our state and our Coastal Bend communities by paving the way for an educated and healthy workforce and a successful Texas economy recovering from the pandemic and the winter storm.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently held a press conference to announce his plans for the State of Texas to build a physical border wall with state taxpayer dollars. He also indicated a new approach to charge immigrants and asylum seekers with state crimes to create a criminal record and jail them. At the press conference, Governor Abbott was surrounded by lawmakers from various parts of the state, but not a single lawmaker who joined him represents a border community.

Because border lawmakers live and work on the border every day, we understand the concerns of our constituents and the challenges our communities face. In our representative government, the voice of border lawmakers are the voice of border communities and should be at the table discussing issues that impact our districts. For whatever reason, we were omitted from major policy discussions related to the border. We support legal immigration, not open borders, and have supported transparent, accountable, and smart border security for years.

Lawmakers from both political parties agree border security is a federal responsibility. For years, however, Texas has supplemented federal efforts by spending billions of state taxpayer money on this federal responsibility, instead of on other pressing state needs. This session, for example, Texas appropriated another $1.1 billion for border security. None of that money was earmarked for a border wall.

The federal government, dating back to President George W. Bush, has already built fencing and walls in the highest traffic areas. Building a physical wall from El Paso to Brownsville would be the most expensive and least effective way to achieve border security, and it would be a colossal waste of taxpayer money. A physical wall made of cement or steel slats is a 3^rd century solution to a 21^st century migration problem. Anyone who commits a crime, whether immigrant or legal resident, should be arrested. But, Texas shouldn’t circumvent federal immigration and asylum laws by creating new ways to criminalize and to jail undocumented immigrants and asylum seekers. This expensive proposition would overfill local prisons, which already are stretched thin—with non-dangerous persons and separate families looking for refuge and the American dream.

The new federal administration is working on addressing the root causes of these migration waves that stress our borders, but this will take time. The bottom line is that Congress needs to act immediately to pass immigration reform and provide resources to stop the criminal elements from crossing the border.

If Texas, however, is going to be in the business of border security in the meantime, the state needs to be accountable, transparent and smart with taxpayer dollars. The state also should hear from border lawmakers. If Texas is to be committed to going down this path, as lawmakers who represent districts along the Texas-Mexico border, we suggest the following smart measures as a starting point:

Building a virtual or smart wall with fiber optic lines along the border, supported by technology, drones, motion sensors, cameras, etc. Virtual infrastructure for border security could be accomplished at a fraction of the cost of a physical wall; bolster real time monitoring, detection, and response; and bridge the digital divide for law enforcement along the border.

1. Reimbursing local border communities and private property owners for costs incurred related to border security and humanitarian aid with proceeds from asset forfeitures related to border crimes and other state grants. Our border communities are on the front lines as local law enforcement support border security efforts, provide humanitarian assistance for needy families and children, and humanely process the remains of deceased migrants. Because private property owners along the border also sustain property damage by human traffickers and cartels to fences, barns, outhouses, and livestock, they should be reimbursed for related expenses.
2. Cracking down on gun trafficking in Texas and incentivizing the reporting of lost or stolen guns to law enforcement. If Texas is serious about combatting cartels and armed human traffickers, we should find ways to disarm them. Hundreds of thousands of firearms are smuggled from the U.S. into Mexico every year and are traced to 70 percent of all weapons seizures following murders, robberies and drug busts. Approximately 41 percent of illicit guns utilized to commit a crime in Mexico are from Texas.
3. Reducing the demand for drugs, beginning with our children, and the related flow of money into Mexico. This will require education, intervention, rehabilitation and law enforcement programs. The flow of drugs from Mexico into Texas and of cash from here to there will stop when the demand for drugs is reduced or eliminated.
4. Modernizing ports of entry with technology and intelligent transportation systems. Fentanyl and most illicit drugs from Mexico enter the U.S. through the ports of entry. Investing in our ports of entry can make our border more secure while boosting our economy.
5. Improving border rail inspection stations required by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol for border rail lines owned by the State of Texas. Some border rail lines owned by Texas cross the border and need improved facilities for the inspection and processing of rail cars.

 These are only a few ideas from lawmakers who represent the border and who understand our region’s problems and related solutions. By funding these proposals instead of a wall, we will make great strides while using state taxpayer dollars to benefit Texans and without funding programs that should be the responsibility of the federal government.

The issue of immigration and border security has been a challenge for decades and plagued by partisan politics. These issues will not be solved overnight or by one party. We are confident if we leave politics at the door, we can find common ground from which to address these challenges. That first requires including border lawmakers at the table.

AUSTIN, TX – Governor Greg Abbott has signed, giving final approval to Senate Bill 576 by Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa. SB 576 strengthens smuggling laws in Texas by giving local law enforcement officers more tools to arrest human smugglers and will make it easier for prosecutors to convict them.

Under current law, Texas prosecutors are unable to effectively charge and convict human smugglers. They are required to prove that the smuggler was intending to obtain a pecuniary (or monetary) benefit. This poses an enormous challenge as smuggled individuals often do not want to testify against their smuggler out of fear of retaliation against themselves or their families, or simply because they are not kept in custody long enough to do so.

To ensure that local officials can adequately convict and punish human smugglers, SB 576 removes the intent to obtain pecuniary benefit from the conditions of a human smuggling offense. It establishes that a person commits a third-degree felony crime if they knowingly assist, guide, or direct two or more individuals to enter or remain on agricultural land without the owner’s consent. Furthermore, SB 576 enhances the penalty to a second-degree felony in the case that: a prosecutor is able to prove intent to obtain a pecuniary benefit; a smuggler or smuggled individual knowingly possesses a firearm; or a smuggler knowingly flees from a peace officer or a U.S. Department of Homeland Security agent.

“There is no doubt that we have a critical situation at the state’s southern border and I have heard firsthand the difficulties that human smuggling brings to local officials and landowners. SB 576 is designed to target human smugglers who are a threat to both smuggled individuals and people who live in the remote areas along the border. I am committed to ensuring that these criminals are put behind bars and that our border communities are protected.”

The bill was sponsored in the Texas House of Representatives by J.M. Lozano and will take effect September 1, 2021.

Today, Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa announced that he is running for re-election to the Texas Senate. Highlighting his legislative successes, as well as his ability to work across the aisle, Senator Hinojosa 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 has the experience and will continue delivering results for the needs of Senate District 20.

Senator Hinojosa issued the following statement:

“I am honored to serve the people of Senate District 20 and I am running again to finish the work I started when I was first elected. I have dedicated my legislative career 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.

I am proud to say that funding for public education is the highest it has been since I was first elected to the Texas Senate. Our schools in South Texas, even with a high percentage of minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged students, are outperforming other regions of the state. This past session we kept our promise to protecting investments made by HB 3 during the 2019 legislative session by fully funding public education and protecting the salary increases to our teachers and school employees.

As the lead author of Senate Bill 24 in 2013, which created the UTRGV School of Medicine, I couldn’t be prouder of the positive impact it has had on our community. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, the medical school was already increasing the number of specialized doctors in the region, conducting research in diabetes and cervical cancer, and opening clinics in medically underserved areas of our community. Having this asset in our region saved lives when the pandemic hit the Rio Grande Valley. This is an important first step, and I hope to build upon it by bringing a cancer treatment center to South Texas, which will save even more lives in our community.

In 2009, working with the business community and university leadership, we secured $2 million in state funds for A&M Corpus Christi to establish a mechanical engineering program, which we expanded to include an electrical engineering program in 2015. Since then, we have provided nearly $30 million in additional dollars for engineering at A&M Corpus Christi. In 2019, I also secured $2.3 million in new funding to establish the Civil & Industrial Engineering Program. Increasing the number of engineers in the region is something I take seriously and will continue to push for more resources to accomplish this goal. Just as important are the investments we have made to the Lone Star Unmanned Aircraft System (LSUAS) Center. Since 2015, nearly $28 million in state funds have been appropriated to this center including an additional $3 million this past session to enhance LSUAS’s ability to provide statewide service by supporting critical emergency response and disaster relief demands.

Infrastructure has been another priority of mine. The reconstruction of the US 281 Pharr Interchange is underway; the Bicentennial reconstruction in McAllen is almost complete; the funding to bring US 281 in Hidalgo County and Brooks County to interstate standards is already in the TxDOT Unified Transportation Program; and the Premont bypass is under construction in Jim Wells County. However, the Harbor Bridge Project is not yet complete. I worked for almost ten years to get the funding for this $1 billion project. My goal is to see this bridge connect Nueces and San Patricio County over the Port of Corpus Christi. I also want to make sure the Hidalgo County Regional Mobility Authority receives the funding and approval to move forward with the SH 365 project.

To address drainage issues, I have worked for years with the Hidalgo County Drainage District No. 1 to secure more than $50 million from the Texas Water Development Board and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to reduce frequent flooding problems and accommodate the area’s rapid urbanization and future economic development. I have worked with our local leaders to secure these funds from several sources including the state budget, RESTORE funds, and most recently from the Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF). I have also worked with Nueces County leadership to provide safe and clean drinking water to residents in colonias. Furthermore, I am proud to have worked with and supported the collaboration between the Nueces County Drainage District No. 2 and Nueces County to obtain $2.7 million from FIF for the Nueces County Regional Drainage Master Plan project. With all these projects in motion, flood relief is on the way.

Job creation and economic development have also been a priority. I have worked tirelessly to support our maritime ports and international ports of entry. The Port of Corpus Christi is an economic driver not only for the region but for the State of Texas. I have advocated for and secured funding from the Texas Port Access Improvement Grant Program to improve connectivity. I also led the fight in securing funds for our international ports of entry from TxDOT. With these funds, the Anzalduas bridge will be expanded and the Pharr International Bridge has been able to make improvements to their facilities to expedite the flow of goods and people across the bridge. These investments create jobs and help our local economies.

While the past two years have presented us with many challenges, I have worked alongside our public officials and our community leaders to ensure the needs of our families are met. Prior to the legislative session as member of Governor Abbott’s budget leadership team for COVID funding, I was in constant communication with our state agencies and advocated to secure the necessary healthcare workers, equipment, and resources needed to address the coronavirus pandemic challenges in South Texas. This past session, I worked with my colleagues to enact policies that will help us not just return to normal but emerge stronger than before.

Also, this session as vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Jurisprudence, I had the opportunity to work with members of the committee to address the serious shortfalls Winter Storm Uri presented us earlier this year. Several of the significant structural reforms to ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission were discussed and passed out of this committee. I supported legislation to make sure Texans and our state are bettered prepared for another winter storm and the changes we made will help our electric grid be ready for another storm.

As I mentioned at the end of this past session, the work of the 87^th Legislature in not complete. While we had a busy and productive regular session, elections have consequences, and several pending issues will be brought up in at least two special sessions. In this political environment, we need legislators who can work across the aisle to address issues and put people over politics and govern with compassion. I am committed to continue fighting to finish my work and meet the needs of our communities across 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.