AUSTIN, TX – Today, Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa announced that Christus Spohn Health System in Alice has been selected by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) as a vaccine hub and will soon be receiving 975 vaccines. This is the largest vaccine allocation to date to be distributed to Jim Wells County. Senator Hinojosa has been monitoring the vaccine distribution in South Texas and has had conversations with DSHS leadership to advocate for hubs in rural areas of South Texas. Earlier this week, Senator Hinojosa was notified by DSHS that Christus Health System in Alice would be contacted to complete a survey necessary to determine eligibility and to ensure all hub requirements could be met.

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa issued the following statement:

“I appreciate the leadership of DSHS Commissioner John Hellerstedt and his dedication and commitment to distributing the vaccine to all areas of Texas, including our rural areas. I’m pleased that Christus Spohn Health System in Alice has been selected as a vaccine hub and will soon be able to have access to larger allocations of the vaccine.

This vaccine hub would not have been possible without the effort and support from Christus Health System and their healthcare professionals who will work tirelessly to administer the vaccine to residents in our communities.”  

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa proudly represents the counties of Nueces, Jim Wells, Brooks, and Hidalgo (part). Senator Hinojosa.

AUSTIN, TX – Today, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick announced Senate committee assignments for the 87th Legislative Session. Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa will serve as Vice Chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee and as Vice Chair of the Senate Jurisprudence Committee. He will continue serving on the Senate Transportation Committee, the Senate Select Committee on Ports, and the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Economic Development. Senator Hinojosa has also been appointed to the Senate Criminal Justice Committee.

Senator Hinojosa’s continued appointment as Vice Chair of Senate Redistricting and his new appointment to the Jurisprudence Committee secures his influential leadership position that will benefit the South Texas region.

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa issued the following statement:

“I am honored that Lt. Governor Patrick has again entrusted me with the important responsibility of serving as Vice Chair of Senate Redistricting. I look forward to working with Chair Joan Huffman, the committee members, and House Redistricting and will seek to draw fair legislative and congressional districts that truly represent the interests of our communities and accurately reflect our growing population. This is a great responsibility that requires objectivity and bipartisan cooperation and we must ensure that the voices of all Texans are heard.

With my committee assignments this session, I am committed to working with my colleagues to bring forth practical solutions that will help our economy recover from the pandemic, ensure increased access to affordable health care for our most vulnerable, protect the commitment to public education funding for our students and teachers, and to support police reform that makes our communities safer. Above all, I will work to make Texas a better place to live and raise our families.”  

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa proudly represents the counties of Nueces, Jim Wells, Brooks, and Hidalgo (part). Senator Hinojosa.

AUSTIN – Today at noon, Texas lawmakers assembled in the State Capitol for the first day of the 87th Legislative Session. Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa representing Brooks, Hidalgo, Jim Wells, and Nueces Counties, was sworn in for another term in the Texas Senate.

Senator Hinojosa released the following statement:

“I am honored and humbled to continue serving in the Texas Senate. This legislative session will be unlike any other but I remain committed to enacting policies that will make Texas a better place for our families and all of Texas.

I am motivated to get back to work in the Capitol. The next 140 days will certainly be challenging. Now more than ever we need to work together to help our state recover from the Coronavirus pandemic. There is much work that needs to get done to continue the commitment we made last session to public education, support our healthcare services, increase access to care by expanding Medicaid, invest in our youth and workforce through education and skills training, create more jobs, and invest in the infrastructure we need to pave the way for future success.

I can assure you that my staff and I will work tirelessly to resolve these difficult issues and bring forth viable solutions that will benefit our Texas workers, families, and schools.”

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Yesterday, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) approved selected project applications to receive grant funding through the Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF) for a portion of their total project cost. The Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council (“Council”) was among the 17 applicants selected to receive funds for watershed flood protection planning studies eligible under Category 1 of the 2020 Flood Intended Use Plan.

The Council is a voluntary association of local governments serving Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy Counties. To improve the regions’ resilience from future flood events, community leaders in the lower Rio Grande River basin have determined a need for a collaborative regional approach to their flood planning strategies. The Council will receive a FIF grant of $7,983,000 to conduct a regional flood planning study, which represents 90 percent of the study’s total estimated cost. As part of the planning phase, the goal of the study is to improve drainage data to support science-driven policy and decision-making. In turn, this will help community leaders identify, assess, and prioritize local and regional flood management projects that would support the region. It is projected the study will be completed on March 31, 2024.

The 2019 Texas Legislature passed several bills related to flooding, including Senate Bill 7 which lead to the creation of the FIF program. The new FIF program provides financial assistance in the form of loans with an interest rate of 0% and grants for flood control, flood mitigation, and drainage projects. As Vice Chair of the Senate Finance Committee and a co-author of Senate Bill 500 during the 86th Legislative Session, Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa was instrumental in securing funding to start the FIF program through a one-time transfer of $793 million from the “Rainy Day” Fund.

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa issued the following statement:

“I appreciate the leadership of the Board of Directors and the staff of the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council for taking advantage of the Flood Infrastructure Fund program. The funds will prove to be a long-lasting investment that increases the resiliency of our community. The Council understands the impact flooding events have caused in recent years and the need for funding assistance to alleviate expenses that have transpired through these disasters. The Rio Grande Valley will benefit from the data obtained through the study that will be used to assess the feasibility of future projects. With today’s action by the TWDB, the Rio Grande Valley is taking the next step of planning for future flood events and mitigating the damaged caused.”

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa proudly represents the counties of Nueces, Jim Wells, Brooks, and Hidalgo (part). Senator Hinojosa served as the Senate President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate in the 84th Texas Legislature. Senator Hinojosa currently serves as Vice Chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee, and serves on the Senate Committees on Natural Resources & Economic Development; Transportation; Agriculture, and Texas Ports.

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Yesterday, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) approved the first ever projects funded through the Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF) for the inaugural 2020 cycle. The Nueces County Drainage and Conservation District No. 2 (“District”) was among the entities selected to receive funds for flood early warning systems.

The District submitted a complete financial assistance application and is now eligible to receive $465,500 in grant funding for a portion of the project costs. The remaining project cost will be provided through the District’s funds. This project proposes to install 12-15 Flood Early Warning System Stations in locations known to have repeated flooding and directly impact public health and safety. In total, TWDB approved $1,185,079 in FIF grant funding for the five entities selected.

The 2019 Texas Legislature passed several bills related to flooding, including Senate Bill 7 which lead to the creation of the FIF program. The new FIF program provides financial assistance in the form of loans with an interest rate of 0% and grants for flood control, flood mitigation, and drainage projects. As Vice Chair of the Senate Finance Committee and a co-author of Senate Bill 500, Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa was instrumental in securing funding to start the FIF program through a one-time transfer of $793 million from the “Rainy Day” Fund.

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa issued the following statement:

“As the state continues to deal with ramifications of COVID-19, we cannot forget the flood disasters our state has dealt with in the past. I appreciate the leadership of the Board of Commissioners of the Nueces County Drainage District No. 2 for taking advantage of the Flood Infrastructure Fund program and for their work to submit a complete application. With today’s action by the TWDB, the state takes another step towards mitigating the damage caused by future flood events. These funds to install Flood Early Warning Systems are important for quick evacuations and to improve the safety of our communities and save lives. The FIF program was established for this purpose and I am glad to see the process is moving forward despite the current economic downturn.”

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa proudly represents the counties of Nueces, Jim Wells, Brooks, and Hidalgo (part). Senator Hinojosa served as the Senate President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate in the 84th Texas Legislature. Senator Hinojosa currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Vice Chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee, and serves on the Senate Committees on Natural Resources & Economic Development; Transportation; Agriculture, and Texas Ports.

Edinburg, TX – Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa today was re-elected to the Texas Senate. Senate District 20 includes Brooks, Hidalgo (part), Jim Wells, and Nueces Counties.

Senator Hinojosa released the following statement:

“I am grateful to the constituents of Senate District 20 for re-electing me to continue serving you as your State Senator! I appreciate the voters of Brooks, Jim Wells, Nueces, and Hidalgo Counties.  I am honored that you continue to place your trust in me to keep working and fighting for the needs of our South Texas families.

We could not have succeeded tonight without the efforts of so many supporters from the Coastal Bend to the Rio Grande Valley, as well as statewide. I want to thank my family for their unending support, and each member of my campaign staff and volunteers for their strong commitment, energy, and countless hours of hard work. 

This has been a challenging year for all of us, and our work fighting for accessible and affordable access to health care, more jobs, training and retraining for workers who lost their jobs due to the pandemic, and more investments in infrastructure including broadband, will continue as the Texas Legislature convenes in January. I am humbled to have won another term and I remain committed to you and our families.   

Semper Fi!”

Edinburg, TX – Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa announced today that his re-election campaign has been endorsed and has the support of law enforcement associations in Texas. The Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT) and the Department of Public Safety Officers Association Political Action Committee (DPSOA-PAC) have provided an endorsement.

“Because of your commitment to law enforcement and criminal justice issues and your public position regarding issues that will impact the rank and file officers of the state, the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas, has endorsed your candidacy for State Senate,” announced Charley Wilkison, Executive Director of CLEAT.

Richard Jankovsky, III, President of DPSOA stated the following, “Senator Hinojosa has a strong record of supporting law enforcement and the state’s commissioned peace officers, and we want to add our voice in recognition of his efforts. Your support for this very fine Texas public official will go a long way in keeping our strong ally working for Texas.”  

CLEAT is the state’s largest police organization with more than 100 local affiliates and more than 25,000 members across the state. DPSOA is one of the largest organizations representing commissioned law enforcement officers in Texas including approximately 4,700 men and women who daily pledge their lives to protect Texans across the state.

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Yesterday, the United States Department of Education (USDE) announced that 26 Texas schools have been recognized as National Blue Ribbon schools for 2020. Recipients of this prestigious honor are selected based on a school’s high level of student achievement or their exemplary progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

Of the 26 schools selected, three Senate District 20 schools were recognized: Kelly-Pharr Elementary School (Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD), the Windsor Park G/T Elementary School (Corpus Christi ISD), and the Early Childhood Development Center (Corpus Christi ISD). All 26 campuses nominated by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in February received the designation. TEA’s nomination was based on student performance on the first administration of the 2019 STAAR assessments.

Senator Hinojosa issued the following statement:

“Congratulations to all the schools in Texas who were selected for this honor. I especially would like to recognize the students and educators at Kelly-Pharr Elementary School, Windsor Park G/T Elementary School, and the Early Childhood Development Center. Their National Blue Ribbon designation is attributed to the hard work of the students and the dedication and commitment from their teachers and administrators. Education is the greatest equalizer in our society and is the key to our future successes.”

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa proudly represents the counties of Nueces, Jim Wells, Brooks, and Hidalgo (part). Senator Hinojosa served as the Senate President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate in the 84th Texas Legislature. Senator Hinojosa currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Vice Chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee, and serves on the Senate Committees on Natural Resources & Economic Development; Transportation; Agriculture, and Texas Ports.

AUSTIN, TX – Today, Texas Land Commissioner and Chairman of the Texas Veterans Land Board (VLB), George P. Bush, announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded a grant of  $1,520,470 to the Veterans Land Board for expansion and improvements to the Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery in Mission, Texas.

The grant will fund the construction of 1,400 columbarium niches, a memorial wall, signage, irrigation, landscaping and supporting infrastructure on approximately two acres, enabling the cemetery to provide continued service for approximately 39,722 Veterans and their eligible family members.

Senator Hinojosa issued the following statement:

“The Rio Grande Valley State Veterans Cemetery is the final resting place for the brave men and women who served our country in the Armed Forces and some who made the ultimate sacrifice defending our freedom. I appreciate Commissioner George P. Bush and his staff for securing this grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs. It is important to honor all soldiers who answer the call to duty and sacrifice their lives. The cemetery is currently equipped for 25,000 veterans and their families and this grant will expand capacity to nearly 40,000. It will also add a memorial wall to further honor our veterans.”

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa proudly represents the counties of Nueces, Jim Wells, Brooks, and Hidalgo (part). Senator Hinojosa served as the Senate President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate in the 84th Texas Legislature. Senator Hinojosa currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Vice Chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee, and serves on the Senate Committees on Natural Resources & Economic Development; Transportation; Agriculture, and Texas Ports.

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Today, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) approved the prioritized project list for the 2020 Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF) inaugural cycle and establishing the amount of funds available for applications, the structure of financing, and the terms of the subsidy. The action taken represents step two of the five-step process, which will eventually provide funding for future flood mitigation projects in Hidalgo County.

For the 2020 Abridged Application Prioritized Project List, TWDB approved 285 abridged applications requesting a total of $2,390,567,776. However, only applications from entities with projects ranked within the available funding. As of today, $770 million is available for projects, of which $231 million (30%) is allocated to grants and $539 million (70%) is allocated for loans. Among the 285 eligible applications that made the first cut, the 2020 Abridged Application Prioritized Project List includes 14 projects (listed below) within Hidalgo County.

As part of step three of the process, starting tomorrow the TWDB will begin inviting entities to submit complete financial assistance applications and Letters of Intent to Apply. Letters of Intent to Apply will be distributed to all applicants within the available funding as well as those below the line, which will form a waiting list should funds become available. Should funds become available due to invited entities declining to apply, invitations will be sent in ranked order down the prioritized list to applicants that met the TWDB’s Intent to Apply deadline. After complete applications are reviewed, TWDB will make a financial assistance recommendation to be considered by the Board in public meetings this upcoming Fall and Winter.

The 2019 Texas Legislature passed several bills related to flooding, including Senate Bill 7 which lead to creation of the FIF program. The new FIF program provides financial assistance in the form of loans with an interest rate of 0% and grants for flood control, flood mitigation, and drainage projects. As Vice Chair of the Senate Finance Committee and a co-author of Senate Bill 500, Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa was instrumental in securing funding to start the FIF program through a one-time transfer of $793 million from the “Rainy Day” Fund.

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa issued the following statement:

“As the state continues to deal with ramifications of COVID-19, we cannot forget the flood disasters our state has dealt with in the past. I appreciate our local officials on completing the first step of the process by submitting their abridged applications earlier this summer. We must also move forward with investing in flood mitigation projects to prepare for future flood events. With today’s action by the TWDB, the state takes another step towards mitigating the damage caused by future flood events. The Flood Infrastructure Fund Program was established for this purpose and I am glad to see the process is moving forward despite the current economic downturn.“

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa proudly represents the counties of Nueces, Jim Wells, Brooks, and Hidalgo (part). Senator Hinojosa served as the Senate President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate in the 84th Texas Legislature. Senator Hinojosa currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Vice Chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee, and serves on the Senate Committees on Natural Resources & Economic Development; Transportation; Agriculture, and Texas Ports.