TRANSFORMING THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION

Posted on August 12, 2020 by hinojosa

Senator Hinojosa championed historic legislation with the passage of Senate Bill (SB) 24 which created the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), a top-tier university and medical school, and the second largest Hispanic–serving institution in the nation.

SB 24 authorized the merger of UT-Pan American and UT-Brownsville and the creation of a freestanding medical school. The expansion of educational opportunities has created greater access to healthcare, spurred significant economic development, and boosted our quality of life in South Texas. UTRGV and the accompanying School of Medicine (SOM) have created thousands of jobs, improved higher educational levels, increased access to healthcare services, and brought much needed resources to our region. Perhaps most importantly for the new university, for the first time, UTRGV is eligible to receive millions of dollars from the Permanent University Fund, a major source of public higher education money that the Texas Constitution only allows “eligible” UT System schools to use.

UTRGV has an extensive presence in the Valley with campuses in Edinburg, Brownsville, Harlingen, McAllen, Starr County, and South Padre Island. Similarly, the UTRGV School of Medicine has campuses in Edinburg, Harlingen and Brownsville, and clinics throughout the Valley. These facilities have brought high-paying jobs, first-rate educational opportunities and access to health care to thousands of RGV residents. Further, UTRGV and the SOM have spurred economic development in the region with the continuing development of facilities, workforce training, and significant state investment.

The SOM already received $70 million in PUF monies for a new Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) building which opened in 2018, and another $30 million for the Institute of Neuroscience building that will open soon.

As Vice Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Hinojosa was instrumental in securing funding for UTRGV and the School of Medicine for the 2020-2021 Biennium. This includes:

$266.2 million for UTRGV General Academics ($9.8 million difference from 2018-19 Budget);
$68.9 million for UTRGV School of Medicine ($12.3 million difference from 2018-19 Budget);
$2.7 million Cervical Dysplasia Cancer Immunology Center; and
A portion of the $157.2 million allocated for GME Expansion for graduate medical education to maintain a 1.1 to 1 ratio for residency slots ($60.2 million difference from 2018-19 Budget).

CRACKING DOWN ON WASTE AND MISMANAGEMENT IN GOVERNMENT

Posted on August 12, 2020 by hinojosa

Our lawmakers have a responsibility to save taxpayers’ money by making government more efficient and to ensure the proper oversight of governmental entities. As a recent member of the Sunset Advisory Commission and the Vice Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Hinojosa has long demanded accountability and fiscal efficiency within state government.

Passed legislation in the 2019 Session to increase transparency and eliminate conflicts of interest at a local special utility district.
Senator Hinojosa sponsored a government transparency bill that prevents governments from paying for public events, such as concerts, with public funds and keeping that information private.
During the 84th and 85th Legislative Sessions, Senator Hinojosa served on the Sunset Commission which is responsible for carrying sunset legislation and thoroughly analyzing the practices and procedures of those government agencies under review. Through this appointment, Senator Hinojosa was able to work to decrease government inefficiencies, increase transparency and ensure that our taxpayer dollars are being spent appropriately.
The changes enacted during the 84th session resulted in more than $34 million in savings and revenue gains over the following two years by eliminating waste, duplication, and inefficiency in state government. During the 85th session, the changes enacted resulted in saving $5.8 million over the following 5 years.
In 2015, Senator Hinojosa passed the Office of Inspector General (OIG) Sunset bill to provide due process, increase transparency, and target actual fraud while not wasting our resources on innocent providers. The legislation (SB 207) restructured the OIG so that it targets the healthcare providers who are defrauding our taxpayers and not those who commit clerical errors.
Senator Hinojosa previously served on the Sunset Commission from 2008 through 2011 and carried sunset legislation for high profile agencies such as TxDOT, DPS, and the Texas Water Development Board.

STANDING UP FOR HOMEOWNERS AGAINST UNFAIR WINDSTORM INSURANCE RAISES

Posted on August 12, 2020 by hinojosa

Thanks to efforts of Senator Hinojosa and his colleagues, Nueces County families can no longer be slapped with excessive surcharges in the aftermath of a hurricane. In the 2009 Legislative Session, Senator Hinojosa led the negotiations to pass comprehensive Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) reform legislation. While the new law may have been far from perfect, it took major strides forward in protecting Nueces County homeowners. Since 2009, Senator Hinojosa has supported legislation to reform TWIA by changing the funding structure, board composition, legal processes, and administrative and claims processes. Senator Hinojosa has consistently opposed rules that would increase premium surcharges or create ambiguity and uncertainty for the Texas Coast.

Senator Hinojosa continues to work with TWIA and our Coastal Bend communities to ensure fair and affordable access to windstorm insurance coverage. Just last year, Senator Hinojosa supported and co-sponsored legislation that will address rate adequacy transparency and legislation that requires two interim legislative committees to inspect and review the current funding structure. This resulted in the creation of the Windstorm Insurance Legislative Funding and Funding Structure Oversight Board, to which Senator Hinojosa was appointed by the Lieutenant Governor. The board is charged with gathering information regarding how the association’s current funding and funding structure operate and how the catastrophic risk pools of other states operate.

GIVING LAW ENFORCEMENT THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO SECURE THE BORDER

Posted on August 12, 2020 by hinojosa

Senator Hinojosa has led the effort to properly equip the Department of Public Safety to combat drug traffickers and help ease the financial burdens that have been unfairly placed on border communities. Senator Hinojosa understands the importance of giving law enforcement the tools they need to keep our families safe and strengthen border security without harming the business and cultural relations with Mexico that allow our region to be one of the most dynamic in the nation. As Vice Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Hinojosa has a significant impact on the state budget writing process and ensures that critical discussions focus on the needs of our border communities and our law enforcement. Senator Hinojosa secured $10.2 million in grants for local border security and added language to the budget that made the South Texas College Center for Public Safety Excellence eligible for grant funds.

Another priority for Senator Hinojosa is ensuring that law enforcement and prosecutors have the resources they need to eliminate human trafficking. In the most recent legislative session, Senator Hinojosa helped secure $15,126,000 for Border Security Operations – Border Prosecution Grants and funding for Anti-Gang Centers. Senator Hinojosa previously voted for legislation that increased penalties for human trafficking, increased victim identification and services, and expanded the duties of the Human Trafficking Task Force. Senator Hinojosa also secured $1.2 million for 6 additional agents for the Special Investigations Unit at the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) to enhance its efforts to fight human trafficking. With the additional resources, TABC ramped up its investigative and enforcement efforts to combat human trafficking along the border. Additionally, Senator Hinojosa supported legislation that created the Texas Transnational Intelligence Center (TTIC), a multiagency crime information center in the Rio Grande Valley that is operated by local law enforcement and DPS. The Texas Transnational Intelligence Center is key for the Rio Grande Valley in protecting our border and Senator Hinojosa continues to secure funding to support its operations.

EXPANDING THE COASTAL ECONOMY

Posted on August 12, 2020 by hinojosa

As Vice Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Hinojosa secured increased funding for Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, including first time funding for the new civil and industrial engineering program. Similarly, Senator Hinojosa obtained additional funds for Del Mar Community College. These investments in higher education will ensure our region has the skills and training necessary to keep building our economy.

As a member of both the Transportation and Texas Ports Select Committees, Senator Hinojosa is aware of the importance of upgrading infrastructure to continue our economic growth. He secured critical funding for the new Harbor Bridge project and he continues to work closely with all stakeholders to ensure its progress. When complete, the new Harbor Bridge will boost the economy by allowing for larger ships in the harbor, as well as improved ground transportation. Senator Hinojosa has also fought to secure port infrastructure funding to improve the movement of goods in and out of the ports. Further, he was instrumental in restoring air quality monitoring funds necessary to help ensure our port industries remain compliant.

Senator Hinojosa continues to help our region’s tourism industry by passing legislation to allow Corpus Christi to access the state’s Hotel Occupancy Tax for beach cleanup and obtaining funding for the Texas State Aquarium.

As Vice Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Hinojosa has secured funding for the DEAAG program. Since 2015, the three installations in the region have received $7 million from the program. This funding is critical to Corpus Christi which is home to the Corpus Christi Army Depot, the world’s largest military helicopter repair facility that accounts for over 6,000 jobs in the Coastal Bend and is also home to NAS Corpus Christi.

Like much of the Gulf Coast region, the Coastal Bend was greatly impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Senator Hinojosa worked to craft legislation that will help our state recover from this historic storm, including $3.5 billion in state funds. These funds will be used for a wide variety of purposes that will benefit the Coastal Bend, ranging from coastal protections to repairs at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute.

DEL MAR COLLEGE AND ISDS AWARDED OVER $1.1 MILLION FROM THE JOBS & EDUCATION FOR TEXANS GRANT PROGRAM

Posted on July 30, 2020 by hinojosa

AUSTIN — The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) has awarded 5 grants totaling $1,132,275 through the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grant program to Del Mar College and multiple independent school districts within Senate District 20 for programs that support career training for high-demand occupations.

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.

As Vice Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Hinojosa was instrumental in the legislature’s decision to appropriate the $16 million to the program for the 2020-2021 biennium. 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:

“I want to congratulate our JET recipients in Senate District 20. For many years, I have championed legislation and supported funding for initiatives such as the creation of the JET grant program. The grants will help our students get the essential technical skills and help put Texans back in the workforce in today’s job market. As employers continue to require more than a high school diploma, employers are working together with high schools and community colleges to help meet the demands of the 21^st century workforce.”

The Jobs and Education for Texans grant recipients from Senate District 20 are:

Del Mar College – $283,381 – The grant will help purchase and install equipment to provide 414 students with training in the occupation of registered nurse.
Corpus Christi ISD – $284,976 – The grant will help purchase and install equipment to provide 680 students with training in the occupation of licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse.
La Joya ISD – $247,126 – The grant will help purchase and install equipment to provide 130 students with training in the occupation of welder, cutter, solder and brazer.
Pharr-San Juan-Alamo ISD – $269,624 – The grant will help purchase and install equipment to provide 140 students with training in the occupation of automotive service technician and mechanic.
San Diego ISD – $47,168 – The grant will help purchase and install equipment to provide 76 students with training in the occupation of electrical and electronical engineering technician

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 Finance, and serves on the Senate Committees on Property Tax; Natural Resources & Economic Development; Transportation; Agriculture; and Select Committees on Redistricting and Texas Ports.

TWDB APPROVES $222 MILLION IN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR CORPUS CHRISTI’S FIRST SEAWATER DESALINATION PLANT

Posted on July 30, 2020 by hinojosa

AUSTIN — Today, the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) approved a request from the City of Corpus Christi (City) for $222,475,000 in multi-year financing from the State Water Implementation Revenue Fund for a desalination plant in the Port of Corpus Christi’s Inner Harbor Ship Channel near Port Aransas.

As part of a multi-phase project, the funds approved today are expected to cover costs to both the design and construction of the desalination facility. In 2017, the City had received $2.75 million in financing from the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT) to find a site and prepare permits for two plants for the project. The Inner Harbor desalination plant will be the first to be built while the second plant will be built in the future near the La Quinta Channel in San Patricio County. Ultimately, the two desalination plants are estimated to have a combined capacity of 70 million gallons of water per day.

The desalination facilities are considered to be the key to providing a reliable, sustainable water base for future economic development and jobs in the region. As the regional water supplier for more than 500,000 people and various businesses along with the rising demand from large industrial customers, Corpus Christi devised a long-term plan to meet the area’s water supply needs. The long-term plan needed to ensure that City’s total water supply capacity exceeded water demand by 25 percent to accommodate the large demand increases from industrial users.

Within the last ten years, desalination plants have gained some acceptance as an alternative source of water. In 2014, Senator Hinojosa was a member the Joint-Interim Committee to Study Water Desalination. This lead to Senator Hinojosa becoming a sponsor of House Bill 2031 in 2015, a significant piece of legislation for desalination projects. The legislation required the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to adopt rules to allow seawater to be treated by a desalination facility to be used as public drinking water as long as it meets Health and Safety Code standards. The legislation also allowed entities to obtain permits to divert and use seawater in accordance with rules established by TCEQ.

Senator Hinojosa issued the following statement:

“Water security is one of the most pressing social and economic challenges of our time. The future prosperity of Texas depends heavily on the availability of water. Converting our seawaters into fresh water, already common in South America and the Middle East, is an important component of any solution to Texas’ water shortages and rising demand. I applaud the City of Corpus Christi for their proactive approach to ensure future generations have a sustainable water supply. By securing the SWIFT loans, the City will have the water infrastructure necessary to support the future prosperity of our economy.”

SENATOR HINOJOSA SENDS LETTER TO GOVERNOR ABBOTT REQUESTING AN ORDER TO FLY FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF

Posted on July 12, 2020 by hinojosa

EDINBURG, TX — Today, Senator Juan “Chuy” sent a letter to Governor Greg Abbott requesting an order for flags in the Rio Grande Valley to be flown at half-staff in honor of the life and public service of City of McAllen police officers Edelmiro Garza and Ismael Chavez, who were shot and killed in the line of duty on July 11, 2020.

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa issued the following statement:

“Our community is mourning the senseless and tragic shooting of officers Edelmiro Garza and Ismael Chavez who lost their lives working to keep our community safe. We are forever indebted to their service and owe an immeasurable debt to their families for their suffering, pain, and heartache caused by the loss of their loved one. This request to Governor Abbott is to show our respect and to honor the lives and public service of officers Garza and Chavez.”

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, and Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Redistricting, and serves on the Senate Committees on Natural Resources & Economic Development; Transportation; Property Tax; and Agriculture.

STATE OF TEXAS CONTINUES TO RESPOND TO PUBLIC HEALTH NEEDS OF SOUTH TEXAS

Posted on July 6, 2020 by hinojosa

AUSTIN — Today, the Office of the Governor and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) confirmed they have deployed 628 individuals via BCFS to hospitals and medical centers in the Rio Grande Valley. BCFS Health and Human Services’ Emergency Management Division is a non-profit partner of federal, state and local government and private industry, specializing in public health & medical emergency response. This assistance is being provided in response to the requests from county judges and hospital administrators in the Rio Grande Valley requesting additional personnel assistance from the state.

On June 26, 2020, Hidalgo County Judge Richard Cortez sent an urgent request to Dr. John Hellerstedt, Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services and the members of the RGV legislative delegation for assistance in the form of additional medical staff and the equipment necessary to provide for the health and safety of the citizens of Hidalgo County. Our offices immediately engaged the Office of the Governor, DSHS, and the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM). By Monday, June 29th, the state had deployed 112 staff to Edinburg and 46 to McAllen with the commitment to deploy more during the week. To date, the following assistance has been provided to Starr, Hidalgo, Cameron, and Willacy Counties:

Related to staffing – staff deployed via BCFS (628):

Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen: 56 staff deployed
Valley Baptist Medical Center in Brownsville: 32 staff deployed
Harlingen Medical Center in Harlingen: 22 staff deployed
Harlingen Regional Medical Center in Brownsville: 28 staff deployed
Edinburg Regional Medical Center in Edinburg: 55 staff deployed
Doctors Hospital Renaissance in Edinburg: 354 staff deployed
Rio Grande Regional Hospital in McAllen: 46 staff deployed
McAllen Heart Hospital in Edinburg: 8 staff deployed
Starr County Memorial: 27 staff deployed last night

Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa issued the following statement:

“I appreciate the requests and tireless efforts from our South Texas county judges and hospital administrators to respond to the increase in the number of hospitalizations due to complications from COVID-19. We are thankful to Governor Greg Abbott and our state agencies for quickly acting on our requests and providing relief to our region. To carry out our mission to successfully provide the health care needs for COVID-19 it requires everyone at all levels of government working together. We are all in this together, and we can only succeed through collective action where everyone is working toward solving this crisis as one community.”

In addition to the staff deployed via BCFS, the following requests are in process:

Ambulance strike team assistance and lab technician assistance to Starr County
An additional nurse deploying to Starr County
32 staff for Knapp Medical Center in Weslaco
Ventilator deployment to the region tomorrow
Ventilator deployment to Doctors Hospital tonight (10)

Other Items:

Ventilators at Mission Regional Medical Center and South Texas Health Systems (3 each)
Ambulance strike teams in Hidalgo and Cameron counties
Epidemiologist surge for the region

CITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI’S $7.2 MILLION GRANT APPLICATION APPROVED BY THE TEXAS GENERAL LAND OFFICE

Posted on June 30, 2020 by hinojosa

AUSTIN —Today, the Texas General Land Office (GLO) approved the City of Corpus Christi’s (City) grant application for $7.2 million submitted to the GLO’s Hurricane Harvey Local Infrastructure Program. The City plans to use the funding to conduct drainage infrastructure improvements to facilitate proper stormwater conveyance and reduce the impact of future flooding.

The City is the latest recipient of the federal grant in the region, joining Nueces County and the City of Robstown of which received grants earlier this year. In 2018, the City and Nueces County teamed up to address drainage issues by signing an agreement to pursue local, state and federal grant funding for a countywide drainage study. As the City’s population increases, it puts more pressure on drainage.

Drainage improvements are costly to local governments and large projects can cost tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. The 2019 Texas Legislature added another funding option with the creation of the Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF) through Senate Bill 7. The new FIF program, administered by the Texas Water Development Board, provides financial assistance in the form of loans and grants for flood control, flood mitigation, and drainage projects. As Vice Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa was instrumental in securing funding to help local communities plan for future flood events. Senator Hinojosa was a co-author of Senate Bill 500, which authorized a transfer of $793 million from the “Rainy Day” Fund to start the FIF program.

Senator Hinojosa issued the following statement:

“In 2017, the City of Corpus Christi was heavily impacted by Hurricane Harvey’s winds, floodwaters and storm surges resulting in damage to homes, businesses, and public infrastructure. The federal grant award to Corpus Christi will go a long way with preparing for future storms. I congratulate Corpus Christi for obtaining this grant. I appreciate the leadership of Mayor McComb, the City Council, and the hard work of the City’s staff to identify and secure sources of available funds that will protect our residents and their property from future flooding events.”