Rep. Hernandez updates news from the capitol

Rep. Hernandez with students and supporters after presenting House Bill 1602 to the House Committee on Public Education
Rep. Hernandez with students and supporters after presenting House Bill 1602 to the House Committee on Public Education

Dear Friend,

With less than seven weeks remaining in the 86th Legislative Session, the Texas Capitol is growing increasingly busy! Committees are meeting twice a week, major pieces of legislation have passed at least one chamber of the Legislature, and negotiations on major policy topics such as property tax reduction, public school finance, and the final passage of our state’s biennial budget are ongoing.

The past two weeks have been particularly busy for our policy agenda! I wanted to provide you an update on our legislative package’s progress as we reach mid-April. As always, if ever I can be of assistance or answer any questions, do not hesitate to call my office at (512) 463-0614.

Kind regards,

Ana Hernandez

Wrapping Up Two Busy Weeks Of Bills!

Over the last two weeks, Representative Hernandez has presented thirteen bills in committee to crack down on human trafficking, improve public education, and grow our economy. These measures include:

– House Bills 731 and 732, helping shut down illicit businesses that serve as fronts for human trafficking;

– House Bill 834, allowing counties to adopt land bank programs in order to increase affordable housing options;

– House Bill 1095, strengthening background checks for massage therapy license applicants;

– House Bill 1283, giving local governments additional options for contracting telecom services;

– House Bill 1568, helping cities remove dangerous abandoned vehicles;

– House Bill 1602, setting school start time no earlier than 8AM;

– House Bill 2165, preventing the sale of alcohol below the price a seller paid for it in order to address overconsumption;

– House Bill 2214, expediting the issuance of occupational licenses for military personnel, their spouses, and veterans;

– House Bill 2464, improving oversight and reporting standards for massage therapy schools;

– House Bills 2712 and 4667, creating local districts to promote, develop and encourage economic development, safety and infrastructure; and

– House Bill 3362, providing Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) opportunities for businesses owned by differently-abled persons.

Additionally, Representative Hernandez also passed two bills out of the Texas House!

– House Bill 596, unanimously passed out of the Texas House, making one of the Employee Retirement System’s elected board seats eligible to be filled by either an active or retired member.

– House Bill 833, establishing a statewide missing persons alert system for missing military members with PTSD. This pilot program would be a voluntary resource that military members may opt into in order to assist with search efforts when a loved one is reported missing.

Supporting Student Leaders

Since 1925, Future Farmers of America (FFA) has helped shape the next generation of young leaders through personal growth and the development of career skills. Representative Hernandez was proud to participate in the Channelview FFA annual parade!

Supporting New Leadership

Changing power structures and breaking gender barriers means lifting one another up. Representative Hernandez was honored to be a guest speaker at the Inaugural Phenomenal Latinas Rising Brunch and discuss professional growth and success in public service.

Hurricane Harvey Recovery Resources

Harris County is launching Project Recovery – an opportunity for Harris County residents outside of Houston city limits to begin the application process to repair or reconstruct their flood-damaged homes.

Interested applicants can visit the county’s website or call (832) 927-4961 for more information.