FAQs about the 2021 Winter Storm

Thank you for reaching out to my office. I share your frustration and anger at the failure of the power generation system. What happened was absolutely unacceptable, and immediate action is needed. Due to a high volume of correspondence regarding the outages, I am sending this letter to every constituent who has contacted me regarding the outages. I’ve included common questions and concerns, as well as a list of resources. If you still have further questions, please feel free to contact me again and I will do my best to answer your questions. 

1. What caused the outages? Although we’re still learning about a multitude of factors that caused the outages, a few things stand out as major causes. Our energy generation system not being properly winterized and a deregulated market contributed the most to this failure. The questions of why ERCOT, power generators, and gas suppliers were so unprepared for this storm and why equipment was not winterized will be answered at the Feb. 25th joint hearing. 

2. Why isn’t ERCOT a part of the national grid? State and energy industry officials have chosen to not join the national grid. Regardless of why this decision was initially made, we need to determine whether it is now time to ensure we are part of the national coordinated effort to ensure power is available when needed.

3. Is green energy to blame? The blame does not lie with any single source of energy. Renewable energy like wind power makes up very little of the reduction in power-generating capacity that has brought outages to millions of Texans across the state during a major winter storm. Indeed, it’s estimated that only 7% of ERCOT’s winter capacity was expected to come from wind power sources across the states. All sources of Texas’s energy were affected by this storm, and the majority of power generation that went offline was thermal--coal, gas, and nuclear. Additionally, as has been done in other states and frigid parts of our world, insulation can allow wind turbines to function during extremely cold conditions, but this, of course, requires funding. 

4. Will this be a priority? Yes, this is an immediate priority of mine. As a member of the State Affairs committee, I will push for answers, accountability, and real tangible solutions. Thousands of my constituents and millions of Texans have had to endure freezing temperatures in their own homes, as well as subsequent water outages. This was unquestionably a failure, and there needs to be accountability. We need to update our infrastructure, and we need a system that prioritizes preparedness to support people over profit. Governor Abbott has also made ERCOT reform an emergency item; which means that the legislature will be able to quickly pass any reform within the first 60 days of session.

5. How will ERCOT keep this from happening again? The solution will be in ongoing development as we receive more information from the entire system, including ERCOT, PUC, Railroad Commission, and any other entities involved. We will have our first opportunity to begin getting answers at the February 25th joint hearing of the House State Affairs and Energy Committees. I can confidently say that any approach will require winterizing our equipment and re-thinking the deregulated energy market. Rest assured that any solution will be my top priority.

In the February 25th joint hearing, Speaker Phelan has asked the House State Affairs and Energy Resources Committees to determine factors that led to the sustained power outages. As a member of the State Affairs committee, I will press for answers, solutions, and accountability. We need tangible change so that this doesn’t ever happen again. Many questions remain unanswered as efforts are focused on restoring our energy system, but I will work towards getting to the bottom of what caused this failure. If you are interested, I would also encourage you to submit written testimony about the outages to ensure your voice is heard at these hearings. You can do so here.

I also am posting a spreadsheet of resources that my team has put together- including warming centers, open restaurants, water distribution sites, grocery stores, and more. We will update this regularly as we receive more information. You can access it here.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any further questions or concerns. Stay safe and stay warm.

Sincerely,
Donna Howard

Texas State Representative (HD 48)

Rep. Howard Shares SAFE-Ready Grant Opportunity

Rep. Howard, working with members of the House Appropriations Committee and the Governor’s Office, secured several million dollars in grant funding for the maintenance and establishment of Sexual Assault Forensic Exam-Ready (SAFE-Ready) certification. These grants are intended to incentivize hospitals to provide a higher standard of care for survivors of sexual assault. Please review the grant announcement and FAQ for those who may be interested in applying. The deadline is August 6, 2020.

Click the images below to get a link to the pdf.

Texas Workforce Commission - update on Unemployment Insurance

Please see these updated infographics from TWC.

Rep. Howard Discusses UT Study on COVID-19

Friends,

There is a lot to keep up with these days, but I hope that you have been able to see the newly released UT study regarding the potential impacts of  COVID-19 on our regional healthcare system.  While it includes some grim statistics, the primary takeaway is: Stay Home and Save a Life.

It’s been determined that the social distancing we’ve been practicing thus far has reduced our interactions by 50%--which is a very good first step. In fact, the UT study projects that we will have adequate hospital capacity for another three weeks at that rate. 

However, in order to prevent our local healthcare system from being overwhelmed at that point, the study suggests we need to continue reducing social interactions from our current 50% rate all the way to a 90% reduction--a heavy lift, but with the potential to save lives.

In fact, if we are able to decrease social interactions at the 90% level, it is projected that we can actually avert the deaths of 6,000 Austinites!

A true challenge.

Our community is about to embark on a difficult, but doable journey. This is going to be harder for some than others, and we - as policymakers and humans - need to make sure those who need extra care and resources are able to get them.

The study isn’t fate, but it represents likely projections from some of the smartest minds in our state and is based on assumptions that should be valid for at least the next three weeks. So, though it isn’t a prediction, it does give us a scale and framework to better understand this evolving crisis at the local level. And with time and more data, the model can be tweaked to continue to provide guidance in how we address this pandemic in order to protect our community’s health and ensure a safe return to work.

Because the more thoroughly we contain the spread, the faster we can rev up our economy.

We've got this.

As tough as it is, we can do this. We’ve already made great progress thanks to your efforts, and I know that, together, we can do even more.

Though my office, like many others, is physically shut down with staff working remotely, we are monitoring communications to our office and will respond as quickly as we can. Please let us know if you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions. 

And remember to ‘Stay Home and Save a Life.’

Rep. Howard Statement on Coronavirus - Resources for information

Rep. Donna Howard released the following statement today regarding the coronavirus.

Below are some trusted links to regularly updated information and resources:

• State/Federal

  • CDC - https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

  • State of Texas -  https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/coronavirus/

• Local

  • Travis County - https://traviscountytx.gov/news/2020/1945-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-information

  • City of Austin - http://www.austintexas.gov/COVID19

• Healthcare Providers

  • https://www.tha.org/COVID-19

  • https://www.texaschildrenscoronavirus.org/

  • https://www.tachc.org/programs-services/emergency-management1/covid-19

Rep. Howard Statement on Sen. Watson Retirement

Rep. Howard released a statement regarding Senator Watson’s forthcoming retirement.

Rep. Howard Signs Letter to Gov. Abbott re: Refugee Resettlement Program

Yesterday Rep. Donna Howard joined eight of her House colleagues in signing a letter from Rep. Vikki Goodwin urging Gov. Greg Abbott to affirm Texas’ participation in the federal Refugee Resettlement Program by January 1. Click the images below to get a link to the pdf.

SAFE-ready Grants from Texas State Budget

Hospitals can take advantage of $6 million in grants over the next two years to bolster their Sexual Assault Forensic Exam capabilities and become SAFE-ready certified by the state. Click the image below to learn more about this opportunity for your community.

Birthday 2020 Announcement

Dear Friend,

It's my birthday today, and I wanted to thank you for allowing me to serve another year as your Representative for House District 48.

After a hectic month of town halls, speaking engagements, and participating in two panels during TribFest 2019, I'm looking forward to taking some time for myself, at least for the day. Since I have a trip planned for today, I completed my annual birthday tradition of running 10 miles around Lady Bird Lake earlier in the week. Like every year, it’s a nice diversion, but the truth is that I do some of my best thinking on the trail -- thinking about my work at the Legislature and about my reelection campaign, which I’m happy to announce with this email, is officially underway. 

I run on the trail to take my mind off of the state's continuous assault on the rights and wellbeing of women, but I'm also running for reelection to help beat back those attacks and to push for equal opportunity.

I run as often as I can to stay healthy, but I'm also running for another term to better ensure that all Texans have access to affordable health care. 

I run along Lady Bird Lake to enjoy the outdoors, but I'm also running for House District 48 to stand up for our environment and protect our natural resources throughout the state.

Now I’m asking you to run with me on the campaign trail.  I’ve put in a good number of miles so far, but if we’re going to go the distance and take back Texas, I’m going to need your support.

Already, we accomplished a lot last session:

• Established a comprehensive sexual assault survivors’ task force.

• Appropriated additional billions in funding to increase the state's share of public education financing.

• Spoke truth to power against unnecessary political stunts like SB 22 and  HB 16, which ultimately harm women’s access to healthcare.

I continue to be honored that you have given me the opportunity to represent you at the Capitol.  I'm running for reelection to continue fighting for you. Please join my birthday celebration with your contribution to my campaign and keep me running!

Thank you for your support,

Donna
 

Click here to donate to my 2020 campaign! 

Stay in touch!

Twitter: @DonnaHowardTX                     Facebook: /votedonna

Instagram:/teamhowardtx                        Youtube:/RepDonnaHoward

Website: Teamhowardtx.com

Pol. adv. paid for by the Donna Howard Campaign; P.O. Box 5375, Austin, TX 78763

Prop 4 takes away voters' say on income tax

Photo by {Ricardo B. Brazziell/American-Statesman}

Caveat emptor” is defined as the principle that the buyer alone is responsible for checking the quality of whatever it is they're purchasing before completing the transaction.

In the case of Proposition 4, watch out when you're being sold something that you already own — especially because what you already own is better than what's being sold.

Texans are being asked to vote on a constitutional amendment to prohibit a state income tax. Proposition 4 — one of 10 amendments on the Nov. 5 ballot — specifically states: “The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of an individual income tax, including a tax on an individual’s share of partnership and unincorporated association income.”

Funny thing, though, is that the Texas Constitution already prohibits an income tax. There is one exception to that prohibition, and it states that only you, the voters, can decide to adopt an income tax.

Often referred to as the “Bullock Amendment,” this exception was approved in 1993, and neither voters nor legislators have had an inkling of interest to collect an income tax in the decades since. But if, indeed, you made such a decision, the Constitution currently requires that two-thirds of the revenue must go to property tax reduction, and the other one-third must go to public schools.

But wait, isn't that — school finance and property tax reform — what the Legislature just tackled in the most recent legislative session just five months ago? That's exactly right. The Texas Legislature offered policy changes with an $11.5 billion price tag and proudly put its money where its mouth was. If an income tax dedicated to property tax reduction and school finance never came up for discussion then, it doesn't appear there should be much concern about needing to change the safeguards already in place. In other words, “If it ain’t broke...”

So why has this constitutional amendment come up at all? There's no good answer for finding a solution in search of a problem, but asking constituents to (once again) vote to prohibit an income tax probably sounds good on campaign fliers and social media. And though we could brush that off as politics as usual, the real problem is that the proposed amendment makes things worse by taking away the voters' right to make this decision, and repealing the language that dedicates any income tax revenue to reducing property taxes and paying for schools. The current language, if a vote were to occur, could ultimately reduce the overall taxes that you're paying.

Whether you support an income tax or not, the Constitution already prohibits such a tax without your approval. Why would you allow the Legislature to take that privilege away?

There is no plausible reason to support Proposition 4. At the very least, it is redundant. But at worst, it takes away your say and removes any language that requires a property tax reduction.

On Nov. 5, buyer beware and vote no on Prop 4.

Howard, D-Austin, represents District 48 in the Texas House.

Rep. Howard letter to Congressional

The Debbie Smith Act provided essential funding for DNA evidence collected in rape kits, and it has done an incredible amount to decrease the sexual assault kit backlog. Since its ratification in 2004, the Debbie Smith Act was continuously renewed with overwhelming bipartisan support. On September 30th, however, funding for the program expired. Last Session, the Texas legislature was able to increase funding on resources for crime labs and sexual assault nurse examiners, but many state facilities were also counting on federal funding. This is why I sent a letter to the U.S. Congressional Representatives who cover my district (Rep. Roy, Rep. Williams, and Rep. McCaul), urging them to renew the Debbie Smith Act. Sexual assault is a non-partisan issue, and it should be treated that way. I encourage everyone to stand with survivors and to tell your US House Representative and Senators to pass the Debbie Smith Act.

Click through the image below if you want to use my letter as a template.

Rep. Howard to Host a Town Hall on Saturday, October 5th

Please join Rep. Donna Howard of House District 48 for a Town Hall Meeting on October 5th.

Rep. Howard will provide a recap of the 86th Texas Legislative Session and discuss what to expect in the legislative interim.

The town hall meeting will start at 10:00 A.M. in the ACC South Austin Campus Multimedia Room. This will be an informal event, so please feel free to come and go as your schedule permits. No RSVP is required for those wishing to attend.

For more information click here

Rep. Howard to Host a Town Hall on Saturday, September 21st

Please join Rep. Donna Howard of House District 48 for a Town Hall Meeting on September 21st.

Rep. Howard will provide a recap of the 86th Texas Legislative Session and discuss what to expect in the legislative interim.

The town hall meeting will begin at 10:00 A.M. in the Anderson High School Library. This will be an informal event, so please feel free to come and go as your schedule permits. 

If you are unable to make this event, please stay tuned for the next town hall meeting with Rep. Howard, which will take place October 5th.

For more info, click here!

Rep. Donna Howard 86th Session Recap

Friend,

With another Texas Legislative Session behind us, I wanted to again thank you for the privilege of representing House District 48 and the responsibility you’ve entrusted in me as your State Representative. It can be a whirlwind keeping track of all the legislation in flux during the frantic 140-day session, but your support made it possible to focus on real policy.

In January, I sent you an email outlining priorities for my office, and that included:

• School finance reform

• Better policies to address sexual assault

• Improving services and outcomes for the state’s foster youth

• Greater access to healthcare - particularly for women, and the well-being of pregnant mothers

• Maximizing the effectiveness of taxpayer dollars

I’m happy to report back that those efforts on your behalf were successful enough so that I was honored to make Texas Monthly’s Best Legislators list. I was also able to pass valuable policy on a number of other issues such as higher education affordability, responsible gun storage, our local environment, and women’s criminal justice reform. 

You can find more information about these topics on my website, but here is a summary:

School Finance 

The state passed a landmark school finance overhaul (HB 3) that injects an additional $7.5 billion into our schools. For years, I’ve been calling for the state to increase its share of school funding. This bill certainly does that, although the cost for this improvement will escalate dramatically after two years. You can read my assessment of it in the Austin American Statesman op-ed here. 

I successfully amended a bill that I’ve filed for the past five sessions onto HB 3. HB 314 allows public schools to use a dedicated stream of state revenue to pay for childcare and other services critical to the success of students with children of their own. 

Myself, Sen. Kirk Watson and Gov. Abbott right before the signing ceremony for HB 1590 creating a Sexual Assault Survivors’ Task Force.

Supporting Survivors

This session was notable for the comprehensive approach the legislature took to address sexual violence. I’m proud to have played a key role in those efforts, having passed two bills that have been hailed for their significant policy approaches to sexual assault. HB 1590 creates a Sexual Assault Survivors’ Task Force in the Governor’s office, pulling together a multi-disciplinary, interagency task force to establish survivor-centered best practices, and coordinate how these standards can complement each other. This task force will conduct a biennial survey of survivor services across Texas, and develop a gaps analysis that can show the public and policymakers what needs to be done to bring the state up to those standards. 

HB 1735 is a comprehensive “Texas Title IX” that puts into place fair and accountable processes for university investigations into sexual assault, harassment, stalking and dating violence. It ensures allegations are taken seriously, and makes prevention and education a vital component. SB 284, which I sponsored for Sen. Chuy Hinojosa, clarifies the disciplinary process for forensic scientists when misconduct is alleged.  

Foster Youth

To tackle some of the problems facing our foster youth, I was able to pass two pieces of legislation. HB 1702 directs resources to liaison officers at public higher education institutions to support students who are former foster youth. Although these students qualify for a tuition waiver, only three percent currently graduate with a bachelor’s degree. This legislation increases their chances of success. 

HB 475 provides additional training for our foster youth who are pregnant or parenting. These youth -- basically children having children -- can benefit from parenting training and support, and break the cycle of abuse and neglect. I’m hopeful this legislation will improve the lives of some of our most vulnerable Texans. 

Healthcare Access

A perennial problem for our state is Republican leadership’s inability to pass common-sense legislation, such as Medicaid Expansion, that would increase healthcare access and lower costs. Nevertheless, I fought for both simple and intensive healthcare legislation. 

I passed HB 961, which gives school nurses the ability to remove concussed students from athletic activities as well as serve on their school district’s concussion oversight teams. I also worked with Republicans to prioritize funding for the state’s waiting lists, the longest in the nation for home and community-based services for individuals with developmental disabilities. 

Finally, I filed HB 1146 to protect healthcare professionals by requiring employer-run workplace violence prevention programs. With significant support, I made great strides on this landmark bill. While it, unfortunately, failed to move through the legislative process in time, I’m confident it can pass next session. 

Reproductive Rights

Sadly, women’s health was dealt with more harm than good yet again. Republican leadership decided to focus on legislation that armed them with political rhetoric for the next election cycle rather than addressing actual issues like maternal mortality and morbidity. HB 16, the purported “Born Alive Bill,” was offered on the false premise that infants in Texas are being killed after failed abortions. Rather than engaging in partisan politics, I simply spoke the truth about the bill - specifically, that there are no such cases in Texas. 

There was also SB 22, which prohibits women’s health providers like Planned Parenthood from receiving public funds from local jurisdictions to provide preventive care services. My conservative colleagues ignored the fact that no abortions are performed at these clinics, and furthermore, that abortions already cannot be funded by public funds. Instead, SB 22 has been signed into law, and will only hurt our local women’s health providers’ abilities to fund important services unrelated to abortion like HIV tests and breast and cervical screenings. 

There were glimmers of hope, including my HB 800 which would have provided contraceptive coverage to young Texans in the Child Health Insurance Program, or CHIP. I was pleased to receive bipartisan support to vote the bill out of the House. It was disappointing, however, that the Senate did not even give it a hearing, despite the fact that Texas is one of only two states in the entire country that does not provide this coverage. Regardless, women’s health will always be an issue that I will fight for in the legislature because Texas women deserve better. 

Responsible Budget for Taxpayers

This was my fourth session to be appointed to the House Appropriations Committee, which crafts the state’s budget for the upcoming biennium. I have always advocated for a responsible budget. This means prioritizing investments that will actually help Texas families without breaking the backs of taxpayers. As our population grows so do funding liabilities like healthcare, education, and pensions. This is why I was an author on HB 20, the Texas Legacy Fund bill, which is an idea that I have championed since 2017. This legislation would have created a long term fund comprised of dollars from the state’s savings account, the Economic Stabilization Fund, that would be strategically and responsibly invested in order to generate revenue for the state - all without raising taxes on Texans. Unfortunately, the bill failed to pass through the Senate. I will be back next session to continue pushing for responsible fiscal policy like HB 20, to ensure that our families are taken care of without unnecessary and unjustified tax increases. 

I was also able to leverage my experience on the Appropriations Committee to direct funding towards impactful investments. From healthcare insurance premium assistance programs to increased funding for higher education to air quality improvement initiatives, I advocated on behalf of investments that Texans will benefit from in their daily lives. For a complete view of the work I did in the Appropriations Committee, give my blog a read. In particular, I am proud of the work I was able to do for sexual assault survivors throughout the state by promoting the expenditure of an additional $64 million in funding across a wide range of policies impacting justice and care for survivors of sexual assault. 

Other items

Environment

I’m proud to say that I was one of 10 legislators this session to receive a ‘perfect’ rating on the Environment Texas legislative scorecard. For as long as I’ve been on the Appropriations Committee, I’ve been working with local governments to restore and maintain state funds for regional air quality monitoring via Rider 7 in the TX Commission on Environmental Quality’s budget. Last session, this important rider was vetoed, but this time I was able to restore $4.5 million in funding by working with the Governor’s office and my colleagues. I also worked with my colleagues to kill two other bills on the local and consent calendar that would have impacted our central Texas aquifers. Finally, I worked with Sen. Watson to find a flexible way to tap into local funding and philanthropy to preserve the open space at the historic Lions Municipal Golf Course.

College Affordability 

The rising cost of college is a problem facing Texans in every district, and HD 48 is no different. Using my position on the Higher Education and Appropriations Committees, I was able to work on several pieces of legislation to help bring down costs.

HB 2206 ultimately got folded into a larger bill, and allows public finance corporations to utilize federally designated, tax-exempt bonds to substantially lower interest rates for student loan refinancing. 

I continued to promote open educational resources (OER) - free or at-cost instructional materials. Textbook costs increased 88% from 2006-16, and I focused on bringing that down.  I passed riders to fund the creation of an online repository for OER materials; expand the existing Texas Education Agency funding for OER to dual credit courses, and worked with Chairman Chris Turner to ensure that dual credit articulation agreements include an assessment of OER availability. 

Finally, I was able to partner with colleagues to pass college transferability legislation that will help ensure fewer credit hours are lost due to transfer, therefore speeding up the pace toward graduation and lowering the overall cost of a degree. 

Responsible Gun Use

I was pleased that the legislature included my budget rider directing the Dept. of Public Safety (DPS) to spend $1 million to implement a safe storage public safety awareness campaign. This common-sense measure does not create any new laws. It simply reminds firearms owners to safely store their guns similar to PSAs like “Click It or Ticket” and “Don’t Mess with Texas.” With a significant number of Texas children accessing unstored firearms and causing harm to themselves or others, as well as the frequent use of unsecured firearms in suicides, we need to do what we can to encourage responsible ownership.

Equal Opportunities for Women.

After learning that incarcerated women have inequitable access to educational and vocational opportunities, I filed HB 3227, which requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to adopt and implement policies that will promote incarcerated women’s access to educational, vocational, and other pre-release programs. Sixty-four percent of the women in TDCJ are there for non-violent offenses, many of whom are struggling with complex trauma, poverty, mental illness, and substance use disorder. It is in everyone’s best interest for these women to use their time in prison to avail themselves of opportunities that will allow them to turn their lives around.

Thank you again for the opportunity to represent HD 48, your support and feedback makes it all worthwhile. This is just a portion of what I was busy with during the session. Please visit my website for further details.  As always, please feel free to contact my office on these and other issues. You can also keep up to date via Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,

Donna

My staff size doubles when we are in session. From left to right: Koby Ahmed, Elizabeth Stitt, Renzo Soto, Rep. Howard, Cristina Masters, Laura Gorsky, Alyssa Foy.

Rep. Howard Statement on Border Conditions

I’ve heard from a number of constituents asking what my office is doing to address the inhumane conditions we are seeing at detention centers in Texas. Please click the photo below to read my statement on the situation, and for those that are able, you can use this list by the Texas Tribune to connect with organizations providing aid to those stuck in such horrible conditions.

Rep. Howard Statement on HB 1, Texas State Budget

Governor Greg Abbott has signed and approved the budget for fiscal years 2020 and 2021. See my statement on its passage below. Clicking the image will take you to a pdf version.

Admittedly, the Legislature's process for writing the budget is not the easiest to follow. That is why I also want you to know about the funding strategies that I personally worked on and managed to get into the final budget:

• Education

  • Funding to maintain national and regional educational partnerships that provide cost-saving resources, such as professional development for teachers and access to accredited post-secondary online courses;

  • Increased funding for TEXAS Grants, the state's primary higher education financial aid program for students with financial need;

  • Creation of a state repository for open-education resources to help combat the rising costs of textbooks in higher education;

  • Increased formula funding for all higher education institutions in Texas;

  • Increased research funding for all eligible higher education institutions in Texas;

  • Commission of a study to reevaluate and reconstruct higher education funding formulas to prevent the continued degradation of funding for higher education institutions;

  • Funding for co-enrollment programs, which seeks to place community college students in four-year universities, such as ACC's Path to Admission through Co-Enrollment (PACE);

  • Commission of a study to reconstruct the state's higher education grant programs to reduce the state's nursing workforce shortage;

  • Protection of UT Austin's Darrell K. Royal Alzheimer's Initiative to ensure that it will only fund Alzheimer's research.

• Sexual Assault

  • Funding and three Full-Time Employees for Sexual Assault Survivors’ Task Force in the Governor's Office;

  • Funding for improved crime lab services and salary increases for forensic analysts;

  • Workforce pipeline for crime labs through partnerships with the University of North Texas and Sam Houston State University;

  • Creation of best practices to overall statewide efforts to address sexual assault through a state university such as UT Austin's Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault;

  • Statewide audit of sexual assault investigations by the State Auditor's Office;

  • Funding for grants to Sexual Assault Forensic Exam-Ready facilities to ensure that sexual assault victims receive forensic exams.

• Healthcare

  • Funding to provide healthcare insurance premium assistance to low-income and middle class small business employees in Central Texas;

  • Increased funding for women's health;

  • Reduction of the state's waitlist for home and community-based services for individuals with developmental disabilities

• Environmental

  • Restored funding for air quality planning activities to reduce ozone in near non-attainment areas to achieve national standards for air quality throughout Texas, including Austin.

• Firearm Safety

  • Creation of a statewide public awareness campaign on safe firearm storage, similar to "Click It or Ticket" and "Don't Mess with Texas", in order to prevent fatalities and injuries from inappropriate access to firearms, particularly by children.

Team Howard worked hard this session on behalf of House District 48 and the rest of the state to make investments that can actually make a difference for you and your family. It is always an honor to represent our community at the state legislature, and I look forward to continue working on your behalf over the interim before the next legislative session in 2021.

- Rep. Donna Howard