Education Economic Development & Environment
The 81st Legislative Session is coming to a close but the pace is moving at the speed of light. The deadline has officially passed for House Bills to be sent to the Senate and I am proud to have moved several key pieces of legislation through the House that will benefit District 52.
I was proud to pass a bill to provide necessary funding for the expansion and growth of the Eastern Williamson County Higher Education Center (EWCHEC). This will make EWCHEC a valuable resource for students to pursue a quality and affordable higher education. I also passed legislation that would institute the same requirements for students returning textbooks and electronic textbooks. This will help schools use more funding for curriculum and classroom resources instead of replacing damaged electronic materials.
Economic development is also critical to HD-52 which is why I worked with many community leaders to pass legislation that would create funding resources for Taylor and Hutto to improve and maintain recreational facilities. By allowing those cities to use the revenue currently created from the hotel-motel occupancy tax we can ensure the quality and stability of our parks and recreational areas for the communities and visitors.
Another measure I was proud to work on would clean up our environment while turning our roads green. Many areas no longer recycle glass however crushed glass is a perfectly safe material to use in roadway projects. My bill would require TxDOT to use at least 30000 tons of recycled glass in new roadway projects across Texas. This will help reduce the amount of glass that goes into our landfills and provide contractors with an environmentally friendly alternative.
I greatly appreciate all of the input and suggestions that have come in from thousands of constituents during this session. The bills I vote on each day could have a dramatic impact on your families lives and jobs. Your correspondence keeps me informed on your views and helps me to make decisions each day. As the session comes to an end please know that my office and staff will continue to work diligently and we welcome any ideas or concerns that you may have.
