Working Hard for House District 101

Chris’s first priority is being responsive to the people of House District 101, which includes helping constituents resolve issues with state agencies, hosting informational seminars, and attending events throughout the community.

Standing Up for Public Schools

Chris supports increasing public school funding and strongly opposes private school vouchers and other related schemes which would divert taxpayer money away from our neighborhood schools. He crafted and brokered the statewide teacher pay raise plan in 2019 and passed a measure ensuring it would remain in place two years later. Chris believes that Texas should invest in our youngest students by expanding full-day pre-k and making it accessible to all Texas children. He also supports efforts to protect the Teacher Retirement System and do more to help teachers with the cost of health care coverage. 

Addressing  Property Taxes

Chris believes the burden of high property taxes on homeowners can be addressed without reducing public education funding. During the 2021 3rd called Special Session, he co-authored legislation increasing the homestead exemption from $25,000 to $40,000. Chris supports the state paying its fair share for our public schools and has co-authored measures that would require the state to increase their share of school funding to at least 50%.

More Jobs & Better Wages

Chris believes our state does best when every Texan can get ahead. That’s why he’s a strong supporter of increasing the minimum wage and supports legislation that would guarantee equal pay for equal work.

Making College More Accessible

Chris knows that investing in higher education is an investment in the future of Texas and that support for higher education benefits not only individuals, but the community and economy of the entire state of Texas. He supports efforts to keep college affordable and to limit student debt.

 

Making Texas Safer

Chris has always prioritized supporting law enforcement and other first responders, passing bills to crack down on child pornography and giving law enforcement better tools to keep our communities safe.

 

Improving Mental Health

Chris believes that addressing mental health must be a top priority at the state level. As a member of the House Select Committee on Mental Health, he has worked with stakeholders at the state and local level to find ways to improve care and access.

Expanding Healthcare Coverage

Chris supports expanding Medicaid and providing coverage to working adults. With nearly 17% lacking coverage, Texas remains last in the nation in the number and percentage of insured adults, which not only impacts those who cannot afford care, but well-being of our local and state economies as well.

Chris is also dedicated to increasing access to healthcare across his district. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he sponsored numerous mask distributions and vaccine drives and held tele-town halls to ensure his constituents were aware of the most up to date public health information.

Protecting Choice and Women’s Health

Chris is a champion of women’s healthcare who believes that a woman’s healthcare decisions should be made privately between her and her doctor. Chris will continue to fight against limiting access to quality healthcare. Chris was named a Planned Parenthood Legislative Champion in 2017 for his commitment to protecting reproductive rights.

Honoring our Veterans

Chris believes that it is our duty to give back to those who have bravely served our country in uniform. At the Capitol, Chris has been a leader on issues supporting veterans and their families.

Fighting Discrimination

Chris believes Texas is strongest when every Texan has an equal opportunity to be a part of our state. That’s why he has been a leading voice in opposing discriminatory legislation such as the photo Voter ID law, unfair redistricting maps, efforts to repeal in-state tuition for Dreamers, attempts to limit the rights of the LGBTQ community, and laws that single out specific religious faiths.