Hinojosa: I am honored to serve alongside Sen. Judith Zaffirini

AUSTIN, Texas – State Sen. Juan Hinojosa of McAllen says he is honored to serve alongside his neighboring senator, Judith Zaffirini of Laredo, describing her as “a leader and a tireless worker.”

Hinojosa made his comments after Zaffirini, dean of the Senate, passed another legislative milestone – casting her 75,000th consecutive vote in the Senate. This is a state and national record.

“Please join Amanda and me in honoring and recognizing the Dean of the Texas Senate, my madrina, Judith Zaffirini, state Senator, for casting her 75,000th consecutive vote in the Senate earlier today. This achievement sets a record for the Senate, with no one coming close to this milestone,” Hinojosa said.

“Lt. Governor Dan Patrick presented her with a gavel in recognition of this accomplishment, and I had the privilege of presenting her with yellow roses on behalf of Amanda and the Senate Ladies. Senator Zaffirini is a leader and a tireless worker, and these votes demonstrate her unwavering commitment to serving her constituents and the State of Texas. I’m honored to serve alongside her.”

Zaffirni’s legislative voting record spans nearly four decades of policymaking on issues affecting every Texan, including education, health care, infrastructure and access to justice. She passed the 75,000th consecutive vote milestone on May 15.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and her Senate colleagues honored her in the Senate as she celebrated this milestone. He presented her with the inscribed gavel used as she took her record-setting vote, and senators presented her with bouquets of flowers.

“This achievement belongs equally to the families of Senate District 21,” Zaffirini said. “Their needs and interests guided every vote and will continue to guide my work.”

Zaffirini has passed 1,401 bills, more than any legislator in the history of the State of Texas. Among the bills she has passed this session are:

• SB 65 would allow counties with populations of more than 265,000 to adopt uniform work hours for county employees.

• SB 72 would give rental car customers the option to purchase a single damage waiver for up to 180 days, aligning rental contract terms across Texas law.

• SB 703 would strengthen licensure restrictions for massage therapists by making indecent assault an automatic disqualification.

• SB 1532 would streamline state water finance reporting by eliminating outdated online posting requirements for the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas program.

• SB 1568 would promote spay and neuter programs by creating a redesigned license plate with the message “Spay. Neuter. Adopt.” to increase public awareness and participation.

• SB 1619 would expand access to life-saving allergy medication by letting schools stock nasal sprays and other new delivery devices, not only EpiPens.

• SB 1697 would improve transparency for home rooftop solar energy devices by requiring electric providers to share a standardized customer guide.

• SB 2077 would make it easier to appoint qualified persons to the Texas Mutual Insurance Board by updating outdated conflict-of-interest rules.What’s more, the following House Bills (HBs) and House Concurrent Resolutions (HCRs) sponsored by Dean Senator Zaffirini were passed by the Senate and House of Representatives:

• HB 2763 would rename the Texas Department of Transportation building in Starr County to the Eduardo “Eddie” Gracia, Jr., P.E., Area Engineer and Maintenance Facility.

• HB 3135 would allow the issuance of specialty license plates for retired firefighters.

• HCR 29 would designate April as Counseling Awareness Month for 10 years.

• HCR 70 would redesignate Jim Hogg County as the official Vaquero Capital of Texas for 10 years.

• HCR 71 would designate La Salle County as the official Wild Hog Capital of Texas for 10 years.

Zaffirini made history as the first woman Dean of the Senate on Dec. 31, 2023. She succeeds 24 men who held the title since 1909, when it was first assigned to the longest-serving senator. The seventh of only 25 women who have served with 954 male senators in 89 Texas Legislatures, she and Eddie Bernice Johnson joined Cyndi Krier in 1987, marking the first time more than one woman served in the 31- member body. Today there are eight women senators.

Zaffirini also is the namesake of Webb County’s Justice Center, the first state courthouse named for a woman; the student success center at Texas A&M International University; a UISD elementary school; a library at Laredo College; a City of Laredo park; a state park road and soccer mini-pitch in Laredo; a patient suite at the UT Dell Seton Medical Center in Austin; four endowed scholarships; and two grant programs, including the Access to Justice Initiative at the UT Law School.

The post Hinojosa: I am honored to serve alongside Sen. Judith Zaffirini appeared first on Rio Grande Guardian.