2016-2017 • Austin, Texas Dear Friends: State Affairs and Health and Human Services committees. What’s more, I The Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, am delighted to serve as Senate Chair Katherine Anne Porter, whose child- of the Eagle Ford Shale Legislative hood home is in Hays County, wrote that Caucus and as a member of the Texas we can overcome society’s challenges, if Judicial Council. Count on me to con- only all of us who want a change for the tinue to cast every vote by balancing the better just get up and work for it, all the needs and priorities of our district with time, with as much knowledge and intel- those of our great State. ligence as we can muster. Katherine Anne Porter also wrote, Porter’s stirring words reflect my the habit which distinguishes civilized purpose in the Texas Senate: I work ev- people from others is that of discus- ery day to bring about a better future sion, exchange of opinion and ideas, for our children, our families, our com- the ability to differ without quarrelling, munities and our great state. to say what you have to say civilly and These communities are home to then to listen civilly to another speaker. more than 800,000 constituents living Civility, communication, collabora- in 18 counties, namely, Bee, Caldwell, tion and preparation are the cor- Duval, Jim Hogg, Karnes, La nerstones of effective public Salle, Live Oak, McMullen, Civility, communication, service. To prompt meaningful San Patricio, Starr, Webb, Wil- discussion of key issues, this son and Zapata; and parts of collaboration and preparation are the annual newsletter is not only a Atascosa, Bexar, Guadalupe, cornerstones of effective public service. progress report, but also a call Hays and Travis. for action and a challenge to Our district is notable not – Senator Judith Zaffirini work together constructively. only for its size—it stretches Your feedback remains cru- from the Rio Grande to the cial to our success, especially Colorado River—but also for its diversity: It includes because some of my best legislation was suggested by small towns and big cities; farms and ranches; and ports constituents. We will continue to maintain our open door that transport goods by air, land and sea. policy and respond to every letter, email and telephone call. Many miles separate our communities, but we are My prayer is that the Lord will continue to inspire us linked by our shared priorities. These include affordable, to work for a better future and to bless us with grace and high-quality educational opportunities; jobs and a strong good will, family and friendship, and health and happiness. economy; public safety; transportation; conservation of Together we can continue to make a difference for the our natural resources; a fair justice system; and health and families of our district and of our state. human services, especially for the very young, the very old and persons with disabilities. Because of my Senate committee assignments, I am singularly positioned to make a positive impact on these issues for the families of our district. I serve as Vice Chair Judith Zaffirini of the Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs Committee and State Senator, District 21 on the Natural Resources and Economic Development, www.zaffirini.senate.texas.gov 1 2 SENATOR JUDITH ZAFFIRINI is a champion for the needs and priorities of constituents in every Senate District 21 county. She is shown in photograph 1. with Texas Farm Bureau leaders (L-R) Raymond and Anna Ruth Meyer of Atascosa County and Ervin Kotzur, Milton Lowak, Margie Boening and Russell Boening of Wilson County; and 2. with Ciri Villarreal, the mayor of Mathis in San Patricio County. TOPDD Strives to Prevent Developmental Disabilities Advocacy for issues related to and health issues, but also are saving J.C. Montgomery Child Safety Award children and persons with disabilities lives,” Senator Zaffirini said. “Unin- from TOPDD and Scottish Rite Hos- is Senator Judith Zaffirini’s lifelong tentional injuries are among the leading pital for her decades of leadership for mission. As a 5-year-old first grader causes of death for Texas children.” Texas children, including in the arenas concerned about schoolmates stricken To support and expand on TOP- of child safety, juvenile justice, chil- by polio, she collected dimes and sold DD’s efforts, as a member of the dren’s mental health, infant health and salted peanuts to raise money for the Senate Health and Human Services services for children with disabilities. March of Dimes. As a 15-year-old Committee, Senator Zaffirini has pri- She served on TOPDD’s board high school junior and president of oritized authoring and passing legis- from 1989 through 1994 and also the Laredo All-City Student Council, lation that promotes child safety and passed bills establishing commit- she raised money for children with the prevention of developmental dis- tee members’ training requirements, intellectual disabilities, and at 22 abilities. Since 1987 she’s sponsored standards of conduct and staggered she served on the Board of the Texas and passed 124 bills related to child six-year terms. In 2015 she preserved Mental Health Association. safety and welfare, including bills re- the office by amending legislation As a first-term senator in 1989, lated to child safety seats, immuniza- that would have terminated it. she passed Senate Bill 1527, creat- tions and teams that review and im- “Collectively, we have made sig- ing a state office that would focus on prove the response to child fatalities. nificant progress in raising awareness gathering data, raising awareness and Her priorities include passing and developing strategies to address educating the public about the pre- legislation and securing funds to save preventable disabilities in Texas, but vention of developmental disabilities. lives and prevent developmental dis- there’s much more to do,” Senator Since its inception, the Texas Of- abilities. In 2015 she received the Zaffirini said. “In 2015 some claimed fice for Prevention of Developmen- TOPDD was no longer needed, but we tal Disabilities (TOPDD) has helped continued it, just as we must prevail establish Texas as a national leader in further improving child safety.” in preventing child injuries and fetal Senator Zaffirini encourages her alcohol spectrum disorders that cause constituents to participate in TOP- developmental disabilities, and its re- DD’s volunteer programs that focus search and programming have been on preventing child injuries, preclud- recognized as outstanding models. ing fetal alcohol spectrum disorders In recent years the program has and improving outcomes for children expanded its reach substantially, who have a co-occurring intellectual increasing the number of persons or developmental disability and a trained from 300 per year in 2012 to PROMOTING ORGAN DONATION is the mental health condition. goal of Guadalupe County’s Friends for Life- approximately 600 per year in 2016. Seguin and Senator Judith Zaffirini, who “Volunteers are an integral part of “The programs and training pro- sponsored and passed the bill creating Texas’ TOPDD, and anyone with a passion organ donation registry as well as four other vided by TOPDD not only are protect- bills enhancing it. She is shown with organ for protecting children can make a ing children from serious disabilities donors and recipients and their families. difference,” Senator Zaffirini said. Page 2, Senator Zaffirini Reports, 2016-2017 Zaffirini: Quality Education Key to Texas’ Future The evidence keeps build- children’s future, but also for the ing that a high-quality education future of our state.” system is essential to Texas’ fu- In the higher education arena, ture prosperity. A recent study lawmakers increased funding by by Georgetown University found 7.5 percent in the 2016-17 budget that by 2020, 65 percent of all to account for enrollment growth, jobs in the economy will require for a total of $19.9 billion. They education beyond high school. also authorized $3.1 billion in Accordingly, Senator Judith Zaf- tuition revenue bonds for 64 firini continues to advocate for higher education construction expanded educational opportu- projects and added $40 million BEE COUNTY STUDENTS listen to Senator Judith nities for all persons of all ages Zaffirini speak about the importance of higher education. to a new Governor’s University and at all levels. Research Fund to attract top “Access to a high-quality education cially if they receive enough funding researchers and promote high-quality is a right, not a privilege,” she said. “Be- to do so,” Senator Zaffirini said. research. cause each segment of the educational Overall in 2015, Texas lawmakers in- SD 21 offers a variety of postsec- pipeline is critical, Texas should invest cluded $41.2 billion for K-12 education in ondary educational and workforce train- significantly in early childhood, public the state’s 2016-17 budget, a $1.5 billion ing opportunities that open doors and and higher education.” increase from the previous biennium. inspire students with a lifelong love of After severe cuts in 2011 and mini- In 2016 the Texas Supreme Court learning. These include four-year uni- mal increases in 2013, during the 2015 ruled that the state’s school finance sys- versities such as Texas A&M Interna- legislative session Governor Greg Ab- tem is deeply flawed and needs “trans- tional University, Texas State Univer- bott prioritized legislation to secure more formational, top-to-bottom reform,” sity, and The University of Texas-Rio funding for early childhood education but that it meets the very minimum Grande Valley; Austin, Coastal Bend, and asked Senator Zaffirini to sponsor his constitutional requirements. The court Laredo and South Texas community col- bill. She authored Senate Bill (SB) 801, called school finance “an urgent chal- leges; and the Laredo Regional Campus which ultimately passed as House Bill 4, lenge” for the legislature to address.