July 29, 2013
http://instantnewswestu.com/2013/07/29/45043/
Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston) has announced she will seek re-election as Texas State Senator representing District 17, which comprises portions of Brazoria, Fort Bend and Harris counties.
“Serving the constituents of my district is a tremendous honor,” Huffman said. “I remain committed to always listen and be a common-sense conservative who my constituents can trust.”
Since being elected in 2008, Huffman’s tenure in the Texas Senate has been acknowledged with numerous awards she has received for her leadership on criminal justice, legal reforms, the state budget, and health care issues. For the second consecutive session, she will receive the “Law and Order” award from the Texas District and County Attorneys Association, and her dedication and service to the most vulnerable Texans has earned her the “Patient Care Champion” award from the Harris County Medical Society for the third consecutive session. For her work this past session, she has also been named a “Courageous Conservative” by the Texas Conservative Coalition.
During the 83rd Legislative session, Huffman authored SB 1185, creating an innovative mental health pilot program aimed at diverting mentally ill residents away from the Harris County Jail and into appropriate medical and social programs for treatment. It’s expected to save taxpayers millions of dollars. She also authored bills that addressed Medicaid fraud, bolstered prosecution of child sexual assault cases, and created transparency for the state’s burgeoning specialty courts.
Additionally, in her various committee roles, Huffman successfully fought for increased funding of women’s health services, mental health care, and Child Protective Services. In fact, due to her advocacy, Harris County will now have the funds to hire an associate judge, who will work to ease a huge backlog of child abuse investigations.
Huffman, a former prosecutor and judge, serves as vice chairwoman of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee and is a member of the Finance, State Affairs, and Health and Human Services Committees. She has also played key roles on the Sunset Advisory Commission and as an appointed Ex-Officio member of the Governor’s Criminal Justice Advisory Council. This year, Huffman was elected as chairwoman of the Texas Senate Republican Caucus and named to the Legislative Leaders Advisory Board of the national organization GOPAC.
“Better schools, safe streets, a sound economy and continued job growth are critical to our continued success in Texas,” Huffman said. “I appreciate the opportunity to serve the citizens of District 17 and hope they will see fit that I continue to serve as their voice in Austin.”
