Penny Morales Shaw

What training, experience, and characteristics qualify you for this position?

I am currently serving my second term as a Texas State Representative with 4 years of legislative experience; My priority is my constituents; I am a 20+ year attorney with extensive experience in debate, negotiation, mediation and resolving adversarial conflict; I bring my civil and human rights advocacy experience into the state level policy making process; and finally, I bring my life experience as a mother, multi-state business owner, veteran daughter and lifelong Texan to my public service.

Article 7 of the Texas Constitution states that “it shall be the duty of the Legislature of the State to establish and make suitable provision for the support and maintenance of an efficient system of public free schools.” What is your interpretation of what this clause requires of the legislature?

Article 7 mandates that state government responsibly allocate tax payer dollars to ensure that public schools are opened, adequately funded, and continue functioning efficiently. This clause requires the legislature to prioritize educating our children and youth via free public schools.

How will you ensure that Texas remains a leader in the energy sector through innovation and reliability?

Enhancing state cybersecurity; holding private and public sector accountable to the public for a reliable supply of energy; continuing to fund and expand state programs like TERP-funds innovations that reduce harmful industry emissions; support smart transition to cleaner energy sources, including retraining and retooling the energy sector workforce.

What do you believe is the appropriate role of the State of Texas in ensuring that Texans have access to reproductive healthcare, family planning, and pregnancy care and postpartum services?

Staying out of private medical decisions and personal family planning; supporting public and private institutions that provide reproductive healthcare services; providing for paid parental leave to support postpartum recovery and parent/child health and well-being; accept billions of federal dollars to immediately insure over a million uninsured Texans.

What other issues are high priorities for the people of your district? Please give specific examples of measurable actions that you will take to address these issues.

Environmental issues such as clean air and water; clean energy sources; disaster recovery and resilience; good jobs, workplace safety, and fair wages; affordable housing; critical infrastructure security from outside threats; increasing multi-modal transportation; and affordable childcare are some priority issues in Houston.
Serving on the State Environmental committee allows me to ensure that good environmental policy is advanced, and for all other priorities, I will support sound policy.