Zwiener pre-files bills on pipeline routing, sexual harassment, protecting Hill Country
Texas State Rep. Erin Zwiener (D-Driftwood) wasted no time getting to work, pre-filing bills less than one week after her re-election to House District 45.
Zwiener pre-filed nine pieces of legislation on Monday as filing opened for the upcoming 87th Legislative Session.
“Election season is over, and I am eager to get to work,” Zwiener said. “This legislation–from providing a fair process for the routing of large pipelines to allowing university students to vote with their student IDs to expanding workplace sexual harassment protections–addresses the needs of the people and communities of House District 45.”
Zwiener filed House Bill 37 which would establish a public routing process for large oil and natural gas pipelines, addressing the 42-inch natural gas pipeline being built across House District 45 and through the heart of the Hill Country.
She also filed House Bill 48 which would provide sexual harassment protections at workplaces with fewer than 15 employees. The partnership to address sexual harassment in the workplace with Sen. Juddith Zaffirini narrowly missed becoming law last session.
House Bill 160 would allow university students to use their student IDs from a Texas institution to vote.
House Bill 176 would allow local municipalities to enact ordinances about disposable containers such as plastic bags and beverage cans, following a Texas Supreme Court case that ended such policies in municipalities.
House Bill 186/House Joint Resolution 17 would create an ad valorem tax exemptions for rainwater harvesting and graywater systems.
House Bill 242 would require oil and gas projects in the Edwards Aquifer Recharge Zone to submit Water Pollution Abatement Plans, which are already required for other construction.
House Bill 298 would allow municipalities who are applying for or have received a dark sky designation to establish ordinances regarding lighting in their extraterritorial jurisdiction.
House Bill 348 would require the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to publish permit applications online, paving the way for greater transparency.
During her first session, Rep. Zwiener made history as a founding member of the LGBTQ Caucus in the Texas House. She was described in Texas Monthly as the “most savvy freshman,” and worked tirelessly to protect the rights of Texans. She helped secure over $11 billion in funding for public education to provide resources for schools, give teachers pay raises, and provide property tax relief to homeowners. Rep. Zwiener passed legislation to protect the dark skies in the Hill Country and to diversify water sources in the I-35 corridor. Zwiener is the current chair of the House Democratic Caucus’s policy committee on Clean Air, Clean Water, and Climate.
“I’m tremendously proud of the work this campaign has done,” said Campaign Manager Taylor Bounds. “This election cycle saw challenges that we as a district, state, and country never could have anticipated. Despite the difficulties of campaigning during a pandemic, a million dollar disinformation campaign, and the involvement of Karl Rove, Representative Zwiener is headed back to the Capitol to continue working for Hays and Blanco Counties.”
