Legislative Report
Scott Hochberg has represented southwest Houston (District 137) in the Texas House of Representatives since 1993. His current district includes Gulfton, Sharpstown, Briarmeadow, Shenandoah, Piney Point and nearby communities. The district is the smallest in geographic area in the state, but is also the densest in population.
Mr. Hochberg serves on the House Committee on Public Education and as the vice-chair of the House Committee on Corrections. He also serves as vice-chair of the special Select Committee on Higher and Public Education Finance. In past sessions, he has chaired the Education Subcommittee of the House Committee on Appropriations.
His work on the education committee has included passage of a parents' bill of rights, funding for second-chance high school classes during evenings and weekends, additional school district performance audits, the state's first program to fund school building construction and renovation, and the creation of a medical safety board for student athletics. His many awards from education groups include being honored as the Texas PTA's Legislator of the Year and as the Equity Center's Champion for Children. He has represented Texas on education panels of the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Southern Legislative Conference.
Mr. Hochberg has been recognized by Mothers Against Drunk Driving for his work to lower the state's DWI alcohol level. He has also worked successfully to strengthen prosecution of skinhead groups and others who commit hate crimes. He has passed legislation strengthening consumer rights against rebate rip-offs, protecting patients from late billing by hospitals, and providing fair workers compensation payments for Texans injured while working second jobs. Mr. Hochberg has been honored by the Pakistan American Council of Texas for his legislation prohibiting deceptive advertising of Hallal foods.
Mr. Hochberg led a successful effort to hold polluters responsible for unplanned air pollution caused by poor maintenance. As an advocate of open government, he led in the effort to post all legislative actions and state agency rules on the Internet. Mr. Hochberg has been appointed by Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson to serve on the Judicial Committee on Information Technology, and was appointed by former House Speaker Pete Laney to chair the Workers' Compensation Research and Oversight Council and to serve on the University Interscholastic League Advisory Council.
In the Texas House, in past years the legislators were told how to vote by the Speaker...and were punished if they did not follow instructions. The new Speaker is changing this so that in the recent session the 74 Democrats and 76 Republicans in the House could vote their conscience in line with what they felt was best for their constituents.
Scott noted that There will be Constitutional amendments on the ballot in November to expand the campuses of UT and A&M. There will also be new allocations for university research with UT, A&M and UH all looking to gain.
He also pointed to Lee High School as a example of progress for providing a special "Liberty School". The school offers courses at night and on weekends so that poor and minority students can hold jobs and still go to school.
But Scott also lamented the fact that Texas ranks 50th in the country for states providing for the ability for adults to get assistance in obtaining a high school education.
Scott is very much into education...and is always informative when he visits our club - he is a welcome guest at any time!
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