The Austin Democrat said she wants to tackle waste and fraud as a watchdog over the state budget. She will retain her Senate seat if she loses.
In 2023, Texas overcame lawsuits that sought to prevent constitutional amendments from going into effect, but one that voters approved in 2021 is still blocked.
Laws include restricting transgender people’s access to public bathrooms, allowing lawsuits against abortion pill providers, and replacement of the STAAR test.
After a marathon debate, the bill will head to the Senate, where lawmakers have been crafting their own version of the spending plan.
Sharon Fonvielle-Baughman said Texas Department of Family and Protective Services leadership has failed to support the special investigators division, a unit created in 2005 to handle the most high-risk cases.
The infectious disease doctor has been at the helm of the department in an interim capacity since the fall, replacing longtime commissioner Dr. John Hellerstedt following his retirement.
Despite showing an uptick in electricity complaints this year, a report released by the Texas Coalition for Affordable Power also shows that complaints and inquiries have generally decreased over the past decade.