DON’S TRACK RECORD
Don made history as the first Republican to represent House District 80 since the district was drawn into South Texas. Since then, he quickly established himself as one of the most effective freshman legislators in the Capitol—even outpacing long-serving lawmakers in delivering meaningful results for his district. In his very first session, Don passed seven bills and led efforts on some of the most consequential legislation in Texas. From securing real school safety reform to cracking down on foreign land ownership and illegal immigration, Don is delivering conservative wins while making sure South Texas finally has a seat at the table.
PROTECTING OUR SCHOOLS
One of Don’s most personal and important accomplishments this session was passing House Bill 33—The Uvalde Strong Act. In response to the tragedy at Robb Elementary, Don led the charge to implement meaningful school safety reforms that ensure law enforcement has the tools, training, and authority to act swiftly in the face of danger. The bill upgrades emergency protocols, tightens security standards, and brings Texas on step closer to ensuring that what happened in Uvalde never happens again. Don also helped deliver $10 million in state funding to build the Robb Elementary Memorial Park and honor the victims who were taken too soon.
PROTECTING TEXAS LAND FROM FOREIGN THREATS
In one of the most high-profile fights of the session, Don played a key role in strengthening and passing Senate Bill 17, which bans foreign adversaries like China, Iran, and North Korea from buying Texas land. He worked to ensure the House version of the bill was tougher than the one passed by the Senate, being one of the few Republican legislators to vote against the Shaheen Amendment.
BORDER SECURITY & PUBLIC SAFETY
Don has made it a priority to protect Texas families by strengthening border enforcement and closing dangerous loopholes in our justice system. He co-sponsored legislation to deny bail to illegal immigrants charged with violent crimes and authored a bill to create a statewide database tracking violent offenders—both blocked by Democrats. He helped pass laws to permanently bar parole for child traffickers, increase penalties for violent crimes involving body armor, and require transparency when judges dismiss probable cause. And with the passage of HB 4341, Don helped modernize how Texas maps and protects its critical infrastructure, giving first responders better tools to react quickly during emergencies.
DEFENDING PROPERTY OWNERS
Texas families are being crushed by skyrocketing property taxes and runaway appraisals, and Don knows the fight for meaningful tax relief is far from over. This session, Don coauthored HJR 1 and HJR 2, both of which were steps in the in the right direction. He continues to push legislation that would rein in appraisal growth and put permanent limits on how much government, at every level, can take from homeowners. Don believes homeownership should be a blessing, not a burden, and he’s fighting to make the system fair, transparent, and grounded in commonsense.
FUNDING RURAL MENTAL HEALTH
For too long, rural Texans have been left behind when it comes to mental health care. That’s why Don passed a budget amendment to secure $12.5 million in state funding to launch the Uvalde Behavioral Health Campus, which will serve 32 counties across South and West Texas. It’s one of the most significant rural health investments made this session and a direct result of Don’s leadership.
DELIVERING FOR SOUTH TEXAS SCHOOLS
Don helped secure over $132 million in new funding for public schools in House District 80. The money goes straight into classrooms, teacher pay, and student resources in some of the most underserved communities in the state. Don also backed legislation to protect parents’ rights, ensure transparency in school boards, and stop political agendas from creeping into the classroom.
SECURING WATER FOR SOUTH TEXAS
Don knows that water is the number one issue facing South Texas, and he’s delivering results. This session, he co-authored HJR 7, creating the Texas Water Fund and securing $1 billion for long-term rural water infrastructure. He’s also leading efforts to develop brackish water resources and ensure rural South Texas isn’t left behind in statewide planning. Don will always fight to make sure our communities have access to clean, reliable water—and that South Texas has a voice at the table.