In an age of “flood-the-zone” politics, state Rep. Lulu Flores prefers to take a more deliberate approach to public service.
“My philosophy is the less bills you file, the better you can pay more attention to them,” Flores, a Democratic attorney and longtime advocate, told our Editorial Board.
We recommend Flores for a third term because she has focused on a handful of practical measures for District 51 residents. She passed a bill expanding a property tax exemption that facilitated the construction of affordable housing for people experiencing homelessness in her district, which covers southeast Austin and Travis County. A Senate companion to a House bill Flores filed last session expanded privacy protections for victims of indecent assault and invasive visual recording.
Flores plans to prioritize bills to protect people and animals from extreme heat. With the 2023 “Death Star” law overriding city ordinances in Austin and Dallas that required mandatory water breaks for construction workers, Flores wants to create statewide heat safety protections, such as rest periods and better ventilation in the workplace. And her “hot dog bill” aims to shield people from liability if they break a window to rescue a dog parked in a hot car.
Protecting residents from the effects of data center development, such as requiring companies to pay higher water and electricity rates than residential customers, is also on her list.
The Republican challenger is Jessica Martinez, an East Austin resident whose platform includes corporate accountability, cutting taxes and public safety. She did not meet with us.
Flores’ effective approach makes her the stronger choice in this race. Voters in Texas House District 51 should send her back to the statehouse in November.