The Community Forum is open to the public and will consist of a panel discussion involving experts from the Round Rock Higher Education Center, Austin Community College, and the East Williamson Higher Education Center (EWCHEC).

“Ensuring our students have access to a quality and affordable higher education is paramount to building a strong economy and a vibrant community,” Maldonado said. “With numerous educational institutions located throughout Williamson County, this area is well positioned to become a regional leader for students and educators.”

What: Community Forum on Higher Education
When: Thursday, October 22nd at 5:00 p.m.
Where: Round Rock Higher Education Center, 1555 University Blvd., Round Rock

This is the second in a series of Community Forum’s Maldonado will be hosting to discuss issues of importance facing communities and residents throughout House District 52.

Maldonado is serving her first term in the Texas House of Representatives and represents House District 52 which encompasses a portion of Williamson County, including Round Rock, Taylor, Hutto, Thrall, Coupland and part of Georgetown and Austin.

What: Press Conference with State Senator Leticia Van De Putte, State Representative Chris Turner and Texas veterans leaders to unveil the Veterans Cash Texas Lottery Scratch-Off Ticket

When: Monday, October 19, 2009; 10AM

Where: Texas Capitol; Speaker’s Committee Room, 2W.6

During the 81st Legislative Session, State Senator Van De Putte and State Representative Turner authored and passed legislation creating a lottery ticket to benefit Texas veterans.

The $2 scratch-off ticket will provide a funding mechanism for the FVA, which will provide grants to organizations that give direct support to individual veterans and/or their families.

The passage of the measure creating the lottery scratch-off game has been a top priority for veterans’ organizations across Texas.

TexBlog PAC raised more than $70,000 in 2008 and helped four Democratic challengers win seats in the House. In our first year, we won 80% of the races we endorsed. With your help, we can continue to elect great Democrats like Diana Maldonado (HD 52), Joe Moody (HD 78), Chris Turner (HD 96) and Robert Miklos (HD 101).

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“I want to thank the Mesquite Independent School District and CHIP Partners for their help in the planning of this event. Through their efforts, and the hard work of 175 volunteers, 316 families filled out CHIP applications. That’s 525 children in our school district that should receive health care coverage,” Rep. Miklos said.

Uninsured children are less likely to receive preventive health care, which means more trips to the emergency room for routine care. Those children without are more likely to miss school—and their parents to miss work—resulting in lost revenue to Texas schools and lower productivity for our employers. Our high uninsured numbers drive up the cost of health insurance for all Texans and raise local taxes for all of us.  A child covered by CHIP only costs the state 28 cents for every dollar spent.

“No other state in the nation has more uninsured children than Texas,” said Rep. Miklos. “Over 20% of our young Texans, nearly 1.4 million kids, lack health insurance. Today we did our part to ensure that the children in our community have health coverage,” Miklos said.

CHIP experts, ROTC cadets and volunteers from around the community provided application assistance at four locations, while Mesquite and Balch Springs Fire Departments participated by giving fire safety books to the kids.  Businesses around the Metroplex donated refreshments for volunteers, as well as coloring books for the children

In a brief ceremony in the Commissioners Courtroom of the El Paso County Courthouse, Representative Moody graciously accepted the award. “The TDCAA represents a diverse group of prosecutors from across this state – rural, urban, republican, and democrat,” said Moody.  “The issue that ties them all together is their unified pursuit of justice in our communities and courts. I am honored to receive this distinction from an organization that works for safer communities, victims rights, and justice for every person in Texas.”

“Representative Moody had a strong first session. He passed more criminal justice legislation than any freshman in recent history and he consistently supported prosecutors and crime victims,” said Barry Macha, Wichita County Criminal District Attorney and President of TDCAA. “We are pleased to recognize his hard work by presenting him with this award.”

“Representative Joe Moody is very deserving of the recognition from our statewide prosecutor’s association,” said El Paso District Attorney, Jaime Esparza, regarding the Freshman Representative. “As Chairman of the Subcommittee on Criminal Procedure, Representative Moody passed and supported key criminal justice legislation ensuring that the criminal justice system works for all Texans.”

TDCAA is the largest statewide professional association of prosecutors in the nation.  It provides educational and technical assistance to Texas prosecutors and it serves as a legislative resource on criminal, civil, and juvenile justice issues.  Upon the conclusion of each legislative session, the TDCAA Board of Directors presents one freshman legislator with its Freshman of the Year Award in recognition of his or her contributions to justice and public safety. TDCAA is a non-partisan association and does not endorse candidates for political office.

“As Texans, we must proactively work to maintain and protect our environment by increasing awareness and education for current initiatives such as recycling, as well as create new green programs that will benefit us now and in the future,” Maldonado said. “I will continue working to craft and pass legislation that will preserve this priceless resource. Our environment is one of our most precious resources as it provides us with clean air to breathe, water to drink and parks to explore.”

The Legislative Scorecard was released by Environment Texas and based on eight record votes during the session. The votes covered issues such as TV recycling, solar financing & rebates, and energy efficient programs and investments.

“Environment Texas is proud to recognize Representative Maldonado as a champion for our environment in the state legislature, ” Luke Metzger, Director of Environment Texas said. “Promoting energy efficient and green legislation will protect our environment as well as decrease energy costs which will provide additional savings to Texans.”

Environment Texas is a statewide, citizen-based environmental advocacy organization that focuses exclusively on protecting Texas’ air, water and open spaces.

“Providing all students with access to a quality education will ensure that Texas and America continue to compete in this global economy,” said Rep. Maldonado. “This initiative by the White House shows that they are committed to excellence and are listening to the issues our school children and families are facing each day to try and come up with a comprehensive solution to prepare students for the future.”

The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans was created by Executive Order on September 24, 1990 to improve Federal efforts to promote quality education for Hispanic Americans. Juan Sepulveda, Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, is visiting Hispanic communities to gain input prior to updating the Executive Order later this year.

“Education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity and success, it is a prerequisite for success,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “We need to hear from and meet the needs of all students of all ages and eliminate the gaps in achievement between children of different backgrounds.”

“As the former President of the Round Rock ISD School Board, one of the nation’s top school districts, I know firsthand the importance of providing our students and teachers with the resources they need to succeed in the classroom,” said Rep. Maldonado. “I am committed to working with public and higher education institutions across House District 52 to build partnerships that will bring enhanced community collaboration and opportunities to our school system.”

The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans was also scheduled to visit San Antonio, Brownsville, El Paso, Laredo and Houston.

The meeting was the third of a legislative wrap-up series. Nearly 90 people attended the Sunnyvale town hall to hear Representative Miklos’ review of the session and express their ideas or concerns about projects in the District and legislation that affects their town. Miklos told the audience, “I was elected to this office to serve you. That’s why there is no political party, no lobby, or special interest group as powerful to me as the Constituents of House District 101.”

Transportation issues and education issues dominated the discussion. Rep. Miklos reiterated his stance on toll roads. “I don’t want to toll our free roads, period,” Miklos said. “To that end I authored an amendment to the State budget that would prohibit TXDOT from using appropriated funds to convert existing roads to toll roads, convert existing lanes into toll lanes, or add toll lanes to existing non-toll roads. It’s an issue of fairness. The citizens have already paid for these roads and to turn them into toll roads now would simply be double taxation,” Representative Miklos said.

Then the conversation turned to the 190 project, which is currently undergoing an environmental impact study to determine the most economically and environmentally feasible option for an extension of the George Bush Turnpike from Garland to I-20 through Sunnyvale and Mesquite. Representative Miklos urged to the audience to come to a consensus of what they wanted the 190 plan to look like.

“If you all bring me a plan of how you would like the 190 project to look, I’ll get behind that plan and fight 24 hours a day for that. I’m your voice in the state government. You tell me want you want, and I’ll do my best to make that happen,” Rep. Miklos said.

Various education issues were discussed through the rest of the meeting. Several members of the audience shared Rep. Miklos’ desire for a more equitable school district funding mechanism that does not unduly punish efficient Districts like Sunnyvale ISD and Mesquite ISD, where Administrator’s have found creative ways to cope with insufficient state funding. A retired teacher in the audience said she was disappointed that Governor Perry vetoed a Bill that would have appointed a career educator to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. Representative Miklos informed the audience about HB 51, a bill he was proud to cosponsor, which helps create another Tier One university in Texas. Both UT-Dallas and UT-Arlington are contenders for that designation and funding, allowing students from North Texas to attend a top-notch university close to home.

Rep. Miklos was honored as Democratic Freshman of the year by his peers in the State House. “It is an honor and a privilege to fight for the needs of the residents of District 101 down in Austin,” Miklos said. “I am proud of what I was able to accomplish, and very much look forward to continuing to serve my constituents.”

What:  Ribbon Cutting for Representative Maldonado’s Round Rock District Office

Where:  1901 E. Palm Valley Blvd. (Highway 79), Round Rock, 78664

When:  Thursday, July 9th from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

“My district office will be a valuable tool and resource for constituents throughout House District 52,” said Maldonado. “I look forward to using this office as a central location to meet and listen to constituents on the issues affecting their daily lives. This is another step in my efforts to have an open-door policy so that constituents have access to me by visiting, calling or e-mailing my office. “

The town hall meetings will provide District residents with an opportunity to discuss the 81st Texas Legislative Session, as well as hear Representative Miklos and their Mayor’s thoughts on current and possible future projects in the District.

“Representing the people of Mesquite, Balch Springs and Sunnyvale in Austin for these last five months has been an honor and a privilege. I am excited to get back home and continue to maintain a dialogue with the residents of District 101,” Representative Miklos said. “I look forward to an active discussion about the highlights of session and important measures that passed the legislature.”

Representative Miklos’ third town hall meeting of the series will be co-hosted with Sunnyvale Mayor David Byrd and Kelly Selman, TXDOT’s Regional Director of Transportation and Planning. It will be held on Saturday, June 27 at 1pm in Sunnyvale, location to follow. The panel will discuss transportation issues that arose during the session, and the expansion possibilities for the State Highway 190 toll road in Sunnyvale.

All three town halls are open to the public. For more information, residents are encouraged to contact Rep. Miklos’ District Office at 972-285-9270.