LAREDO, Texas - Senator Judith Zaffirini, the first Mexican American woman elected to the Texas Senate in 1986, on Sunday, at 10 p.m., will become the first woman Dean of the Senate in the history of the State of Texas.
Zaffirini, a Democrat from Laredo, began with a rank of 30 out of 31 senators in 1987 and is now the highest-ranked.
Zaffirini assumes the title of Dean of the Senate because Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston, is resigning to give full attention to the mayorship of Houston.
“Only 24 women have served in the Texas Senate with 952 men, including the four Democratic and four Republican women who serve today,” Zaffirini said.
“In 1986 Senator Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas, and I became the seventh and eighth women elected. We joined Senator Cyndi Krier, R-San Antonio, marking the first time more than one woman served in the 31-member body.”
A native Laredoan and descendant of her hometown’s founder, Don Tomás Sánchez, Zaffirini has been recognized for decades as a trailblazer who has shatters barriers. Her legendary work ethic is reflected in her passing a record-breaking 1,388 bills, more than any legislator in Texas history—as well as for maintaining a career-long perfect voting record, having cast 72,132 consecutive votes as of 2023—a state and national record.
Outside of public service, Zaffirini , a communications specialist, has been an educator and businesswoman. She has amassed more than 1,200 awards and honors for her legislative, professional and civic accomplishments, including more than 600 statewide and national communication awards.
Zaffirini started supporting herself at age 17, marrying Carlos Zaffirini, Sr., a year later. She has earned B.S., M.A., and PhD degrees from The University of Texas at Austin.
Judith and Carlos Zaffirini Sr. have one son, Carlos Jr.; daughter by marriage, Audrey; and two grandsons, Asher Maxwell (6) and George William (4).
The last seven of the 122 bills Senator Zaffirini passed in 2023 will become law on Jan. 1. She said the bills prioritize transparency, public welfare and procedural efficiency.
Senate Bill (SB) 2476 prohibits municipalities' ground-ambulance services from charging excessive fees during medical emergencies, ensuring patients are not burdened by surprise billing. Zaffirini wrote the bill in response to a complaint by Keith Muschalek of Wilson County, who was charged $4091.71 for his son’s 33-mile ambulance trip to San Antonio.
SB 478 is designed to bolster motorcycle safety training. It expands the accessibility of the Motorcycle Operator Training Instructor Preparation (MOTIP) course and authorizes third-party organizations to offer the course endorsed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Zaffirini said the new law should reduce road accidents and fatalities by providing comprehensive training to aspiring motorcyclists.
SB 1340 expands the scope of the publicly accessible economic development agreement database. By including more agreement types and government entities, Zaffirini says it will enhance transparency while requiring comprehensive reporting of agreement details such as company information, terms, monetary value and abated taxes. The result should empower Texas voters to make informed decisions regarding using taxpayer resources, the senator believes.
SB 1444 by Zaffirini addresses the City of Austin Employees Retirement Systems' (COAERS) financial health collaboratively with the City of Austin. It proposes several changes: raising member contributions gradually, setting limits on employer contributions based on actuarial assessments, clearing the Unfunded Actuarial Accrued Liability in a fixed period, creating a process for future cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) certified by actuaries and approved by relevant authorities, restructuring conditions for service purchases to reduce financial risks and adjusting the Board of Trustees’ composition.
SB 1612 standardizes court filing fees not addressed in Zaffirini’s SB 41, which was passed in 2021. The new law will equalize fees for electronic and paper copies, specify standard costs for clerk services and ensure proper use of court funds. It also outlines procedures for transferring court cases and clarifies financial responsibilities in juvenile court matters.
HB 3186 by Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, and Zaffirini addresses the identification and response of at-risk youth and those with mental illnesses. Recognizing that many juveniles commit minor offenses, this Texas Youth Diversion and Early Intervention Act targets early identification and redirection of children accused of Class C misdemeanors. Zaffirini said the new law empowers courts with diversionary alternatives, including participation in various programs, referrals to service providers, mediation or dispute resolution processes and court-ordered actions. It also outlines diversion agreement requirements, limits diversions' duration, mandates non-adversarial hearings for unsuccessful diversions and allows administrative fees to be waived for indigent parents. The bill aims to ensure the confidentiality of records while requiring courts to maintain statistical information. It also stipulates the allocation of collected fees for operational costs of youth diversion programs.
HB 4645 by Rep. Lulu Flores, D-Austin, and Zaffirini extends property tax exemptions for nonprofits developing low-to-moderate-income housing in Travis County, expediting the repair of crucial housing units.
"I'm delighted our new laws will benefit Texans significantly,” Zaffirini said. “These measures reflect our commitment to enhance safety, transparency and affordability throughout our communities. They stand as a collective step toward a better future for all Texans."
