Representative Veronica Gonzales has represented HD-41 since 2005 and is first female to represent the district. She currently serves as chairwoman of the Border & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee and is serving her second session on the Public Health Committee.

During her first term, Gonzales was elected secretary of the Texas Democratic Caucus. She also passed more bills than any Democrat colleague and was subsequently recognized as “Freshman of the Year” by the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus. She was named a “Legislator to Watch” by the Texas Observer and as an “Emerging Leader” by the Dallas Morning News.

Gonzales was reelected as secretary of the Texas Democratic Caucus in her second term and elected secretary of the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus and named as chairwoman of the Immigration Task Force. She currently serves as general counsel to the caucus.

She was also selected to join the Aspen-Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership Program, an organization comprised of 12 Republicans and 12 Democrats. Gonzales is also a member of the board of directors of the Texas Lyceum Association.

Her cites as her legislative priorities and accomplishments protecting women who are victims of abuse with an address confidentiality program, protecting youth along the border with a bi-national substance abuse task force, assuring divorced parents receive the maximum visitation time permitted, ensuring border citizens have sufficient water by converting water rights from irrigation to municipal use; widening the pool of people who can become police officers; providing lighting for the streets of colonias; helping students finish college sooner and pay their tuition in payments, creating new courts for Hidalgo county and increasing a juror’s pay, protecting home buyers from purchasing homes used for the production of methamphetamines; allowing for wine-tasting in wine-only package stores, and promoting products made in Texas with a “Genuine Texas” seal.

Gonzales was raised in San Marcos, Texas and graduated cum laude from Southwest Texas State University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Spanish. She earned her Doctorate of Jurisprudence in 1991 from the University of Texas School of Law and is a name partner in the law firm of Kittleman, Thomas & Gonzales, L.L.P. She was elected president of the Hidalgo County Young Lawyers Association, president of the Hidalgo County Bar Association and panel chair of the 12B Grievance Committee.

She earned the “Texas Center Professionalism Award” from the Hidalgo County Bar Association, was recognized as a “Super Lawyer” by The Texas Super Lawyers and as an “Extraordinary Woman in Law” by Texas Lawyer. She sits on the board of the Children’s Defense Fund, South Texas College and Texas Rural Legal Aid.