THE HOT SEAT: A Conversation with Sen. "Chuy" Hinojosa and Reps. Veronica Gonzales and Aaron Peña
Event Details
- Date
- Time
- 7:30 a.m. - 9 a.m. Doors open at 7:30 am. Event begins promptly at 8 am.
- Location
-
The University of Texas – Pan American Student Union Theater
1201 W. University Drive, Edinburg, Texas 78539 (map) - Questions?
- rsvp@texastribune.org or 512-716-8626
- RSVP
- A reservation is required.
State Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, was first elected to represent SD-20 in 2002. He previously served in the Texas House from 1981 to 1991 and again from 1997 to 2002. He is now the chairman of the Texas Senate Hispanic Caucus, vice chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and serves on the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Criminal Justice, Natural Resources, Redistricting (Select), Transportation and Homeland Security committees. He also serves on the Medicaid, Public Safety, and Higher Education Funding subcommittees.
Texas Monthly has twice named Hinojosa one of the "Top 10 Legislators." He received an honorable mention from the publication in 2007 for his efforts to reform the Texas Youth Commission.
State Rep. Veronica Gonzales, D-McAllen, has represented HD-41 since 2005 and was first female to represent the district. She currently serves as chairwoman of the House Border and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee and is serving her third session on the Public Health Committee.
She was re-elected as secretary of the Texas Democratic Caucus in her second term and elected secretary of the Mexican American Legislative Caucus and named chairwoman of the Immigration Task Force. She now serves as general counsel to the caucus.
Gonzales recently announced that she will not seek re-election to the House in 2012.
State Rep. Aaron Peña, R-Edinburg, a South Texas attorney, was first elected to represent HD-40 in 2002. He is the current chairman of the House Technology Committee and also serves on the Voter ID, Redistricting and Homeland Security committees. Peña cites as his legislative priorities education, with a special focus public-school teacher pay, and the expansion of the University of Texas-Pan American. Peña has sponsored legislation to authorize construction of a student wellness and recreation center and a fine arts academic and performance complex at UTPA. He has also focused on improving the lives of veterans and enhancing drug-abuse treatment and prevention.
Peña recently announced that he will not seek re-election to the House in 2012.
ABOUT THIS EVENT
This series of conversations is generously sponsored by KDK Harmen Foundation and Cantu Construction Co. and supported by AT&T, BP and Christus Health and is supported through contributions from our founding investors and members. Parking for this event will be reserved for UTPA visitors and media attending the event in the lot immediately south of the Student Union (Parking Lot "A".)
