Surrounded by family and friends, Jarvis Johnson was sworn in as State Representative for House District 139 succeeding Mayor Sylvester Turner. Shortly after swearing to represent the people of his district, Johnson hit the ground running listening to his constituents of north Houston at open houses and community forums. He acted on addressing their concerns by filling 17 bills to achieve results.

"I thank my family, friends, and supporters that came to the Capitol Tuesday, January 10th, to take part in the Legislature's 85th inaugural ceremony. It was without a doubt a fantastic moment for all. It means everything to me to be in Texas' House, the People's House, as the voice for those in the community where I grew up and have lived all my life," said Johnson who raised his family, built businesses, and has been active in youth, church, senior citizen and chamber of commerce activities in the area.

"In Texas, unlike most states, the Legislature meets only 140 days every two years. From early January through May 29, 150 representatives from across Texas (each representing about 179,000 people) and 31 senators (each representing about 800,000 people) meet each odd year to agree to a budget, enact the laws of this state and broad policies for the next two years," said the former three-term District B Houston City Council Member.

Johnson will focus on K-12 education, higher education, criminal justice, police accountability, mental health, child welfare and juvenile justice. The bills Johnson’s filed are centered on K-12 education. He’s pushing HB 310 for school guidance counseling programs. HB 315 offers grants for education services for students not in state schools but other residential treatment facilities. Another bill will amend the public school funding formula for those with a disability. More people will gain skills for jobs as a result of HB 374 that will provide career and technology training opportunities. HB 795 will help ISDs appeal to Texas Education Agency (TEA) rulings.

HB 313 to allow the University of Houston to benefit from the oil and gas based Permanent Education (PUF) Fund. HB 430 to alter Texas' higher education funding formula to offer $500 to universities based on the number of students that earn bachelor degrees and $1,000 bonuses for at-risk student that earns a bachelor degree.

Johnson filed HB 312 to establish a Disaster Recovery Fund to relieve the fiscal burden placed on local communities during times of disaster. Johnson filed HB 625 to require biannual psychological exams for police officers. Remembering Sandra Bland, he filed HB 567 to prohibit police from arresting individuals for minor offenses. That bill is further supported with HB 814 to prohibit police from searching a private vehicle without probable cause, written or recorded consent from the vehicle operator. HB 603 will require physical fitness testing for police.

HB 309 will provide home and community-based services for people with severe and persistent mental illness to prevent them from destabilizing or continuing in the criminal justice, emergency services and mental hospital systems when more appropriate service levels could better serve. The state and counties will also benefit by saving important funds.

HB 287 will strengthen protections for children in the care of state. HB 596 will ensure children removed from their homes and placed in Permanent Managing Conservatorship have the same rights to state appointed guardians or Ad Litem Attorneys as those in Temporary Managing Conservatorship.

HB 314 will ensure prioritization occurs for reading at grade level and prepares children for the general education development test. It also will provide funds to divert youth from state juvenile correctional and adult correctional systems. He will also fight for HB 932 to require an annual report from the Department of Juvenile Justice concerning the number of offenders who are or have ever been in conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services in an effort to break the pipeline from Foster Care to the Juvenile System.

"These are important issues for HD-139 and for all Texas. These are challenging times with new leadership from our local Harris County offices to Washington, DC. My pledge is to keep my folks in HD 139 represented the best I can. I'm tireless. I'm to this task. My family and I thank you for trusting me with the responsibility to be your representative. My staff and I'll be the most accessible imaginable to those that put me here to keep me accountable," Johnson said.

"I'm ready to serve all HD 139. I look forward to ensuring everyone from our diverse district is a part of the legislative process during the upcoming 85th legislative session," he said.

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