As part of the “Inside the Capitol” series, The University Star has invited the four state legislators that represent Hays County to speak about the 89th session in a Q&A format.
Rep. Erin Zwiener (D-Driftwood) is the representative for State District 45. She was first elected in 2018, with her first legislative session beginning in 2019. As of 2025, the 89th Legislative Session was her fourth legislative session. Zwiener is a founding member of the Texas LGBTQ Caucus in the house and Texas Energy and Climate Caucus, she is also a member of the Women’s Health Caucus, Texas Water Caucus and IT Caucus. In the 89th Session she was Vice Chair of the Intergovernmental Committee.
What was your biggest legislative goal this session?
“You know, the biggest elephant in the room in every conversation in Hays County is rapid growth, and I’ve been trying to get more tools to manage that growth. This bill didn’t make it to the governor, but I managed, for the first time to pass the bill through the House to actually give our county authority over water conservation and new developments outside city limits.”
Zwiener also said preventing anti-LGBTQIA+ bills was a major focus for her in the 89th Legislative Session.
“I’m the treasurer of the LGBTQ caucus trying to defend against anti-LGBTQ bills was a big priority. I wish we’d had a little bit more success than we did. I’m very upset about Senate Bill 12 that has Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” language, but on steroids in it, but I am glad we were able to prevent any further attacks on gender affirming care. There were a lot of bills that were designed to target adults receiving gender affirming care, and we were able to stop those. I’m also really proud that we were able to keep a bathroom bill off the floor.”
What was your biggest personal goal this session?
“This session I was vice chair of the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee which touches all relationships between the state and local governments. I think my biggest goal was really learning how to be an effective vice chair, our rules around vice chairmanships changed at the same time we actually got a little more power.”
According to Zwiener, in previous sessions vice chairs were mostly symbolic, however changes to the rules of the Texas House of Representatives in the 89th allowed for vice chairs to insist on having hearings for specific bills and encouraged committee chairs to work more closely with their vice chair.
How did this session compare to previous sessions you have been in?
“There were things about this session I’m still very proud of. I feel very proud of the big investment we’re making in water infrastructure. I’m not quite proud in our school funding package, but I’m relieved we did something. It should have been better, and it should have had fewer strings attached, but I’m glad we did something our schools needed it.”
In the 89th, the Texas legislators passed House Bill 2, which increased funding for Texas public schools. State legislators also passed Senate Bill 2, which created a school voucher program.
“We did pass funding for public education, but we also cut a big hole in the bottom of their bucket, so a lot of that funding is going to flow back out depending on how this voucher program is implemented, so that’s very concerning, but that’s sort of the tip of the iceberg on the attacks of public education.”
What are your thoughts on attacks against higher education?
“What I’m really worried about right now is seeing more and more reach into what’s actually taught at universities, and we need to be really careful. I mean, freedom of speech is here for a reason. Academic freedom is part of the First Amendment, and it’s important. I worry that we’re gonna have more and more professors self censoring again because of this outrage machine that’s going after particular classes, that I will note people choose to sign up for. No one makes you take a particular college class, right? The number of hard required college classes is very small.”
What was your biggest disappointment this session?
“All the education bad bills between vouchers and SB 12 and 10 Commandments. Just felt like public schools were taking it in the teeth over and over again. And it’s hard to not look at that and think that there is intentional sabotage of public schools going on to try and bolster voucher programs.”
What were you most proud of?
“I’m really proud that we stopped the anti-renewable bills. I’m really proud that we were able to protect the renewable industry and its ability to get provide, you know, affordable clean power to Texans.”
Bills such as Senate Bill 819 and Senate Bill 388 would have made it harder to build renewables in Texas, but died in the House.
Hays County has been hit hard by the Fentanyl Crisis. What work have you done to address that?
“I filed legislation to try and decriminalize testing strips this session. My bill is not the one that advanced, but one by Rep. Tom Oliverson was very similar, and passed through the house. Unfortunately, it was a dead on arrival in the Senate, still mad about the Senate saying no to this bill over and over again, because it’s the right thing to do. Last session, I worked to get some money in the budget for UT San Antonio to work with Texas Education Agency on some educational materials for school districts to use. That money still in the budget. We’re refunding that program.”
In Texas, fentanyl test strips are currently considered drug paraphernalia and are illegal to possess.
Have your legislative priorities changed since the beginning of the session?
“I’m not sure my priorities have majorly changed … A lot of our freshmen members turned out to really be with us on that rapid growth out in the counties issue. And a lot of them who I would have not thought would be allies like Shelley Luther and I worked together on this stuff this session. And so I think that became a bigger and bigger priority for me. A session went on because I found some wind in my sails.”
What is the best way for constituents to make their voices heard by your office?
“I think phone call or an email are the best ways. My big ask would be, please don’t send a Twitter message, a personal Facebook message. I will not read those promptly.”
Zwiener’s office can be contacted at (512) 463-0647 or [email protected].
