JOSE MENENDEZ

The rejection rate of mail-in ballots in Texas went from less than 2% to more than 12% under SB 1

CDC data: Firearm death rate of Texas children has more than doubled since Gov. Greg Abbott took office

The state has too many kids in its care and not enough places to house them.

A San Antonio state lawmaker is once again taking aim at a state-mandated test that assesses school district and campus performance.

A San Antonio lawmaker is now the latest member of his family to have tested positive for COVID-19 over the last several days.

State Senator José Menéndez revealed in a statement that he tested positive for COVID-19.

Texas State Senator for District 26 Jose Menendez announced in a Facebook post Sunday that his 14-month-old granddaughter, Adelisa, has tested positive for COVID-19.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — On Day 3 of Texas Democrats hunkering down in Washington to block tighter voting laws, Republicans back home settled into a new routine that boils down to turning the Democrats' gambit into yet another advantage for the GOP in 2022.

On Day 3 of Texas Democrats hunkering down in Washington to block tighter voting laws, Republicans back home settled into a new routine that boils down to turning the Democrats' gambit into yet another advantage for the GOP in 2022. With time and a commanding majority on their side, Texas Republicans who began the summer with a long to-do list aimed at pushing the state farther to the right were filling their sudden free time Wednesday hammering Democrats as obstructionists. Despite being unable to pass any bills, GOP lawmakers promised to keep coming to work at the Texas Capitol.

The chief of staff for Texas State Senator Jose Menendez was arrested in San Antonio on suspicion of driving while intoxicated late last month, records obtained by the KSAT 12 Defenders Wednesday confirm.

SAN ANTONIO – In Texas, it is not mandatory for rape kits to be traced if a victim has died. It’s a surprising gap in the law that a state senator and Texas families say they won’t allow to continue. For the past four years, pain and anger have pushed Matheson to advocate for sexual assault victims. The bill would mandate tracked rape kits of deceased victims. Texas is one of many states across the nation dealing with backlogs in the processing of rape kits.

Texas Sen. José Menéndez said Wednesday the state’s energy market needs to be addressed by the legislature after the state’s power grid overcharged power companies by $16 billion during the winter storm. In an interview with the Texas Tribune about the winter storm, Menéndez applauded Gov. Menéndez also blamed the Public Utility Commission of Texas, which oversees ERCOT, for refusing to correct the mistake. Ad“I was extremely disappointed with the PUC for not having the backs of the ratepayers of Texas,” Menéndez said. “The problem is not so much whether we’re deregulated or regulated ... the reality is the market for energy is broken,” Menéndez said.

Editor’s note: This story was initially published by the Texas Tribune. Throughout his career, Goldman has worked on campaigns helping to elect Republicans at the local, state and national levels. This conversation is presented by Lone Star College and Texas State Technical College and supported by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, Texas McCombs Energy Institute and Texas Construction Association. Foundation support is provided by the Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation, the Energy Foundation and the Catena Foundation. Though donors and corporate sponsors underwrite Texas Tribune events, they play no role in determining the content, panelists or line of questioning.

SAN ANTONIO – A new state bill proposes a mandated number of polling sites each election cycle on public college campuses. How to get involved in the Texas redistricting processAmber Mills just graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington in December. Mills said UT Arlington, with a total enrollment of almost 50,000, only had one polling location. “I do have some friends, for example, that went to the University of North Texas, and they don’t have an on-campus polling location. AdMills hopes the bill will help mandate consistent polling sites for every election, big and small.

AUSTIN – Committees from both the Texas Senate and Texas House on Thursday questioned energy executives and the head of the state’s power grid operator during hearings exploring last week’s deadly winter storm and power outages. Lawmakers, including state Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio, questioned why alerts sent out to the public ahead of a hurricane were not used prior to the storm. “I think we should have made some sort of public announcement, sort of like we do with hurricanes,” said Menendez. Curtis Morgan, CEO of Vistra Corp., an Irving-based energy company, told House members during a joint hearing that energy plants in Texas are built to withstand hot weather and hurricanes, but not frigid temperatures. A report released Thursday by Texans for Public Justice, an Austin non-profit that tracks money in Texas politics, shows that political donors tied to ERCOT’s board gave Texas House members more than $700,000 the past two years.

SAN ANTONIO – Are you tired of changing your clocks twice a year? More than 200 daylight saving bills and resolutions have been introduced in almost every state across the country since 2015, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Several states have passed bills in favor of permanent daylight saving time. This bill will allow Texans to pick a time they feel is best for them.”“The practice of changing our clocks is nonsensical and has significant drawbacks. We want to give Texans an opportunity to vote on ending this practice by choosing between standard time year-round or daylight saving time year-round,” Larson, a Republican, said.

Henry Flores, a professor emeritus of political science at St. Mary’s University, says redistricting will likely be the most important topic lawmakers handle this session. The redistricting process happens once a decade in the Legislature followed by the Census. It’s going to be a lot of money spent on just that process before the districts are finally drawn. The data was expected by December 2020 but is now expected in early 2021 and will complicate the process, Flores said. Lawmakers will also have to face bills dealing with public safety as the national outcry for police reform grows.

SAN ANTONIO – Texas lawmakers have begun filing bills for the upcoming legislative session and there are already more than a dozen bills regarding marijuana use and decriminalization. The new bill proposals come off the heels of five more states legalizing marijuana for full medical use or recreational use. “The people of Texas are tired of marijuana prohibition,” Heather Fazio the director of Texans for Responsible Marijuana Policy said. The Compassionate Use Act in Texas only allows a small amount of medical marijuana to certain patients. The 86th Legislative session begins on Jan. 8.

Advocates called the move by the Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners, which has not yet been finalized, an attempt to create “two classes of Texans” during a press conference organized by the Texas chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. There is currently no law in Texas that protects LGBTQ people from discrimination. The code will no longer prohibit social workers from discriminating on the basis of a disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. Greg Abbott’s office recommended the change, board members said, because the nondiscrimination protections went further than those laid out in state law. The change sparked national backlash, including from 11 members of Texas’ congressional delegation who called on Abbott and the board to reverse the decision.

SAN ANTONIO – Organizations and legislators continue to lash out after the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners voted to allow social workers to refuse service to people based on disability, sexual orientation or gender identity. New Texas rule lets social workers turn away clients who are LGBTQ or have a disabilityIt’s a statement that Salcido is grateful to hear. “Social workers are the very people that are meant to be unbiased and to offer that support to somebody that is already experiencing a dark time or needing help navigating through their experiences,” he said. Members of the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners said Gov. Greg Abbott’s office recommended the change because the code’s nondiscrimination protections went beyond protections laid out in the state law that governs how and when the state may discipline social workers.

SAN ANTONIO VIA will be hosting a live town hall Tuesday night to talk about the future of transit in the San Antonio area. Residents can register to participate in the call at KeepSAMoving.com or by texting the word VIA to 833-898-5483. Registrants will receive a call shortly before the event goes live and can submit questions for our panelists while on the line. The Keep SA Moving telephone Town Hall event will feature the following speakers:State Rep. Barbara Gervin-HawkinsState Rep. Rey LopezState Sen. Jose MenendezVIA Chief Strategic Officer Marisa Bono will serve as moderator. WE'RE LIVE: Keep SA Moving Tele-Town Hall State Reps. Gervin-Hawkins, Lopez and State Sen. Menndez join us for a live conversation about VIA's plan designed to deliver service that puts opportunity within everyone's reach.

Philanthropist Harvey Najim, WOAI /KABB teaming to raise money for Food BankFood Bank CEO Eric Cooper, left, shakes hands with Harvey Najim, who along with the Najim Family Foundation, gave $1.3 million to the food bank on March 7, 2018, for new refrigerated trucks to deliver perishable food. less Food Bank CEO Eric Cooper, left, shakes hands with Harvey Najim, who along with the Najim Family Foundation, gave $1.3 million to the food bank on March 7, 2018, for new refrigerated trucks to deliver ... more Photo: Tom Reel /San Antonio Express-News Photo: Tom Reel /San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Philanthropist Harvey Najim, WOAI /KABB teaming to raise money for Food Bank 1 / 1 Back to GallerySAN ANTONIO - Television stations WOAI and KABB will team this week with philanthropist Harvey Najim to raise money for the San Antonio Food Bank to help it feed thousands of food-insecure families during the coronavirus pandemic. Harvey is incredibly in tune with what is going on at the Food Bank and the extreme need for food as people are losing their jobs, WOAI/KABB news director Mendi Mendoza said. If you spend $100, it turns into $200.The Food Bank says it can turn every $1 donated into seven meals. Instead, you will see volunteers from the Food Bank and other foundations in town on our broadcasts taking your donations via Zoom.The first 1,000 telethon donors each night will receive a free No.

SAN ANTONIO – Several Texas lawmakers from the area will be joined by other government officials for a Facebook Live event at 7 p.m. on Monday. Facebook Live will be available for viewing on the following Facebook Pages:Questions can be submitted on those Facebook pages. The following will be participating in the hour-long event:Texas State Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (Dist. 120)Texas State Sen. Pete FloresTexas State Sen. Jose MenendezDr. Charles J. Lerner, Texas Medical Association COVID-19 Taskforce MemberDawn Emerick, Director of the San Antonio Metropolitan Health DistrictAnthony Ruiz, District Director San Antonio District Office U.S. Small Business AdministrationCOVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019. The disease first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, but spread around the world in early 2020, causing the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic in March.

State Senator Jose Menendez and other local leaders held a public forum providing important information on how to recognize and protect senior citizens, friends, caregivers, and relatives from fraud.

SAN ANTONIO - It's that time again, as communities and law enforcement around San Antonio come together to take a stand against crime and prevent drug abuse. The 36th annual National Night Out event takes place Tuesday, Oct. 1. "The San Antonio Police Department's Volunteers in Policing (VIP) works year round to register organizations citywide in support of National Night Out. These organizations include: churches, senior living facilities, neighborhood associations, businesses, schools, universities, and military bases," said San Antonio Police Chief William McManus. The event takes place at the Balcones Heights Justice Center from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. with the movie beginning at 7 p.m.

SAN ANTONIO - Two local representatives say they are looking to move forward at gun legislation on the state and federal levels following mass shootings in El Paso and Odessa. Following a town hall meeting Saturday in San Antonio, both state Sen. Jose Menendez, D-26, and Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-TX 35, spoke about passing new laws to clamp down on gun violence. Greg Abbott earlier this week to convene a special session to address gun violence. Without a special session, the state legislature will not meet again until 2021. Doggett also said he hoped Congress would deal with gun violence in the near future.

Texas is known for its strict marijuana laws even when it comes to medical marijuana. Some marijuana advocates say it's not enoughwhich causes many Texans seeking medical marijuana to find options elsewhere. In the next two weeks a New Mexico judge will decide whether the language of its new state law allows out of state residents to be part of its medical marijuana program. For more information on how New Mexicos medical marijuana program works, you can watch this quick video. According to the Texas Tribune, he has said that expanding the medical marijuana program could open the door to an increase in conventional marijuana usage.

SAN ANTONIO - A new state-funded pilot program in Bexar County will set out to help increase the number of foster care students attending college excel and graduate with a degree. Nolen was put in foster care at 14. But with the help of the Bexar County Foster Care Support Pilot Program, students like Nolen will get the support they need academically and financially. This legislative session state lawmakers approved $3.5 million for a pilot program to help foster care students who attend UTSA, Texas A&M in San Antonio, and the Alamo Colleges. Many kids who age out of foster care end up homeless, according to state statistics.

Twitter / Jose MenendezTexas Sen. Jose Menendez speaks to TV news crews outside the state capitol. Texas Sen. Jos Menndez last week fired off a letter to litigious Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton urging him to sue the federal government once again.This time over its detention of migrant children at the border.In the letter, Menndez D-San Antonio, cites concerns about the detention sites documented in recent news coverage from overcrowding and neglect to lack of sanitation and medical care all while pointing out that Paxton, a Republican, has a lengthy history of facing off with the feds in court. "As head of the office that purports to protect our state from 'unique threats,' you must acknowledge the unprecedented nature of this crisis happening right before our eyes," Menndez continued. "It is your duty and obligation to investigate these deplorable conditions, and seek justice for children who are suffering and dying in these federally contracted facilities. "Menndez's office said it's received no response.Given the Paxton's hyper-partisan lockstep on issues ranging from the Affordable Care Act to the exclusion of Chick-fil-A from San Antonio's airport, it seems unlikely the AG will give the request much consideration.Even so, it's hard not to admire the senator's eagerness to draw attention to the crisis facing migrant children while throwing shade on the man ostensibly serving as the state's top law-enforcement officer.

click to enlarge State Sen. Jose Menendez/FacebookSen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio, joined members of the Jewish community Sunday morning to discuss the importance of Holocaust Remembrance Week, which will be integrated into the Texas public school curriculum beginning in the 2019-2020 school year.Gov. Greg Abbott signed SB 1828 into law earlier this month , mandating that public schools spend a week learning about the Holocaust. The reason I point that out, is that this isn't a Jewish issue, Ratner told KENS5 . "After I watched the video, I wanted to make Holocaust education mandatory in Texas," Wind said. "Texas is the 12th state to mandate Holocaust education, following California, Illinois, New York, New Jersey, Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Kentucky and Oregon.

State Sen. Jose Menendez filed a lengthy bill Monday that includes details about regulation, licensing and research. Cannabidiol, or CBD, an active cannabinoid in hemp, is used by many people for health purposes. Marijuana, which contains THC, gets you high, while CBD does not. The bill not only calls for regulation of what's inside the CBD products but also licensing. The Department of State Health Services had proposed to ban and regulate certain CBD products but recently backed off.