Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones partnered with state Sen. Molly Cook, D-Houston, to share statewide and local policy updates with residents at a Sept. 10 town hall.

The event, held at the Freed Community Center at 6818 Shadyvilla Lane, Houston, highlighted key outcomes from the Texas legislative sessions as well as recent initiatives from Precinct 4.

Briones told Community Impact it’s important that local officials collaborate with state officials to effectively serve the same constituents.

“We’re serving the same people. We need to be working closer together,” Briones said. “Whether it’s on the macro, big policy decisions, [or] just in communicating back for progress we’re delivering and what challenges we’re facing.”

The overview


Cook, who represents Senate District 15, opened the town hall with a breakdown of key policies that came out of the Texas Capitol this year, including several from her office.

She said of her 94 bills filed:
  • 16 were heard in committee
  • 15 came directly from her constituents in Harris County
  • Seven were signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott
  • Four were passed as amendments added to other bills
Senate Bills 1313 and 1316 were two laws that took effect Sept. 1 and came directly from her constituents, Cook said.
  • SB 1313 prohibits retailers from advertising e-cigarettes and other tobacco products using imagery that markets to minors
  • SB 1316 prohibits signs advertising e-cigarettes and other tobacco products from being within 1,000 feet of a church or school
Other legislation Cook sponsored that took effect Sept. 1 included bills pertaining to public health education and maternal mortality and morbidity data.

Cook also recapped several policies addressed during recent special legislative sessions, including mid-decade congressional redistricting, reproductive health care and an overhaul of the STAAR test, which she said prompted the most constituent calls to her office. Read Community Impact’s state coverage for more information about policies passed by the Texas Legislature.

The local impact


In her presentation to community members, Briones said she’s most concerned about the impact of federal funding cuts on Harris County programs and initiatives. The county relies on millions of dollars in federal funds each year, she said.

“This should not be about party,” she said. “It should be about working together to solve problems and drive solutions.”

Despite the cuts, she said Precinct 4 has been able to roll out several new resources, including:Briones also confirmed Precinct 4 will still be receiving a $2 million federal Reconnecting Communities grant to conduct a feasibility study for a cap park along a section of the Katy Freeway, a project first announced in January.

Briones said Harris County commissioners are expected to pass a balanced budget for fiscal year 2025-26 that aligns with the county’s priorities—public safety, public health, infrastructure and disaster preparedness. Stay tuned for Community Impact’s continued coverage of the county budget.