Judith Zaffirini is a Democratic member of the Texas State Senate who has represented District 21 since 1987 and is seeking re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election against Republican Julie Dahlberg. She holds bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and owns Zaffirini Communications.[1][2]
Zaffirini earned bachelor's, graduate and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and also studied at Laredo Community College and the University of Houston, according to Ballotpedia.[1]She worked as a teacher in higher education for more than 13 years and owns her own business, Zaffirini Communications.[1]She served as vice-chair of the Texas Democratic Party from 1984 to 1986 before running for the Democratic nomination for state Senate in 1986.[1]
Zaffirini assumed office in the Texas State Senate in 1987.[1]In 2023-2024 she was assigned to the Business & Commerce, Finance, Special Committee on Redistricting and Senate State Affairs committees, as well as the Committee of the Whole Senate.[1]She defeated Cortney Jones in the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary with 73.2 percent of the vote.[1]
In a Ballotpedia survey, Zaffirini described herself as the first Mexican American woman Texas state senator and the first woman Dean of the Texas Senate, and said she has passed more than 1,500 bills.[2]She said her top priorities include education, with a focus on early and higher education, and health and human services.[2]
Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Democrats voted. How topics are assigned
›Rights & public safety368 with · 64 against433 votes
Bars cities, counties and other political subdivisions from spending public funds on registered lobbyists to lobby legislators, or on associations of local governments that hire them, with exceptions; residents can sue for injunctions and attorney's fees.
Gives the attorney general jurisdiction to prosecute Election Code crimes, requires law enforcement to send the attorney general any probable-cause report, and requires local prosecutors and law enforcement to provide investigation information the attorney general requests.
Bars common-law public nuisance lawsuits over conditions authorized by government permits or rules, conduct already covered by a statutory cause of action or agency enforcement, or the making, sale or marketing of products. Combining many private injuries does not create a public nuisance.
On the version voted Apr 28, 2025: Applies to Congress to call an Article V convention limited to proposing amendments that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit federal power and jurisdiction, and limit terms of office for federal officials and members of Congress.
On the version voted Sep 2, 2025: Lowers from 3.5% to 2.5% the yearly growth in operating property tax revenue that cities and counties of 75,000 or more people, and certain other local taxing units, may adopt without voter approval, starting with 2026 taxes.
Bars school districts from hiring uncertified teachers for core-subject courses, allowing approved delays until the 2029-30 school year; sets traditional, residency and alternative teacher preparation routes; and pays districts $1,000 for each recently hired uncertified teacher who earns certification.
Lets teachers remove a student from class after a single disruptive incident, lifts the time limit on in-school suspensions, allows virtual alternative programs for expelled students, shields teachers from discipline for good-faith removals, and requires parental consent for school telehealth mental health services.
Bars the State Board of Education from adopting national sex education standards, bars human sexuality and sexually transmitted disease course materials from being based on them, and says school districts and charter schools cannot be required to offer them.
Bars manufacturing, distributing, mailing or providing abortion-inducing drugs in Texas, with exceptions such as medical emergencies. Allows private suits for death or injury and qui tam suits with at least $100,000 in damages per violation; lets the attorney general sue over criminal abortion-law violations.
Lets teachers remove a student from class after a single disruptive incident, lifts the time limit on in-school suspensions, allows virtual alternative programs for expelled students, shields teachers from discipline for good-faith removals, and requires parental consent for school telehealth mental health services.
Extends ERCOT generation reliability requirements and penalties to eligible plants regardless of when their interconnection agreement was signed. Exempts resources able to run 24 continuous hours, including with batteries, and directs the PUC to consider rebating penalties to consumers.
Bars cities, counties and other taxing units from entering tax abatement or exemption agreements covering property of renewable energy facilities that sell power at wholesale, effective January 1, 2026, applying only to agreements entered after that.
Bars utilities and others from connecting the state's main power grid to out-of-state facilities unless the connection would not add federal control over the grid and state regulators first find it in the public interest and later approve a certificate.
Bars cities and counties from regulating fields occupied by state laws on land use, structures, businesses and annexation, and voids such rules. Lets affected persons and the attorney general sue; the comptroller withholds sales tax revenue during the attorney general's suit.
Lets a person harmed by a city's violation of the state zoning chapter sue the city for mandamus, declaratory or injunctive relief, waives the city's immunity from suit, and allows court costs and attorney's fees for the prevailing party.
Requires historic designation impact statements to include repair costs and appraisals. In cities of 950,000 or more, bars historic designation without owner consent unless the city makes a compensation offer, with court-appointed commissioners assessing damages if the sides cannot agree.
Lets a social media user who wins a suit over censorship by a large platform recover attorney's fees and actual or statutory damages, raises the covered-platform threshold from 50 million to 65 million U.S. users, and excludes newsfeeds, a platform's own homepage and non-common-carrier services.
Requires electronic health records of Texans to be stored in the United States, gives parents full access to their minor children's records, requires records to note biological sex as observed at birth, and lets doctors use artificial intelligence if they review results and tell patients.
On the version voted May 28, 2025: Excludes satellite TV and internet video streaming services from the state's definition of "video service" under cable and video franchise law, which carries local right-of-way fees, while preserving existing franchise holders' payment duties and certain claims for service before September 1, 2025.
Limits how counties of four million or more people may spend toll road revenue, requiring surplus to go mainly to county roads divided among commissioners precincts and, through 2030, a share to the main city for emergency services, with civil penalties for violations.
Excuses the state environmental commission and Department of Public Safety from implementing vehicle emissions inspections once Congress repeals or amends the federal Clean Air Act to end the requirement, or a U.S. constitutional amendment gives states authority over vehicle emissions.
Requires entities proposing high-speed passenger rail (110 mph or more) to give the Department of Transportation yearly information on financing, finances, costs, schedule, ridership, route and foreign investment while the project is in the Texas Rail Plan; the department posts it online.
On the version voted May 9, 2025: Creates crimes for committing assault, stalking, harassment or similar offenses as an agent of a foreign government or terrorist group, with enhanced penalties, and for enforcing foreign law in Texas without approval; requires police training and a state study on transnational repression.
Recognizes the Gulf of America's importance to Texas and the U.S., affirms Texas' sovereignty over its 10-mile coastal zone, commends Trump Administration policies on energy, growth and state sovereignty, encourages federal-state collaboration, and opposes federal actions undermining Texas' control of coastal resources.
On the version voted May 23, 2025: Creates a Homeland Security Division in the Department of Public Safety to plan border security operations, run intelligence centers, manage the Operation Drawbridge camera program, and coordinate statewide homeland security planning and exercises with agencies and local governments.
Voted against most of their party on 94 of 583 party-divided votes on file.
Most often on: Rights & public safety (39), Education & families (30), Jobs & cost of living (17)
Relating to public school accountability and transparency, including the implementation of an instructionally supportive assessment program and the adoption and administration of assessment instruments in public schools, indicators of achievement, public school performance ratings, and interventions and sanctions under the public school accountability system, a grant program for school district local accountability plans, and actions challenging Texas Education Agency decisions related to public school accountability
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 3–6, Republicans 19–0
Relating to public school accountability and transparency, including the implementation of an instructionally supportive assessment program and the adoption and administration of assessment instruments in public schools, indicators of achievement, public school performance ratings, and interventions and sanctions under the public school accountability system, a grant program for school district local accountability plans, and actions challenging Texas Education Agency decisions related to public school accountability
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 3–6, Republicans 19–0
Relating to the construction of structures exceeding a certain height in certain counties containing national wildlife refuges and in adjacent counties
What it does: Requires anyone planning a structure taller than 575 feet in certain less-populous Gulf Coast counties with national wildlife refuges, or neighboring counties, to seek state wildlife department review 90 days ahead; t…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 3–8, Republicans 19–1
Suspending limitations on conference committee jurisdiction, H.B. No. 3556
What it does: Lets the conference committee on a bill requiring Parks and Wildlife Department review of tall structures in counties with national wildlife refuges raise the height threshold in the bill from 500 to 575 and add rulem…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 4–7, Republicans 19–1
Relating to a school district's library materials and catalog, the establishment of local school library advisory councils, and parental rights regarding public school library catalogs and access by the parent's child to library materials
What it does: Requires school boards to approve library book purchases and donations, bars school library materials with harmful, indecent or profane content, gives parents access to records of books their child borrows, and requir…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 3–8, Republicans 20–0
Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.
HB 18 · TX SENATE
Relating to a restriction on the acceptance of political contributions and the making of certain political expenditures by a member of the legislature and certain political committees during certain periods in which a member is absent from a legislative session; authorizing a civil penalty
NoVOTED
Motion: Final passage (third reading)
Bars legislators who leave the state to block legislative action, and committees supporting them, from accepting contributions above a daily per diem from any one donor or spending campaign money on travel, food or lodging for the absence; violations carry civil penalties up to $5,000.
Relating to a restriction on the acceptance of political contributions and the making of certain political expenditures by a member of the legislature and certain political committees during certain periods in which a member is absent from a legislative session; authorizing a civil penalty
NoVOTED
Motion: Passage to third reading (second reading)
On the version voted Sep 4, 2025: Bars legislators who leave the state to block legislative action, and committees supporting them, from accepting contributions above a daily per diem from any one donor or spending campaign money on travel, food or lodging for the absence; violations carry civil penalties up to $5,000.
Relating to prohibitions on the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs, including the jurisdiction of and effect of certain judgments by courts within and outside this state with respect to the manufacture and provision of those drugs, and to protections from certain counteractions under the laws of other states and jurisdictions; authorizing qui tam actions
NoVOTED
Motion: Final passage (third reading)
On the version voted Aug 28, 2025: Bans manufacturing or distributing abortion-inducing drugs in Texas, and mailing, delivering or prescribing them to or from Texas, with exceptions such as medical emergencies. Only private qui tam suits (at least $100,000 per violation) enforce it; women who take the drugs cannot be sued.
Relating to the designation and use of certain spaces and facilities according to sex; authorizing a civil penalty and a private civil right of action
NoVOTED
Motion: Concur in House amendments
On the version voted Aug 28, 2025: Tables an amendment that would strike the bill's provisions barring courts from blocking its enforcement or certifying classes, and making parties who seek such court orders pay the other side's costs and attorney fees.
Relating to certain files maintained by a law enforcement agency regarding certain employees of the agency
NoVOTED
Motion: Final passage (third reading)
On the version voted Aug 28, 2025: Requires law enforcement agencies to keep a confidential file on each officer, holding records outside the personnel file, including misconduct allegations lacking sufficient evidence. Allows review by hiring agencies, the state licensing commission, and complainants and alleged victims; bars other release.
Relating to a groundwater study of certain aquifers underlying the territory of the Neches and Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District by the Texas Water Development Board before the issuance of permits or permit amendments by the district
YesVOTED
Motion: Final passage (third reading)
As amended by the Senate, requires the Texas Water Development Board to study how much groundwater can be pumped indefinitely from aquifers under the Neches and Trinity Valleys district and effects of proposed pumping and exports, reporting by January 12, 2027, without pausing new permits.
Relating to a groundwater study of certain aquifers underlying the territory of the Neches and Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District by the Texas Water Development Board before the issuance of permits or permit amendments by the district
YesVOTED
Motion: Passage to third reading (second reading)
As amended by the Senate, requires the Texas Water Development Board to study how much groundwater can be pumped indefinitely from aquifers under the Neches and Trinity Valleys district and effects of proposed pumping and exports, reporting by January 12, 2027, without pausing new permits.
Relating to a groundwater study of certain aquifers underlying the territory of the Neches and Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District by the Texas Water Development Board before the issuance of permits or permit amendments by the district
NoVOTED
Motion: Adopt Floor Amendment No. 1 (Nichols)
As amended by the Senate, requires the Texas Water Development Board to study how much groundwater can be pumped indefinitely from aquifers under the Neches and Trinity Valleys district and effects of proposed pumping and exports, reporting by January 12, 2027, without pausing new permits.
Relating to certain files maintained by a law enforcement agency regarding certain employees of the agency
NoVOTED
Motion: Passage to third reading (second reading)
On the version voted Aug 28, 2025: Requires law enforcement agencies to keep a confidential file on each officer, holding records outside the personnel file, including misconduct allegations lacking sufficient evidence. Allows review by hiring agencies, the state licensing commission, and complainants and alleged victims; bars other release.
Relating to prohibitions on the manufacture and provision of abortion-inducing drugs, including the jurisdiction of and effect of certain judgments by courts within and outside this state with respect to the manufacture and provision of those drugs, and to protections from certain counteractions under the laws of other states and jurisdictions; authorizing qui tam actions
NoVOTED
Motion: Passage to third reading (second reading)
On the version voted Aug 28, 2025: Bans manufacturing or distributing abortion-inducing drugs in Texas, and mailing, delivering or prescribing them to or from Texas, with exceptions such as medical emergencies. Only private qui tam suits (at least $100,000 per violation) enforce it; women who take the drugs cannot be sued.
