Eagle Pass and Maverick County Leaders Attend 89th Texas Legislative Session Days on February 3-5 to Promote Local Priorities
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2025
A delegation of over 50 Eagle Pass and Maverick County, Texas leaders led by Mayor Pro-Tem William “Billy” Davis, Maverick County Judge Ramsey English Cantu, and Eagle Pass Independent School District Board of Trustees President Jorge Barrera traveled to Austin, Texas during February 3-5, 2025 to attend the Eagle Pass and Maverick County Legislative Days at the 89th Texas Legislature.
The Eagle Pass and Maverick County delegation kicked-off their Legislative Days itinerary with a reception on Monday, February 3, 2025 hosted by IBC Bank and IBC Bank of Eagle Pass President Hector J. Cerna at the Austin, Texas IBC Bank headquarters. Delegates met with representatives from the 89th Texas Legislature, including State Representative Eddie Morales of Eagle Pass, business leaders, and other community leaders from throughout Texas.
On Tuesday, February 4, 2025, the Eagle Pass and Maverick County Delegation enjoyed breakfast at the Austin Club and hosted a series of speakers from various state agencies, legislators, and leaders. The first speaker to address the Eagle Pass and Maverick County Delegation was Guillermo Aguilar of Brownstone Consultants concerning the salient issue of Broadband and Inexpensive Internet. The next speaker to address the delegation was Texas Water Development Board Member Tonya Miller regarding the Future of Water in the State of Texas, one of the priority issues of the 89th Texas Legislature. The third speaker was Dr. Daniel Harper, Vice-Chancellor of the Texas State University System on the key issue of the four year university upgrade of Sul Ross State University International in Eagle Pass.
After a brief morning break, the next speaker to address the local contingency was Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Chief Engineer Lance Simmons concerning an update on the expansion and completion of Loop 480 in Eagle Pass and the State of Texas Transportation master plan.
State Representative Eddie Morales of Eagle Pass hosted a luncheon where he presented the key legislative issues for Eagle Pass and Maverick County before the 89th Texas Legislative Session as well as an update on the status of the legislative session.
Following lunch, Texas State Senator Roland Gutierrez of San Antonio, Texas addressed the Eagle Pass and Maverick County delegation with the legislative priorities in the Texas Senate as well as an update on the Senate Bill 2 concerning School Choice (Vouchers) passage. After a brief break, the delegation received an update on the status of education in the State of Texas from Texas Education Agency Deputy Commissioner Alejandro Delgado as well as the school choice (voucher) status. The local delegation held a discussion on the legislative priorities presented by the speakers compared to those priorities of Eagle Pass and Maverick County and how they should advocate for the local legislative priorities with state legislators on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 when visiting them at their offices.
On Wednesday, February 5, the Eagle Pass and Maverick County delegation leaders attended a breakfast luncheon where State Representative Donna Howard addressed the Health Care issues and an update in the 89th Texas Legislature. The local leaders broke up into specific issue groups and visited key Texas House of Representatives and Senators to advocate for the legislative priorities of Eagle Pass and Maverick County in the 89th Texas Legislative Session.
The three day legislative trip was highlighted with an official passage of a resolution in the Texas House of Representatives presented by State Representative Eddie Morales proclaiming February 5, 2025 as Eagle Pass Day at the 89th Texas Legislative Session.
Among the City of Eagle Pass representatives attending the Legislative Days Session were Mayor Pro-Tem William “Billy” Davis, Council Members Monica J. Cruz and Mario Garcia, City Manager Homero Balderas, Assistant City Manager Ivan Morua, City Attorney Ana Sofia Berain-Garcia, City Planning Director Placido Madera, Assistant Economic Development Director Adislada Mendoza , City Marketing Director Aide Castano, City International Bridge General Manager David R. Saucedo and Board Member Stephany Valdez.
From Maverick County attending the Legislative Days Session included were County Judge Ramsey English Cantu, Maverick County Commissioners Jerry Morales, Rosanna “Roxie” Rios, Olga M. Ramos, and Roberto Ruiz, and Food Pantry Director Billy Perez.
The Eagle Pass Independent School District representatives attending included Board President Jorge Barrera, Board of Trustees Jaime Barrera, Christopher Hiller, Dr. Hilda P. Martinez, Morris Libson, Jr., and Tom Gonzalez, Superintendent Samuel Mijares, and Deputy Superintendent John Cox.
From the Maverick County Hospital District attending were Board Chairman Aaron Valdez and Board Members Dr. Cruz Alberto Bernal and Dr. David Chisum, and Interim Chief Executive Officer Nestor Bonilla. Also attending were Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Eladio Montalvo and United Medical Centers Chief Executive Officer William Worrell and Board Member Benjamin Rodriguez, Jr.
Eagle Pass Water Works System representatives attending were Assistant General Manager Jorge Flores and Board Member Johnny Ruiz. Also attending were the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas Tribal Council Members and Administrator Gonzalo Garcia. Many local entrepreneurs attended including Beyer Junfin and Sonia Valdez-Junfin, CPA and many others.
