Jose Menendez’s Political Career
Committee Assignments
During his political career, Jose Menendez has served various roles in different committees. In the year 2019/2020, Jose Menendez served the Texas State Senate in the Veteran Affairs and Border Security Committee, Intergovernmental Relations Committee, Higher Education Committee, Business, and Commerce Committee, and Administration Committee. During the Legislative session of 2017, Jose Menendez served in the Nominations Committee, Intergovernmental Relations Committee, Higher Education Committee, and the Criminal Justice Committee. In the legislative session of 2015, Jose Menendez served in the Intergovernmental Relations Committee, Higher Educations Committee, and Criminal Justice Committee. In the 2013 legislative session, Jose Menendez served in the States Affairs Committee and was the Chairperson of the Defence and Veterans’ Affairs Committee. In the 2011 legislative session, Jose Menendez served the Texas House of Representatives in the Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee and was the Vice-Chairperson of the State Affairs Committee. In the 2009 legislative session, Jose Menendez also served the Texas House of Representatives in the Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee and was the Vice-Chairperson of the State Affairs Committee.
Sponsored Legislation
The following are some of the bills that Jose Menendez has sponsored during his time in office. In 2020, he sponsored a bill that would allow serious mental health illnesses to be covered in specific group health benefit initiatives. He also sponsored a bill relating to the contribution of the state to the Teacher Retirement System. Another bill Jose Menendez sponsored in 2020 was one relating to the authorization of possession, transportation, distribution, delivery, cultivation, and use of cannabis for medicinal purposes by qualified patients with specific medical conditions, as well as providing dispensing organizations with licenses. Jose Menendez also sponsored a bill featuring penalties for unethical conduct by medical health practitioners who attempt to change a child’s sexual orientation
In 2020, Jose Menendez further sponsored a bill relating to the administration of specific requirements concerning course credit transfer between public institutions of higher education. Jose Menendez’s commitment to enhancing education was further demonstrated through the bill to establish the Texas First Generation Matching Scholarships Initiative to finance the education of first-generation students attending public institutions of higher learning.
A strong advocate of education and mental health, Jose Menendez sponsored a bill promoting the provision of mental health services on campus, as well as the reimbursement for specific services offered to eligible students through Medicaid. He also sponsored another education-related bill pertaining to the income paid to teachers at public learning institutions.
Another education-related bill sponsored by Jose Menendez was one pertaining to the creation of the Texas Emergency Aid for Public Post Secondary Students, also known as TEAPPS, which would provide grants to students enrolled in public institutions of higher learning, especially those with credit issues. Another bill that Jose Menendez sponsored in 2020, was one pertaining to the court, state, and local involvement in determining whether witnesses and victims of an offense and specific arrested, detained, or incarcerated individuals are lawfully present in America. He also sponsored a bill allowing any qualified voter to participate in early voting by mail, as well as one allowing specific fertility preservation services to receive health benefits coverage under specific health benefit programs.