Issue Position: Public Health/COVID-19

Issue Position

Rep. Eddie Rodriguez is working closely together with local and state government partners and the community on the coordinated response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This section will be updated as the situation develops.

Rep. Rodriguez believes that Texas must expand Medicaid immediately and has repeatedly called on Governor Greg Abbott to do so. Governor Abbott's refusal to expand Medicaid is leaving billions of our taxpayer dollars on the table and millions of Texans without health insurance. Add your voice to those calling on Governor Abbott to do the right thing and expand Medicaid today.

As a member who was appointed to serve on the influential House Committees on State Affairs and Calendars in the 86th Legislative Session, Rep. Rodriguez opposed Senator Brandon Creighton's suite of bills designed to pre-empt local labor ordinances like Austin's paid sick leave policy and "Ban the Box" ordinances. He worked to delay the bills' progression and helped to stop them in their tracks, as a coalition of advocates and activists fought to preserve our local control and progressive policies.

Highlights:

2019: Rep. Rodriguez helped to defeat Senator Brandon Creighton's anti-paid sick leave legislation as a senior Democratic member of the House Calendars Committee

03/10/2020: Participated in House Public Health Committee Hearing & sent follow-up letters to state agency leaders at the Texas Workforce Commission, Texas Department of State Health Services and Texas Health & Human Services Commission (03/12/2020)

03/17/2020: Texas Workforce Commission waived the "work search" requirement and the 10-day waiting period for individuals applying for unemployment insurance benefits

03/15/2020: Hosted COVID-19 tele-town hall with public health experts & medical professionals (Patch.com)

03/19/2020: Spoke with local first responders regarding their preparation for the community spread of COVID-19 and interviewed with local media outlets regarding state of coordinated response

Ongoing: Engaged in regular communication with state agency leaders, advocating for workers and for small businesses impacted by the outbreak

03/17/2020: Sent letter to Comptroller Glenn Hegar requesting the suspension of the sales tax payment schedule for small businesses affected by COVID-19

Most time spent on advocating to the Texas Workforce Commission, as so many constituents have been unable to submit claims using their phone and online systems.

Ongoing: Working with generous local donors like the Austin Chinese-American Network to deliver donations of personal protective equipment to facilities, essential employees in need

Ongoing: Promoting local efforts to rally together and support the community, soliciting donations for organizations helping those in need and volunteering with emergency food relief distribution

Ongoing: Hosting a series of tele-town halls with members of the Travis County delegation to the Texas House of Representatives on various issues related to the pandemic and its impact on our communities

Ongoing: Amplifying local, state and federal resources available to constituents, followers; assisting constituents with unemployment benefits, small business issues; advocating to local and state government entities (i.e. community health providers, school districts, state agencies) on constituents' behalf with emphasis on equity and access.

Policy Priorities:

Expanding Medicaid

Supporting hospitals and practices that have been crucial to the COVID-19 response and are facing revenue shortfalls

Establishing statewide paid sick leave and unemployment insurance benefits that allow people to stay home from work when they are sick rather than risk infecting others

Scaling up COVID-19 testing, contact tracing capabilities

Scaling up capacity of healthcare system to treat patients with serious respiratory illnesses

Initiating a long-term conversation about the social determinants of health and developing solutions to help address the systemic racism represented in our state's and country's health outcomes

Continuing the push for reform of the health insurance industry and establishing more robust consumer protections, transparency

Ensuring that seniors and those living on fixed incomes can afford their prescription medication

Source