Press Items: Senator César Blanco — District 29

Austin, Texas - Today, on the first day of prefiling, Senator César J. Blanco filed 14 bills and joint-authored additional bills today as Texas opened the pre-filing period for the 90th Legislative Session. His first round of legislation addresses some of the most pressing issues facing Texas families and communities, with a focus on lowering costs, strengthening healthcare access, and improving public safety.

“Families across Texas want to know they can afford their homes, fill their prescriptions, take care of their families, and make ends meet,” said Senator Blanco. “This election reinforced that these kitchen-table issues cannot take a back seat. As we head into the 90th Session, I want to see us focus on the things that make a real difference in people's lives. That's the standard I'll bring to the work ahead.”

Among the bills filed by Senator Blanco are proposals to:

Lower Housing Costs

• Senate Bill 275: Support the development of affordable housing by improving how low-income housing tax credits are allocated across Texas.

Make Prescription Drugs More Affordable

• Senate Bill 271: Give employers and health benefit plan issuers greater purchasing power through a prescription drug purchasing pool.
• Senate Bill 272: Help patients make informed decisions about prescription costs by requiring pharmacies to disclose the lowest available cash price for their medications.

Protect Texas' Natural Beauty

• Senate Bill 273: Bans the construction of physical barriers in state parks.

Enhance Public Safety

• Senate Bill 274: Strengthen local prosecutors' ability to enforce human trafficking awareness and prevention requirements at commercial lodging establishments.

Additional legislation authored by Senator Blanco includes repealing the designation of the César Chávez Border Highway, making it easier for rural schools to serve our communities, strengthening local workforce and economic development, creating a grant program to remove illegally dumped scrap tires, and expanding eligibility for juvenile drug court programs. A list of Senator Blanco's filed bills can be found on Texas Legislature Online as they are added to the system.

Senator Blanco also joint-authored several bills to expand Medicaid, repeal school vouchers, and remove the ban on abortion for sexual assault.

The 90th Texas Legislative Session begins Tuesday, January 10, 2027.

###