Education is the key to success. To ensure every student thrives, we must increase funding for public schools so that they have the resources they need. Teachers deserve increased pay that reflects the vital work they do, as well as dedicated funding so they don’t have to pay for supplies out of pocket. Education also must be affordable and accessible for adults, because learning continues at every stage of life.

Have you ever made a major life decision based on whether you would have health insurance? You shouldn’t have to.

Every person deserves access to healthcare, regardless of income, employment status, or zip code. We must protect the Affordable Care Act and expand Medicaid for Texans. At the same time, we need to move toward universal healthcare that includes mental health and substance abuse services. Finally, we need incentives to encourage doctors to practice in rural communities, so that no one is left without essential medical care just because of where they live.

Immigration is a deeply personal matter to me. Policies should reflect the courage, sacrifice, and hope that drive families to seek better opportunities.

We need to create pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who are contributing members of our communities. Undocumented students who have grown up in our schools deserve access to in-state tuition so they can pursue higher education. We must also work to attract talent from around the world and harness their innovation, skill, and ambition to strengthen our economy.

Protecting our environment is not optional. Nothing else matters if we no longer have a planet to live on. We must transition to clean energy in a way that reduces emissions and creates jobs. A carbon tax, with the proceeds reinvested directly into Texas communities, is one powerful tool for addressing climate change. We must also conserve water and reuse it in responsible ways. In a growing state like ours, water is a resource critical to long-term prosperity and resilience.