Ballotpedia, Lauren Ashely Simmons

Lauren is from the Third Ward and attended Trinity United Methodist Church. Lauren lives with her spouse and their 2 children.

Lauren is the statewide union organizing director for the Texas State Employees Union and a member and shop steward of the Communication Workers of America (CWA). She previously worked as an organizer for the Houston Federation of Teachers.

Lauren Ashely Simmons' campaign for state representative of District 146 is her first campaign for public office.

Candidate website

Supports raising Texas' minimum wage to $15.

Supports passing paid sick leave and paid family and medical leave.

Supports paid sick leave, paid family, and medical leave.

Supports protecting public sector pension funds.

Supports leveraging funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act to create hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Believes in restoring local control over projects such as concrete-crushing plants.

Supports protecting public sector pension funds and aims to ensure retirement security for all workers.

Supports protecting workers at risk of losing their jobs from AI and automation by mandating retraining and job training at no cost to employees.

- Supports raising Texas' minimum wage to $15.
- Supports paid sick leave, paid family, and medical leave.
- Supports protecting public sector pension funds.
- Supports leveraging funds from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act to create hundreds of thousands of jobs.
- Believes in restoring local control over projects such as concrete-crushing plants.
- Supports protecting public sector pension funds and aims to ensure retirement security for all workers.
- Supports protecting workers at risk of losing their jobs from AI and automation by mandating retraining and job training at no cost to employees.

Economy

Supports decriminalizing marijuana possession and regulating marijuana like alcohol.

Supports ending qualified immunity, appointing independent investigators for serious police-involved injuries or deaths, reforming body camera footage release rules, and increasing data collection to uncover unlawful bias.

Supports "common sense" gun safety reforms such as an assault weapons ban, universal background checks, red flag protection orders, a higher minimum age to buy a gun, and safe storage requirements.

Supports gun safety reforms including an assault weapons ban, universal background checks, red flag protection orders, a higher minimum age to buy a gun, and safe storage requirements.

Supports reforms to reduce individuals becoming "trapped in our criminal justice system" by relaxing mandatory minimum sentences, increasing diversion programs and mental health services, and emphasizing treatment over incarceration.

Supports restoring local control over gun regulations in cities and counties.

Supports increasing stable government funding for domestic violence service providers, including family shelters, rape crisis centers, legal assistance, human trafficking services, housing assistance, and mental health services.

Supports passing a statewide nondiscrimination law to protect LGBTQIA+ individuals and families in employment, housing, and public accommodations.

- Supports decriminalizing marijuana possession and regulating marijuana like alcohol.
- Supports ending qualified immunity, appointing independent investigators for serious police-involved injuries or deaths, reforming body camera footage release rules, and increasing data collection to uncover unlawful bias.
- Supports gun safety reforms including an assault weapons ban, universal background checks, red flag protection orders, a higher minimum age to buy a gun, and safe storage requirements.
- Supports reforms to reduce individuals becoming "trapped in our criminal justice system" by relaxing mandatory minimum sentences, increasing diversion programs and mental health services, and emphasizing treatment over incarceration.
- Supports restoring local control over gun regulations in cities and counties.
- Supports increasing stable government funding for domestic violence service providers, including family shelters, rape crisis centers, legal assistance, human trafficking services, housing assistance, and mental health services.
- Supports passing a statewide nondiscrimination law to protect LGBTQIA+ individuals and families in employment, housing, and public accommodations.

Public Safety

Supports repealing Texas’ abortion ban.

Supports repealing Texas’ ban on gender-affirming care for minors.

Supports making "transformational investments" to improve access to mental health services.

Supports making investments to improve access to mental health services.

Supports universal access to quality, affordable health care and mental health care.

- Opposes Texas’ abortion ban.
- Supports repealing Texas’ ban on gender-affirming care for minors.
- Supports making investments to improve access to mental health services.
- Supports Medicaid expansion.
- Supports universal access to quality, affordable health care and mental health care.

Healthcare

Supports increasing wages for teachers and educational support personnel.

Believes in spending public dollars on public schools.

Opposes using public funds for private schools or voucher programs.

Opposes Texas' reliance on high-stakes standardized testing.

Opposes Texas' reliance on standardized testing.

Believes in repealing "laws and policies that amount to government-sanctioned censorship," including book bans and restrictions on teaching Black history and culture.

Believes in repealing book bans and restrictions on teaching Black history and culture.

Supports restoring control of the Houston Independent School District to democratically elected officials.

- Supports increasing wages for teachers and educational support personnel.
- Believes in spending public dollars on public schools.
- Opposes using public funds for private schools or voucher programs.
- Opposes Texas' reliance on standardized testing.
- Believes in repealing book bans and restrictions on teaching Black history and culture.
- Supports restoring control of the Houston Independent School District to democratically elected officials.

Education

Supports providing incentives to accelerate the transition to renewable energy.

Supports restoring Houston/Harris County's ability to receive a fair share of flood mitigation funds.

- Supports providing incentives to accelerate the transition to renewable energy.
- Supports restoring Houston/Harris County's ability to receive a fair share of flood mitigation funds.

Energy & the Environment

Supports repealing Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), which banned voting reforms such as 24-hour and drive-through voting implemented in Harris County during the 2020 elections.

Supports same-day voter registration and universal mail-in voting.

Supports creating a nonpartisan redistricting commission to end gerrymandering of political districts in Texas.

- Supports repealing Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), which banned voting reforms such as 24-hour and drive-through voting implemented in Harris County during the 2020 elections.
- Supports same-day voter registration and universal mail-in voting.
- Supports creating a nonpartisan redistricting commission to end gerrymandering of political districts in Texas.

Voting & Elections

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Lauren Ashley Simmons

Lauren is from the Third Ward and attended Trinity United Methodist Church. Lauren lives with her spouse and their two children in District 146.

Lauren Ashely Simmons' campaign for state representative in State House District 146 is her first campaign for public office.

Supports restoring local control over regulating workplace conditions.

Supports passing paid sick leave and paid family and medical leave for Texas workers.

Supports increasing Texas’ minimum wage to $15 an hour and adjusting it for inflation.

Opposes "attacks on worker's right to organize."

Believes in restoring local control over regulating workplace conditions and labor issues.

Wants to "protect workers at risk of losing their jobs from AI and automation."

Supports passing a statewide nondiscrimination law that protects LGBTQIA+ people and their families.

Supports addressing systemic, environmental, and economic racism.

Believes in advocating for marginalized communities.

Supports enacting "common-sense" gun safety reforms, including red flag laws.

Supports labor unions, LGBTQ+ rights, and Latina leadership.

The candidate's website says, "Then life threw a curve ball. Lauren became a mom at age 19, lost her safety net quickly, and had to navigate motherhood, postpartum depression, and staying in school so she could one day provide for her family."

Believes access to affordable healthcare is essential, saying, "She’s fighting to get health care for people who have to choose between paying for medicine or paying the rent."

Believes in restoring control of the Houston Independent School District.

Supports repealing Texas’ abortion ban and removing "medically unnecessary restrictions" on abortion access, believing abortion is a healthcare procedure and that healthcare decisions should be made by patients and doctors without government interference.

Supports fully funding a free public education.

Supports replacing the $300 million in cuts to special education funding.

Supports fully funding a free public education system in Texas, believing it is necessary for children to "achieve their potential and fully participate...in the social, economic, and educational opportunities of our state and nation..."

Supports increasing wages for teachers and educational support personnel to attract and retain quality staff.

Supports repealing the law that dismantled diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices at Texas colleges and universities.

Supports the Texas State Teachers Association.

Supports Houston Education Support Personnel Local 6315.

Believes in restoring local control over projects like concrete-crushing plants, calling them "prime examples of environmental racism."

Supports voting rights and fair elections.

Believes in the importance of participating in state government.

Supports progressive policies and aims to be a strong advocate in the state legislature.

Believes in the importance of local leadership, as evidenced by his role as Chair of Precinct 819.

Believes in fair and accessible voting practices.

Believes in protecting voting rights and ensuring fair elections.

Believes in reclaiming Democratic representation in District 146.

Supports creating a nonpartisan redistricting commission.

Supports repealing SB 1 from 2021, which outlawed voting reforms from the 2020 election including 24-hour and drive- through voting.

Lauren Ashley Simmons was born and raised in the Third Ward and attended public schools. She attended Trinity United Methodist Church. Lauren lives with her spouse and their two children in District 146.

Lauren Ashley Simmons is a union organizer and a proud member and shop steward of the Communication Workers of America (CWA). She currently organizes Black low-income women and Black migrant women to get fair wages and benefits, improved working conditions, and better job security.

As of September 13, 2024, Lauren Ashley Simmons’s website did not contain information on this issue.

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