A Houston native and youngest of six children, Ann learned her values and work ethic at home. Ann earned a BA degree from the University of Texas and her law degree from South Texas College of Law Houston.

Biography | Texas House of Representatives

Ann Johnson is originally from Houston. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas and a law degree from South Texas College of Law Houston.

Rep. Johnson, Ann - District 134 - Texas House of Representatives

Representative Ann Johnson is a former Chief Human Trafficking Prosecutor, current teacher, and small business owner who works as an attorney in our criminal justice system for victims of sexual exploitation and those who cannot afford a lawyer.

Ann currently works as a teacher and attorney and owns a small business. She previously served as Chief Human Trafficking Prosecutor.

2026 Texas General Election

My legislative priorities are: Medicaid expansion and access to affordable quality healthcare, including mental health services; women’s health and reproductive rights; free and fair elections; gun safety; climate change; restoring local control, including local control of working conditions, minimum wages and benefits, and non-discrimination policies. We must stop the vicious, ignorant attacks on the transgender community. I will fight when I have to and continue to work across party lines when I can.

Texas State Representative Democratic Candidates | League of Women Voters of Houston | Houston, TX — Ann Johnson

We have shortchanged the children of Texas for too long. House Bill 3 was a welcome development, but hardly a substitute for the decades-long neglect of public education in Texas. We must increase the state's share of spending on public education. HB 3 relied on one-time revenue sources. We must find new and sustainable revenue streams, starting with closing the "equal and uniform" section of Texas tax law that enables owners of large commercial and industrial properties to have their assessments reduced below fair market value.

Ann Johnson | TTV

4. Do you believe the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) should be maintained as a traditional defined benefit pension plan for all future, current, and retired educators, or do you support converting TRS to a defined contribution plan that is more like a 401(k) plan, in which future benefits are not guaranteed? I support keeping TRS as a defined benefit plan. It provides the best and most secure retirement for our teachers.

8. State law allows educators and other public employees to voluntarily choose to join professional associations such as ATPE and have membership dues deducted from their paychecks at no cost to taxpayers. Do you support or oppose letting all public employees continue to exercise this right? I absolutely support voluntary payroll deductions. The state has no right to tell educators how to spend their hard-earned money.

Advocates restoring local control over working conditions, minimum wages, benefits, and nondiscrimination policies.

Proposes closing a Texas tax-law provision that allows large commercial and industrial property assessments below fair market value.

Supports maintaining the Teacher Retirement System as a defined-benefit pension plan.

Supports voluntary payroll deductions for public employees' professional-association dues.

- Advocates restoring local control over working conditions, minimum wages, benefits, and nondiscrimination policies.
- Proposes closing a Texas tax-law provision that allows large commercial and industrial property assessments below fair market value.
- Supports maintaining the Teacher Retirement System as a defined-benefit pension plan.
- Supports voluntary payroll deductions for public employees' professional-association dues.

Economy

In the 2023 session, Ann passed legislation to protect doctors from prosecution for performing emergency abortions on patients with severe pregnancy complications. Ann passed new laws to add six new criminal courts in Harris County to reduce crime, toughen penalties on mass shooters, crack down on illegal street racing, increase mental health protections for youth in the criminal justice system, and protect homeowners’ property values.

Ann Johnson – State Representative District 134

Ann successfully prosecuted some of the worst traffickers and her work eventually led to the establishment of the Human Trafficking Section where she served as the Chief Prosecutor until 2017. In addition to holding exploiters accountable, Ann worked to modify Harris County’s approach to better identify victims who were misidentified as offenders with a model of “arrest as recovery, not conviction.”

In addition to holding exploiters accountable, Ann worked to modify Harris County’s approach to better identify victims who were misidentified as offenders with a model of “arrest as recovery, not conviction.” Ann also established S.A.F.E. Court after receiving a Department of Justice grant to provide support to those 17 to 25 - years of age arrested for prostitution.

Said she passed laws adding six criminal courts in Harris County, increasing penalties for mass shooters, and cracking down on illegal street racing.

Said she passed laws increasing mental-health protections for youth in the criminal justice system.

Worked to identify trafficking victims who had been misidentified as offenders, using an "arrest as recovery, not conviction" model.

Established S.A.F.E. Court to support people ages 17–25 arrested for prostitution.

- Said she passed laws adding six criminal courts in Harris County, increasing penalties for mass shooters, and cracking down on illegal street racing.
- Said she passed laws increasing mental-health protections for youth in the criminal justice system.
- Worked to identify trafficking victims who had been misidentified as offenders, using an "arrest as recovery, not conviction" model.
- Established S.A.F.E. Court to support people ages 17–25 arrested for prostitution.

Public Safety

3. How would you address the challenge of rising healthcare costs facing Texas educators and ensure that active and retired educators have access to affordable healthcare? I will fight for Medicaid expansion and for expanding healthcare coverage for all Texans, including educators. As a cancer survivor, access to quality healthcare saved my life. I also support increasing the state contributions toward health insurance for active and retired educators.

I will fight for Medicaid expansion and for expanding healthcare coverage for all Texans, including educators. As a cancer survivor, access to quality healthcare saved my life. I also support increasing the state contributions toward health insurance for active and retired educators.

In 2023, I worked with Republicans to pass bipartisan legislation which clarified and strengthened protections for physicians treating pregnant patients with medical emergencies and expanded access to medically necessary abortions.

Advocates Medicaid expansion and broader health-care coverage, including for educators.

Supports increasing state contributions toward health insurance for active and retired educators.

Said she helped pass bipartisan legislation expanding access to medically necessary abortions and strengthening protections for physicians treating pregnancy emergencies.

- Advocates Medicaid expansion and broader health-care coverage, including for educators.
- Supports increasing state contributions toward health insurance for active and retired educators.
- Said she helped pass bipartisan legislation expanding access to medically necessary abortions and strengthening protections for physicians treating pregnancy emergencies.

Healthcare

10. Recent legislation has made it possible for school districts to exempt themselves from many state laws. Do you agree with this type of deregulation of public schools, and how should such non-traditional schools be governed? Districts of innovation need to be reined in. If the state would adequately fund public education, as I believe is constitutionally required, there would be no need for the abuse of this concept to get around regulations that are necessary to protect students and teachers.

1. If elected, what will be your top priorities for public education? I'm running to make education a priority in Texas again. Without new leadership in Austin that makes education a top priority, the next generation of Texans is likely to be less educated, less employable and less prosperous than we are. My first priority will be finding the sustainable funding lacking in HB 3. I will also work to reduce the reliance on standardized testing, remove the barriers to recruiting and retaining qualified teachers, and – especially given what we are going through in Houston – repeal state takeover laws and revamp Robin Hood.

We have shortchanged the children of Texas for too long. House Bill 3 was a welcome development, but hardly a substitute for the decades-long neglect of public education in Texas. We must increase the state's share of spending on public education. HB 3 relied on one-time revenue sources.

5. What do you feel is the proper role of standardized testing in Texas's public education system? For instance, should student test scores be used for school accountability purposes, for evaluating teachers, for measuring student progress, etc.? Standardized testing should never be the primary determinant on whether a student can advance or graduate. I support input from IGC committees, teachers, staff and parents.

6. To what extent should student performance determine teacher pay? I am opposed to "merit pay" based on measures such as standardized test grades. These are not a valid measure for teacher performance any more than student performance. The state should help fund across-the-board pay raises for Texas teachers until they reach the national average.

I am opposed to "merit pay" based on measures such as standardized test grades. These are not a valid measure for teacher performance any more than student performance. The state should help fund across-the-board pay raises for Texas teachers until they reach the national average.

7. Would you vote to create any type of voucher, tax credit, scholarship, education savings account, or other program aimed at paying for students, including any subpopulation of students, to attend non-public K-12 schools, such as private or home schools? In no circumstances should public funds be spent on private or charter schools. We are in no position whatsoever to drain funds from public education, period.

9. What role, if any, should charter schools have in the public education system, and do you feel the number of charter schools operating in Texas should be reduced or expanded? There can be a limited role for charter schools in Texas, but there is no reason they should not be held to the same standards of accountability, transparency and performance.

Calls for limiting districts of innovation and adequately funding public education.

Advocates increasing state spending on public education through sustainable funding.

Supports reducing reliance on standardized testing and using educator, parent, and committee input in student advancement decisions.

Opposes teacher merit pay based on standardized-test scores.

Supports state-funded across-the-board teacher pay raises until Texas reaches the national average.

Opposes using public funds for private or charter schools.

Supports a limited role for charter schools with the same accountability, transparency, and performance standards as other schools.

- Calls for limiting districts of innovation and adequately funding public education.
- Advocates increasing state spending on public education through sustainable funding.
- Supports reducing reliance on standardized testing and using educator, parent, and committee input in student advancement decisions.
- Opposes teacher merit pay based on standardized-test scores.
- Supports state-funded across-the-board teacher pay raises until Texas reaches the national average.
- Opposes using public funds for private or charter schools.
- Supports a limited role for charter schools with the same accountability, transparency, and performance standards as other schools.

Education

"House District 134 knows all too well the risks that come with major flooding and significant rainfall,” said State Representative Ann Johnson. “I am proud that the Texas Legislature was able to secure $16,900,000 for the much needed and long overdue improvements to Poor Farm Ditch."

Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher press release

Supports $16.9 million in Texas legislative funding for Poor Farm Ditch drainage improvements.

Supported $16.9 million in Texas legislative funding for Poor Farm Ditch drainage improvements.

- Supported $16.9 million in Texas legislative funding for Poor Farm Ditch drainage improvements.

Energy & the Environment

As of July 22, 2026, Ann Johnson’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Voting & Elections

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Ann Johnson

- Advocates increasing state spending on public education through sustainable funding.
- Supports reducing reliance on standardized testing and using educator, parent, and committee input in student advancement decisions.
- Opposes teacher merit pay based on standardized-test scores.
- Supports state-funded across-the-board teacher pay raises until Texas reaches the national average.
- Opposes using public funds for private or charter schools.
- Supports a limited role for charter schools with the same accountability, transparency, and performance standards as other schools.

Ann Johnson is from Houston, Texas. She has a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas and a law degree from South Texas College of Law Houston. 

Texas State House District 134

Ann is an attorney. She previously worked as a briefing attorney for the Honorable Leslie Brock Yates, then a justice on the Fourteenth Court of Appeals, and as a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney's Office. She also served as the chief human trafficking prosecutor for Harris County. Ann has been an adjunct professor of law at South Texas College of Law Houston since 2001. She is also a small business owner.

Ann is currently a state representative for Texas House District 134.

Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher and Partners Announce Funding ...

For Candidate Ann Johnson on Issue public-safety: Supports a special court dedicated to assisting children in the juvenile justice system who may also be victims of human trafficking.

Buket Urgen

Alejandra Gracias

Mike Michna

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