A native of Austin, Donna earned a Bachelor’s degree in nursing and a Master’s degree in health education from the University of Texas. She worked as a critical care nurse at Brackenridge and Seton hospitals and served as Austin’s first hospital-based Patient Education Coordinator.

Representative Donna Howard Biography — Texas House of Representatives

Donna was elected to the Eanes ISD board in West Austin for the 1996-1999 term. She has served on the boards of Austin Area Interreligious Ministries, Common Cause Texas, Texas Freedom Network, and the Texas Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. She now serves as a board member of the Expanding Horizons Foundation, supporting low-income housing and education.

Donna Howard is a native of Austin. She earned a bachelor's degree in nursing and a master's degree in health education from the University of Texas. She has served on the boards of Austin Area Interreligious Ministries, Common Cause Texas, Texas Freedom Network, and the Texas Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.

Rep. Howard, Donna - District 48 - Texas House of Representatives

A native of Austin, Donna earned a Bachelor’s degree in nursing and a Master’s degree in health education from the University of Texas. She worked as a critical care nurse at Brackenridge and Seton hospitals and served as Austin’s first hospital-based Patient Education Coordinator. Donna is a past president of the Texas Nurses Association (District 5) and was a health education instructor at UT.

Donna Howard worked as a critical care nurse at Brackenridge and Seton hospitals and served as a hospital-based Patient Education Coordinator.

Donna worked as a critical care nurse at Brackenridge and Seton hospitals and served as a hospital-based Patient Education Coordinator.

Representative Donna Howard has served in the Texas House of Representatives since 2006. She currently serves as the Vice-Chair of Article II in the House Appropriations Committee and as Vice Chair of the Higher Education Committee.

Donna Howard in special election 1/17/2006, runoff election 2/14/2006, sworn 3/2/2006, succeeded unexpired term of Todd Baxter, resigned 11/1/2005. Texas Secretary of State - Historical Election Returns, 1992-2019.

Member Profile for Donna Howard — Texas Legislative Reference Library

Donna was elected to the Eanes ISD board in West Austin for the 1996-1999 term. She has served on the boards of Austin Area Interreligious Ministries, Common Cause Texas, Texas Freedom Network, and the Texas Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.

Donna has served in the Texas House of Representatives since 2006. She entered the House through a 2006 special election to succeed Todd Baxter's unexpired term. Donna previously served on the Eanes Independent School District board in West Austin from 1996 to 1999.

2026 Texas General Election

Donna is a leader on women’s health policy, nursing, and accountable government. In the 86th and 87th Legislative Sessions, Texas Monthly named her one of their “Best Legislators.” In the 88th Legislative Session, Representative Howard was able to pass the Tax F.R.E.E. Act, which eliminates the sales tax for menstrual produts, diapers, wipes, and other essential family products.

About — Team Howard TX

I was an author on the HB 20 bill, which is an idea that I have championed since 2017. This legislation would have created a long term fund comprised of dollars from the state’s savings account, the Economic Stabilization Fund, that would be strategically and responsibly invested in order to generate revenue for the state - all without raising taxes on Texans. Unfortunately, the bill failed to pass through the Senate.

Rep. Donna Howard 86th Session Recap — Team Howard TX

Passed the Tax F.R.E.E. Act, eliminating sales taxes on menstrual products, diapers, wipes, and other essential family products.

Authored House Bill (HB) 20 to invest state savings and generate state revenue without raising taxes.

- Passed the Tax F.R.E.E. Act, eliminating sales taxes on menstrual products, diapers, wipes, and other essential family products.
- Authored House Bill (HB) 20 to invest state savings and generate state revenue without raising taxes.

Economy

Responsible Gun Use
I was pleased that the legislature included my budget rider directing the Dept. of Public Safety (DPS) to spend $1 million to implement a safe storage public safety awareness campaign. This common-sense measure does not create any new laws. It simply reminds firearms owners to safely store their guns similar to PSAs like “Click It or Ticket” and “Don’t Mess with Texas.”

Supporting Survivors
This session was notable for the comprehensive approach the legislature took to address sexual violence. I’m proud to have played a key role in those efforts, having passed two bills that have been hailed for their significant policy approaches to sexual assault. HB 1590 creates a Sexual Assault Survivors’ Task Force in the Governor’s office, pulling together a multi-disciplinary, interagency task force to establish survivor-centered best practices, and coordinate how these standards can complement each other.

HB 1735 is a comprehensive “Texas Title IX” that puts into place fair and accountable processes for university investigations into sexual assault, harassment, stalking and dating violence. It ensures allegations are taken seriously, and makes prevention and education a vital component.

Equal Opportunities for Women.
After learning that incarcerated women have inequitable access to educational and vocational opportunities, I filed HB 3227, which requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to adopt and implement policies that will promote incarcerated women’s access to educational, vocational, and other pre-release programs.

Secured $1 million for a Department of Public Safety campaign promoting safe firearm storage.

Passed HB 1590 to create a survivor-centered, interagency sexual-assault task force in the governor's office.

Passed HB 1735 to establish university procedures for investigating sexual assault, harassment, stalking, and dating violence.

Filed HB 3227 to expand incarcerated women's access to educational, vocational, and pre-release programs.

- Secured $1 million for a Department of Public Safety campaign promoting safe firearm storage.
- Passed HB 1590 to create a survivor-centered, interagency sexual-assault task force in the governor's office.
- Passed HB 1735 to establish university procedures for investigating sexual assault, harassment, stalking, and dating violence.
- Filed HB 3227 to expand incarcerated women's access to educational, vocational, and pre-release programs.

Public Safety

As a former registered nurse, Rep. Donna Howard has made improving access to quality healthcare for women a priority since arriving at the Texas Legislature. She’s filed legislation to lower the cost of contraceptives, worked to preserve women’s reproductive rights, passed bills to improve the foster care system, and expanded the availability of childcare.

Women's Health — Team Howard TX

What Donna’s Been Doing:

* Spoke against SB 22, banning abortion affiliates from any type of taxpayer-backed funding, regardless of whether abortions are conducted at the facility, and HB 16, the “Born Alive” bill that seeks to intimidate physicians and other medical professionals.

Passed a bill out of the House, which would allow Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) coverage of contraceptives for enrollees with parental consent.

Healthcare Access
A perennial problem for our state is Republican leadership’s inability to pass common-sense legislation, such as Medicaid Expansion, that would increase healthcare access and lower costs. Nevertheless, I fought for both simple and intensive healthcare legislation.

Finally, I filed HB 1146 to protect healthcare professionals by requiring employer-run workplace violence prevention programs. With significant support, I made great strides on this landmark bill. While it, unfortunately, failed to move through the legislative process in time, I’m confident it can pass next session.

Filed legislation to lower contraceptive costs and worked to preserve women's reproductive rights.

Opposed Senate Bill (SB) 22 and House Bill (HB) 16, which respectively restricted abortion-provider funding and created new requirements concerning live births after abortions.

Passed a House bill to allow Children's Health Insurance Program coverage of contraceptives with parental consent.

Advocates for Medicaid expansion to increase healthcare access and lower costs.

Filed HB 1146 to require employer workplace-violence prevention programs for healthcare professionals.

- Filed legislation to lower contraceptive costs and worked to preserve women's reproductive rights.
- Opposed Senate Bill (SB) 22 and House Bill (HB) 16, which respectively restricted abortion-provider funding and created new requirements concerning live births after abortions.
- Passed a House bill to allow Children's Health Insurance Program coverage of contraceptives with parental consent.
- Advocates for Medicaid expansion to increase healthcare access and lower costs.
- Filed HB 1146 to require employer workplace-violence prevention programs for healthcare professionals.

Healthcare

Paved the way for HB 3, filing legislation in 2017 which requires a 50% state share towards public education. Prior to that, in 2013 and 2015, Donna worked with a bipartisan group of leaders on the Appropriations and Public Education Committees to pass House budgets with many similar provisions. These included full day pre-K, increases in Career and Technical Education funding, and increasing the state’s share of funding.

Education — Team Howard TX

Donna is a leader in advancing Open Educational Resources - free or at cost textbooks with a Creative Commons license, cutting costs substantially for districts and college students. In 2017,she was able to pass riders and legislation setting up incentives for colleges and TEA to create such materials; established a digital repository for OER materials once created, and ensured the savings are assessed.

Passed legislation to allow for lower interest rates on refinanced student loans.

To tackle some of the problems facing our foster youth, I was able to pass two pieces of legislation. HB 1702 directs resources to liaison officers at public higher education institutions to support students who are former foster youth. Although these students qualify for a tuition waiver, only three percent currently graduate with a bachelor’s degree.

I successfully amended a bill that I’ve filed for the past five sessions onto HB 3. HB 314 allows public schools to use a dedicated stream of state revenue to pay for childcare and other services critical to the success of students with children of their own.

Filed legislation requiring the state to cover 50% of public education costs.

Advanced free or low-cost open educational resources for school districts and college students.

Passed legislation allowing lower interest rates on refinanced student loans.

Passed HB 1702 to provide public-college liaison support for students formerly in foster care.

Amended HB 3 to let public schools fund child care and services for students with children.

- Filed legislation requiring the state to cover 50% of public education costs.
- Advanced free or low-cost open educational resources for school districts and college students.
- Passed legislation allowing lower interest rates on refinanced student loans.
- Passed HB 1702 to provide public-college liaison support for students formerly in foster care.
- Amended HB 3 to let public schools fund child care and services for students with children.

Education

Career Highlights
Texas State Representative, District 48
Board Member, Texas Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy and Expanding Horizon Foundation
Trustee, Eanes Independent School District
Past President, Texas Nurses Association, District 5
Patient Education Coordinator, SETON Medical Center
Instructor, UT Austin, Dept of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation
Critical Care Nurse, Brackenridge Hospital and SETON Medical Center
Co-founder, Air Quality Caucus – bipartisan group working to reduce air pollution and its negative health impacts

Donna Howard — University of Texas at Austin College of Education

For as long as I’ve been on the Appropriations Committee, I’ve been working with local governments to restore and maintain state funds for regional air quality monitoring via Rider 7 in the TX Commission on Environmental Quality’s budget. Last session, this important rider was vetoed, but this time I was able to restore $4.5 million in funding by working with the Governor’s office and my colleagues.

Co-founded a bipartisan caucus focused on reducing air pollution and its health effects.

Restored $4.5 million in state funding for regional air-quality monitoring.

- Co-founded a bipartisan caucus focused on reducing air pollution and its health effects.
- Restored $4.5 million in state funding for regional air-quality monitoring.

Energy & the Environment

What Donna’s Been Doing:

* Regularly advocates for and files legislation for a Texas independent redistricting commission.

Responsible Government — Team Howard TX

What Donna’s Been Doing:

* Filed legislation to make the state put the required financial disclosure statements of candidates and officeholders online, rather than only being accessible by visiting a building in Austin.

What Donna’s Been Doing:

* Since 2013 she has passed and filed several bills requiring open meetings by state agencies to be webcasted.

Advocates for and files legislation to create an independent Texas redistricting commission.

Filed legislation to publish candidates' and officeholders' required financial disclosures online.

Passed and filed bills requiring state agencies to webcast open meetings.

- Advocates for and files legislation to create an independent Texas redistricting commission.
- Filed legislation to publish candidates' and officeholders' required financial disclosures online.
- Passed and filed bills requiring state agencies to webcast open meetings.

Voting & Elections

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
    <meta charset="utf-8">
    <title>Application Error</title>
    <style media="screen">
      html,body,iframe {
        margin: 0;
        padding: 0;
      }

      html,body {
        height: 100%;
        overflow: hidden;
      }

      iframe {
        width: 100%;
        height: 100%;
        border: 0;
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <iframe src="https://www.herokucdn.com/error-pages/application-error.html"></iframe>
  </body>
</html>

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

Donna Howard

- Opposed Senate Bill (SB) 22 and House Bill (HB) 16, which respectively restricted abortion-provider funding and created new requirements concerning live births after abortions.
- Passed a House bill to allow Children's Health Insurance Program coverage of contraceptives with parental consent.
- Advocates for Medicaid expansion to increase healthcare access and lower costs.
- Filed HB 1146 to require employer workplace-violence prevention programs for healthcare professionals.

- Restored $4.5 million in state funding for regional air-quality monitoring.

Rep. Howard, Donna — Biography

For the past 17 years, Rep. Donna Howard has been advancing policies that improve the lives of Texans and her constituents. Now one of the more senior House members, Donna is a leader on women’s health policy, nursing, and accountable government. In the 88th Legislative Session, Representative Howard was able to pass the Tax F.R.E.E. Act, which eliminates the sales tax for menstrual produts, diapers, wipes, and other essential family products.

Meet Team Howard

Passed the Tax F.R.E.E. Act, eliminating sales taxes on menstrual products, diapers, wipes, and other essential products for families.

- Passed the Tax F.R.E.E. Act, eliminating sales taxes on menstrual products, diapers, wipes, and other essential products for families.

We need to fully fund the School Safety Allotment and ensure we increase the allotment to account for new changes and requirements in law. If given sufficient funding, most school districts would be able to purchase the resources they need to make their schools safe. However, hardening schools is only part of the solution. We must also pass stricter gun laws that include raising the age to purchase assault weapons and requiring background checks for handgun purchases at point of sale and/or for permit to purchase.

Donna Howard | TTV

We need to fully fund the School Safety Allotment and ensure we increase the allotment to account for new changes and requirements in law. If given sufficient funding, most school districts would be able to purchase the resources they need to make their schools safe.

By:AAHoward H.B.ANo.A257
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to exceptions to and the repeal of certain laws
prohibiting abortion.

89(R) HB 257 - Introduced version

What Donna’s Been Doing:

* Spoke against SB 22, banning abortion affiliates from any type of taxpayer-backed funding, regardless of whether abortions are conducted at the facility, and HB 16, the “Born Alive” bill that seeks to intimidate physicians and other medical professionals.

* Helped drive $9.4 million additional dollars into Texas’ women’s health programs.

* Helped drive $9.4 million additional dollars into Texas’ women’s health programs.

* Urged HHS to consider bulk purchasing of Long-Acting Removable Contraceptives (LARC), thereby reducing costs.

* Passed a bill out of the House, which would allow Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) coverage of contraceptives for enrollees with parental consent.

* Urged HHS to consider bulk purchasing of Long-Acting Removable Contraceptives (LARC), thereby reducing costs.

* Passed a bill out of the House, which would allow Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) coverage of contraceptives for enrollees with parental consent.

* Continues to file bills removing the ‘pink tax’ which classifies feminine hygiene products as unnecessary luxuries.

* Worked to preserve the Women’s Health Advisory Committee.

* Filed legislation requiring all health insurance plans to cover prescription contraceptive drugs.

* Amended a budget rider to get a more accurate understanding of provider participation in the Texas Women's Health Program (TWHP).

In order to lower the teacher’s share of premiums, the state could increase our contribution percentage. Furthermore, we should allow school districts to choose from multiple health care plans to meet teacher needs. Beyond these solutions, the Legislature must address healthcare affordability overall as any changes made will inherently improve the system for everyone.

Fully funding our public schools is my top priority; without adequate funding, districts will continue to struggle to provide students with a quality education. This is why, for the past several sessions I have introduced legislation that would increase the basic allotment and provide for an annual adjustment as determined by the comptroller applying the inflation rate to the allotment for the preceding school year. My second priority would be to restore autonomy in the education system.

Education savings accounts (ESAs) redirect public funds to private or home schools. How do you believe Texas should fund public schools, traditional and charter, alongside ESA vouchers? How should ESA spending be held accountable to taxpayers? I believe the state should always prioritize fully funding our district public school system above funding charter schools and the ESA program. Unfortunately, a greater proportion of state funds already goes to charter schools as the state covers the entire cost per pupil.

Other states with similar programs have seen rampant fraud, waste, and abuse of taxpayer dollars. To avoid similar situations in Texas, the Legislature should require regular publicly available audits of how the funds are being spent. Furthermore, we should require the Comptroller to provide the public access to detailed information on students’ academic performance, their race, disability status and household income, and the schools they attended before entering the program.

According to the Teacher Vacancy Taskforce’s 2023 report, increasing and enhancing compensation packages for teachers is foundational to teacher retention and recruitment. The National Education Association estimates that the average salary of Texas educators – $62,474 – is about $9,300 less than the U.S. average. This is unacceptable. First, we must raise teacher salaries to be competitive with other states. We must also reinstate tying increased salaries to increases in the Basic Allotment and tie it to inflation.

In addition, we must continue to focus on making college affordable for every Texas student and ensure student loan repayment is not a barrier to becoming a teacher in Texas. One solution could be to create a loan repayment assistance program for teachers similar to the Nursing Loan Repayment.

Finally, we must find a way to ensure students have access to mental health support at school. Recent legislation has made it increasingly difficult for school nurses and counselors to support students who reach out for help. Again, we must work to better balance a parent’s rights with a child’s healthcare needs.

An ideal system would include the State Board of Education, the Texas Education Agency, and local districts working together to set curriculum standards and select instructional materials. The problem is both the outsized influence partisan politics has in the governance of each entity and how little say local districts have in the decision making process. Local districts should have more input in setting curriculum standards and should ultimately decide which instructional materials are most appropriate for their schools, guided by state standards set by the SBOE with TEA ensuring accountability.

While I do believe in a parents’ right to make decisions for their child, I do not believe this should become a barrier in the classroom or nurses’ office. We should make it easy for parents to know what is happening in the classroom and for them to communicate boundaries to their child’s teacher. An “opt-out” system preserves a parent’s right to decide what their child participates in and allows educators the flexibility to move forward with classroom activities.

Calls for public audits and detailed reporting on student outcomes for education savings account spending.

Supports greater local district input on curriculum standards and instructional materials, within state standards and Texas Education Agency accountability requirements.

- .
- .
- Calls for public audits and detailed reporting on student outcomes for education savings account spending.
- .
- .
- .
- Supports greater local district input on curriculum standards and instructional materials, within state standards and Texas Education Agency accountability requirements.
- .

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

Texas House of Representatives - Rep. Howard, Donna - Biography

Representative Howard was married to attorney Derek Howard for 40 wonderful years and they proudly raised three children together. Rep. Howard is also a grandmother to seven perfect grandchildren.

Representative Donna Howard has served in the Texas House of Representatives since 2006. She currently serves as the Vice-Chair of Article II in the House Appropriations Committee and as Vice Chair of the Higher Education Committee. Rep. Howard also serves as the Chairwoman of the Texas Women’s Health Caucus which is the largest caucus in the country solely focused on advancing women’s health policy.

Terms of service footnotes: “Proclamations, 11/29/2005, 11/30/2005, and 1/24/2006, Ordering special election, correction, and ordering runoff election in House District 48 to serve unexpired term of Todd Baxter.” “Donna Howard in special election 1/17/2006, runoff election 2/14/2006, sworn 3/2/2006, succeeded unexpired term of Todd Baxter, resigned 11/1/2005.”

Member profile for Donna Howard - Texas Legislative Reference Library

For the past 17 years, Rep. Donna Howard has been advancing policies that improve the lives of Texans and her constituents. Now one of the more senior House members, Donna is a leader on women’s health policy, nursing, and accountable government. In the 86th and 87th Legislative Sessions, Texas Monthly named her one of their “Best Legislators.” In the 88th Legislative Session, Representative Howard was able to pass the Tax F.R.E.E. Act, which eliminates the sales tax for menstrual produts, diapers, wipes, and other essential family products.

As a state representative, Donna Howard passed the Tax F.R.E.E. Act, eliminating sales tax on menstrual products, diapers, wipes, and other essential family products.

- As a state representative, Donna Howard passed the Tax F.R.E.E. Act, eliminating sales tax on menstrual products, diapers, wipes, and other essential family products.

Donna Howard is currently a member of the Texas House of Representatives representing District 48. She was first elected in 2006 and has served nine terms. She is vice chair of Article II in the House Appropriations Committee and vice chair of the Higher Education Committee.

Texas House of Representatives District 48 - Ballotpedia

Texas Rep. Donna Howard details in our Elected Officials Directory

As a member of the Texas House of Representatives, passed the Tax F. R. E. E. Act to eliminate the sales tax on menstrual products, diapers, wipes, and other essential family products.

Buket Urgen

Mauricio Mendez

Anthony Gupta

- Your state representative represents the interests of your local district in the Texas House of Representatives. The State House of Representatives, along with the State Senate, makes up your state lawmaking body: the Texas State Legislature
- Your state representative can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws. 
- There are 150 members of the Texas House of Representatives, each representing a single district. Representatives must be at least 21 years old and reside in the state for at least two years before their election. 
- State representatives are elected to two-year terms during even-numbered years. There are no term limits. 
- State representatives make $7,200 annually in addition to a $221 payment per day during legislative sessions and mileage reimbursements.

Your representative and state lawmaker in the Texas House of Representatives.