Arshia Papari is running for Texas State Representative in Texas House District 49 to represent Central Austin with a bold vision for a more just, dignified, and livable future. A second-generation Iranian-American, student of Government and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, and proud member of the Green Party, Arshia brings years of experience as a community organizer, advocate, and strategist.

Arshia for Texas

Arshia Papari is a second-generation Iranian-American. Arshia studies Government and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.

Howdy Longhorns! My name is Arshia Papari, and I'm running to be the passionate, and daring statesman you deserve!
I am an experienced political advocate, with political acumen and grit, having personally written and lobbied for legislation on educational legitimacy in the Texas Legislature.
I have worked with dozens of political organizations and entities for the progression of our society, especially for students and the youth, and currently work with an ambitious progressive office in the Texas Legislature as one of the youngest Legislative Aides in the Capitol.

2023 First-Year Election Candidate Statements

Good evening Chairman and Members of the Committee,
My name is Arshia Papari. I'm a Texan and student at the University of Texas at Austin, a community organizer, and the Green Party candidate for State Representative in House District 49. I'm here today because I believe Texans deserve better than what’s happening in this room.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMPILATION OF PUBLIC COMMENTS (Texas House Committee on Congressional Redistricting)

Arshia Papari currently works as a legislative aide in the Texas Legislature. She is a community organizer.

Arshia currently works as a legislative aide in the Texas Legislature. She is a community organizer.

2026 Texas General Election

Texans continue to suffer at the helm of inflated housing costs. For too long bad landlords have squeezed tenants for higher rents. A rent freeze is needed across the board to help everyday Texans get by. We need pricing controls, more market regulation, new development and social housing to support our communities in building brighter futures together.

Arshia for Texas | Platform

What would your top priorities be if elected?
My priorities are building an economically just Texas, freezing rents, developing social housing, creating universal healthcare, strengthening public schools, and protecting Texans’ rights. I will fight the billionaire class profiting from working people’s labor while they struggle to survive. Government should serve the people, not wealthy insiders or political machines!

Q&A: Meet the candidates running for Texas House District 49 in November’s election

As the federal government continues to cut food stamps and subsidies, it’s time for Texas to pick up the slack. It’s time for Texans to support Texans and keep food affordable. We need to take action to bring down the cost of groceries for every day Texans. That looks like state-funded grocery stores, further investments in our food production sectors, state expansion of subsidized food programs, and more emphasis on sustainability.

Corporate greed has poisoned our planet, stolen from working people, and corrupted our democracy. It’s time to put people over profit, by protecting workers’ rights, breaking the power of monopolies and ending their devastation of our environment, as well as taking corporate money out of politics.

Proposes a statewide rent freeze, pricing controls, more housing development, and social housing.

Proposes state-funded grocery stores, investment in food production, and expanded subsidized food programs to reduce grocery costs.

Advocates for protecting workers’ rights and breaking up monopolies.

Advocates for removing corporate money from politics.

- Proposes a statewide rent freeze, pricing controls, more housing development, and social housing.
- Proposes state-funded grocery stores, investment in food production, and expanded subsidized food programs to reduce grocery costs.
- Advocates for protecting workers’ rights and breaking up monopolies.
- Advocates for removing corporate money from politics.

Economy

A mental health approach in schools and policing promotes early intervention and de-escalation, addressing underlying issues before they become crises. We can improve policing by implementing mental health specialists in the Texas Department of Public Safety, limiting usage of police forces to violent crime, ending qualified immunity for law enforcement misconduct, and holding our public servants accountable.

Every year, the Texas Department of Corrections spends 2.5 billion dollars to keep people behind bars. Despite this massive budget, state prisons have a 30.7% recidivism rate. Y’all, the numbers aren’t adding up. Instead of pouring billions into a system that consistently fails, the hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars spent yearly on each individual imprisoned, are better spent on rehabilitation over incarceration.

Texans deserve specialized care to keep our communities safe and flourishing. Invest in mental health workers on transit to prevent crises and protect riders.

Every day, our fellow Texans face harm under our current system. We need to implement speedier justice by allocating more funding to improve court processes. To give all Texans a fair shot in our justice system, we must end the bail system, which harms those most economically disadvantaged in our society. Additionally, we need to make sure our justice system works diligently to end wrongful convictions.

Texans have always prided ourselves on the liberties we hold, most prized amongst them, the right to free speech. However in recent memory and currently, our state government in collaboration with higher political powers has worked to strip Texans of this sacred right, and in many ways has done so. We must fight back against this rampant abuse of the people, as students, dissidents, and everyday Texans lose their civil liberties. We must uphold the first amendment, our sacred right to free speech, and actively work against any harm to these rights.

Proposes ending qualified immunity for law-enforcement misconduct.

Advocates for prioritizing rehabilitation over incarceration.

Proposes placing mental-health specialists in the Texas Department of Public Safety and limiting police deployment to violent crime.

Proposes placing mental-health workers on public transit to prevent crises and protect riders.

Proposes increased funding for court processes and ending the bail system.

Advocates for efforts to end wrongful convictions.

Advocates for protecting free-speech rights.

- Proposes ending qualified immunity for law-enforcement misconduct.
- Advocates for prioritizing rehabilitation over incarceration.
- Proposes placing mental-health specialists in the Texas Department of Public Safety and limiting police deployment to violent crime.
- Proposes placing mental-health workers on public transit to prevent crises and protect riders.
- Proposes increased funding for court processes and ending the bail system.
- Advocates for efforts to end wrongful convictions.
- Advocates for protecting free-speech rights.

Public Safety

Texas families work hard enough to keep the lights on and put food on the table. It’s time for Texas to step up to help working parents by providing universal childcare, implementing universal and extended paid parental leave to bring families closer together and set our young Texans on a path to success.

Proposes universal child care and universal, extended paid parental leave.

- Prioritizes universal healthcare.
- Proposes universal child care and universal, extended paid parental leave.

Healthcare

The fact is, public schools are already facing a funding crisis. Texas ranks 43rd in the nation for per-student funding, and our teachers are underpaid by an average of $7,500 compared to their peers nationally. Introducing a voucher system will only exacerbate these problems, leading to larger class sizes, lower teacher pay, and worse outcomes for the 96% of Texas children who rely on public schools. We cannot afford to experiment with the education of our most vulnerable students. Instead of diverting funds away from public schools, we should be investing in them—ensuring they have the resources necessary to serve all students, especially those with disabilities. I urge you to reject the voucher system and focus on strengthening our public schools for the benefit of every Texas child.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMPILATION OF PUBLIC COMMENTS (PDF)

Opposes school vouchers and advocates for increased public-school investment, including resources for students with disabilities.

- Opposes school vouchers and advocates for increased public-school investment, including resources for students with disabilities.

Education

What projects are most important for the legislature to focus on for the future of Texas?
The legislature should prioritize affordable housing, public transit, strong public schools, universal healthcare, resilient infrastructure, and clean energy. We must protect Texans’ rights, invest in communities rather than corporate profits, and ban AI data centers that strain our power, water, and infrastructure. Texas must serve its people!

Proposes banning artificial-intelligence data centers that strain power, water, and infrastructure.

- Prioritizes clean energy.
- Proposes banning artificial-intelligence data centers that strain power, water, and infrastructure.

Energy & the Environment

Papari’s platform, which includes freezing housing costs, ending mass incarceration and protecting protestors’ rights, is also inextricably tied to the affairs of the University. Papari said his most important priority is allowing state institutions like the University to boycott certain entities. His concern stemmed from his time protesting the University’s investments in weapons manufacturers tied to Israel’s war on Gaza.

Student runs for UT Texas House district; current representative silent on future plans

While families across our state are still reeling from deadly floods, housing crises, school closures, and rising costs of living, this legislature has chosen to spend its time, not addressing basic needs, but doing mid-decade redistricting, without new census data and while the 2021 maps are still in court for racial gerrymandering, is indefensible. It’s not just unnecessary, it’s dishonest. It tells Texans that partisan gain is more important than Texans’ economic security, affordable homes, or functioning public schools.

I’m asking you to reject this power grab. Let the courts do their job. Let Texans be heard. And return your focus to the real work, helping Texans live with dignity. Don't mess with Texas.
Thank you.

Supports allowing state institutions, including the University of Texas, to boycott certain entities.

Opposes mid-decade congressional redistricting without new census data and calls for allowing courts to review the 2021 maps.

- Supports allowing state institutions, including the University of Texas, to boycott certain entities.
- Opposes mid-decade congressional redistricting without new census data and calls for allowing courts to review the 2021 maps.

Voting & Elections

Instagram

Arshia Papari

- Proposes state-funded grocery stores, investment in food production, and expanded subsidized food programs to reduce grocery costs.
- Advocates for protecting workers’ rights and breaking up monopolies.
- Advocates for removing corporate money from politics.

- Advocates for prioritizing rehabilitation over incarceration.
- Proposes placing mental-health specialists in the Texas Department of Public Safety and limiting police deployment to violent crime.
- Proposes placing mental-health workers on public transit to prevent crises and protect riders.
- Proposes increased funding for court processes and ending the bail system.
- Advocates for efforts to end wrongful convictions.
- Advocates for protecting free-speech rights.

- Proposes universal child care and universal, extended paid parental leave.

- Opposes mid-decade congressional redistricting without new census data and calls for allowing courts to review the 2021 maps.

Twitter

Mauricio Mendez

Buket Urgen

Montserrat Garibay

- 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.