Occupation: Attorney
Education: BS Pan American University, JD Georgetown University
Legislative Experience: House member, 1981-1991/1997-2002; Senate member (2002)
Hometown: McAllen
Party: Democrat

Born in McAllen, Texas, in Hidalgo County, Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa is the eldest of eight children born to Juan de Dios and Esperanza Hinojosa. He attended Mission ISD schools as a child and worked as a farm worker during his teen years. He led the Mission Eagles football team as their quarterback, and after graduating, Hinojosa volunteered to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps.

In Vietnam, Hinojosa served as a squad leader from 1966 to 1968 before returning home to continue his education. Hinojosa graduated with honors from the University of Texas-Pan American with a bachelor's degree in political science. He completed his legal studies at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.

After returning to South Texas, Hinojosa served as staff attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Nueces County and later as an Assistant Attorney General for the Texas Attorney General. In 1980, Hinojosa began his own private practice in McAllen, where he continues to represent clients in both civil and criminal matters.

Hinojosa was first elected into office in 1981, serving in the Texas House until 1990 and again from 1997 to 2002. During his tenure in the Texas House, Hinojosa passed landmark legislation, such as the establishment of the Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC) which promotes physician training on the Texas/Mexico Border. As the Chairman of Criminal Jurisprudence, Senator Hinojosa sponsored the Texas Fair Defense Act, reforming procedures for providing court-appointed defense counsel to indigent defendants, and carried DNA legislation that has resulted in freeing many wrongly convicted citizens.

Since his election to the Texas Senate in 2002, Hinojosa has secured more than $84.7 million for new construction at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and at the University of Texas-Pan American. Senator Hinojosa's efforts have brought millions in funding to support the growth of Senate District 20, composed of Brooks, Hidalgo, Jim Wells, and Nueces Counties.

Senator Hinojosa is currently the vice-chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and he also holds seats on the Senate's Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Criminal Justice, Jurisprudence and Natural Resource Committees. Hinojosa is in his second term on the Sunset Advisory Commission, a bipartisan panel that reviews the effectiveness of state agencies. The panel decides to continue agencies or abolish unnecessary and duplicative state entities.

During the 2007 legislative session, Hinojosa authored S.B. 103, reshaping the state's troubled Texas Youth Commission after investigations by the Texas Rangers found instances of sexual and physical abuse of youth in state facilities. S.B. 103 made a number of fundamental changes, including ending the practice of housing children with adults and creating a Parent's Bill of Rights, guaranteeing swift and accurate access to information about caseworkers' duties and the agency's grievance policies. Hinojosa championed legislation to rein in rising university tuition costs and he has worked with a bipartisan group of legislators to allocate more than $120 million on training and technology for border security.

Senator Hinojosa has received a number of awards for his public service during his more than 20 years as an elected representative of South Texas. Twice he has been named one of Texas' "Top 10 Legislators" by Texas Monthly magazine, and the National Organization of Women named him their "Legislator of the Year." In 2005, he was recognized as a Legislator of the Year by the Justices of the Peace and Constables Association of Texas and also received the John Henry Faulk Award from the American Civil Liberties Union. In 2006, Hinojosa was presented with the Public Servant of the Year Award by the Texas Coalition of Texans with Disabilities, and Capitol Inside has twice named Senator Hinojosa to their Top Ten Legislator list. He has also been a co-recipient of the James Madison Award given by the Freedom of Information Foundation.

Photos

Noticias KNVO (Univision Channel 48 - McAllen) speaks with Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa at the Lone Star National Bank in McAllen on Monday, February 1, about his appointment to the Legislative Budget Board. Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst made the announcement in McAllen prior to a luncheon with local business leaders to discuss regional economic development issues and job creation opportunities.

Newsletter

Capitol Update, Winter 2009 (PDF)

Press Room
[Press Archives: 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 - 2003]

February 1, 2010
Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst Names Hinojosa to Legislative Budget Board

January 13, 2010
Lieutenant Governor Releases Interim Charges; Hinojosa Recommendations Featured

January 5, 2010
State Preservation Board Gives Tejano Monument Final Approval

November 16, 2009
MEDIA ADVISORY

November 4, 2009
Texas Voters Approve Both of Hinojosa's Constitutional Amendments

[ MORE ... ]

Office Information

E-mail Form

Thank you for taking the time to write. Your thoughts and views are very important to me. I make every attempt to respond to the high volume of e-mail I receive, but I do place priority on those constituents in my district -- Senate District 20. All responses are returned through U.S. mail as soon as possible. Please make sure you write your postal address and phone number on each feedback form you send.

State Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa

81st Session Committee Membership

• Finance, Vice-Chair
• Agriculture & Rural Affairs
• Criminal Justice
• Jurisprudence
• Natural Resources
• Sunset Advisory Commission
• Legislative Budget Board

District Analysis: District 20

Click the map to view a detailed district map in PDF format

Population and Household Education and Employment Income and Analysis Population Analysis Precinct and Districts Cities and Census Designated Places School Districts General Election Analysis