During the 2019 legislative session, Texas IAF leaders advanced efforts to generate millions in infrastructure dollars for Texas' poorest families. 

At the urging of Texas IAF leaders, Democratic Senators Eddie Lucio, Jr. and Juan Hinojosa, and Republican Senator Charles Perry from Lubbock, co-authored Senate Bill 2452 and Senate Joint Resolution 79, to allow the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) to use money from the Economically Distressed Areas Program (EDAP) to bring millions of dollars to economically distressed areas to cover most of the costs to provide access to drinking and waste water services. 

These bills passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in both chambers and on June 14, Republican Governor Greg Abbott signed the bill.  

An essential first step in making infrastructure funds available to the poorest communities in Texas, passage of the bill puts a proposed constitutional amendment on the statewide November 2019 ballot. 

EDAP was first created by Valley Interfaith, EPISO and West Texas Organizing Strategy, with sister Texas IAF organizations in 1989 -- and is the result of similar bi-partisan work with state senators and representatives.  EDAP legislation allows the state to sell bonds to invest in water and wastewater services in “colonias” and other low-income areas throughout the state.  

The proposed amendment must now pass in November in order to allow the State to borrow money on behalf of economically distressed communities.  

[In photo: (left) Reverend Kevin Collins, pastor of St. Eugene of Mazenod Catholic Church and leader with Valley Interfaith (photo courtesy of Rio Grande Guardian); (right) Rev. Alfonso Guevara, pastor of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and leaders with Valley Interfaith (photo by Fountain of Mercy Ministries]

Oped: Investing Millions of Dollars in Economically Distressed Areas, Rio Grande Guardian [pdf]