Jennifer Mushtaler

While state agencies are considered adequately funded to manage a response, federal budget cuts in 2025 weakened early detection and response in part due to closures of field sites. I would support evaluating the creation of a permanent fund for Texas biosecurity. Texas, in particular as a border state, needs to be able to finance prevention and rapid response of state agencies without waiting on the federal response. Some key elements to be included in a permanent fund could include supporting vehicle wash stations at major ports of entry, establishing permanent bio surveillance checkpoints and creating programs to incentivize private landowner surveillance. This approach is informed by TAHC/TDEM. TPWD, USDA as well as data gathered in partnerships from our universities.

Keywords: Texas biosecurity, checkpoints, surveillance

AI data centers are quintessential to national security. While the US currently maintains a dominant lead in cluster capacity, China has overcome the electron gap. Texas is uniquely poised with our central national location and areas in the state that are free from natural disaster risks. However, it is incumbent upon us to solve the power crisis to be able to generate and store power adjacent to data centers. There is interest in next generation nuclear power generation. As a physician and electrical engineer, I have concerns about safety, integrity and oversight of these proposed solutions and hope to see proposals for lower risk alternatives. Water is a critical resource. Policy for promoting data centers needs to include closed loop, direct chip cooling and greywater. Some of our nation’s leading AI experts postulate that if we couple AI with scientific innovation we have the ability to engineer new solutions not yet in existence. The Governor’s technology portfolio has 3 core programs that could be directed to incentivize and capture this opportunity/challenge. This approach is informed by technology publications, symposiums, and government defense experts.

Keywords: Electron gap, closed loop, direct chip cooling

In my view, the defining victory of the 89th legislature was the creation of the state’s first-ever constitutionally dedicated water funding mechanism—later approved by Texas voters as Proposition 4, which I campaigned locally in favor of. In the 90th session we will need to move from capital allocation to long-term planning and resource protection. We also need to resolve the battle between tech and agriculture. Many of our rural communities are dealing with antiquated infrastructure and lack of engineering staff. My husband and I feel like we are doing our part in recently graduating one in environmental science while our younger finishes a degree in chemical engineering. Unfortunately, I believe that cities like Austin contribute to the problem. I observed first hand while serving on the Planning Commission how hard our engineers in the water-shed work only to see their recommendations tossed by political movements that fail to consider the importance of infrastructure to the city and other downstream users. While the last leg created a possible framework for water sharing, there is much to be done.

In my opinion, this question is closely tied to question 2. To expand on policies specific to demand and extreme heat, I believe that Texas needs to adopt policies that promote integrating green spaces and cooling corridors. The Texas legislature previously passed legislation that strips municipalities and counties of authority to require aspects of development to incorporate measures critical to environmental resilience. I believe this type of legislation is short-sighted. I would seek legislative partners in the House and the Senate to bring forward measures to establish the creation of a commission that focuses on environmental resilience and stewardship. I grew up in Houston and lived through Tropical Storm Claudette which delivered 43 inches of rainfall in 24 hours. My family was rescued off the roof in the middle of the night. Last summer’s Kerrville disaster served as a traumatic reminder of what weather extremes in Texas can do. The variations in extreme heat are coupled with variations in water weather patterns and these need to be addressed holistically.

I will not support an H1B visa ban without thorough evaluation. I will educate other members of the legislature on the positive impacts that H1B visas have in keeping Texas and Texas research and technology on the forefront nationally and internationally. Further, I will help to inform members of the legislature on the positive economic and financial impacts that H1B visa holders have directly for our state. As a physician and engineer, I will use my platform to advocate for the restoration of federal programs and funding while looking for opportunities to bring other funding sources to our state.

An important component of the Medical Jurisprudence for medical licensure in the state of Texas (license in good standing since initial licensure 1990’s) requires an understanding of the distinctions between informed consent and medical assault and battery. I have always been passionate about my role and responsibility as a physician to educate. While I was in medical school at Parkland, I was elected to our outreach to the Dallas school district in which we presented a curriculum on sexually transmitted diseases to students. Our curriculum had to be submitted to the school board for approval annually. I then coordinated medical student volunteers with requesting schools for scheduling programs. I personally presented to auditoriums of students ages 13-18. Later, when I was in active practice, the HPV vaccine was first rolled out. As a medical community we were ecstatic to have a cancer prevention vaccine that was embraced by then Governor Rick Perry. Unfortunately, the mandates and the initial release which was to young women only back-fired. In exam rooms and with mothers/patients, I had to explain why the HPV vaccine was a cancer preventing measure. I learned a tremendous amount in my role as a physician and public educator through that experience. It helped me tremendously in the recent pandemic and roll out of the Covid vaccine. I believe as one of only a handful of physicians serving in the Texas legislature that I will have an important role in helping legislators create policy that is informed by science while respecting personal autonomy.

I have always been one who does not accept formulaic answers. I strive to understand more deeply and completely. I am curious by nature. My approach to evaluating competing or uncertain claims is to pursue a more comprehensive understanding by reading, asking questions and learning from subject matter experts. As a former President of our neighborhood HOA, I have also learned how to help parties reconcile differences or compromise on solutions.