Staci Childs

When threats occur, the best response is to focus on prevention first, then rapid detection and coordination. There needs to be support for ranchers and wildlife officials on identifying and reporting suspected cases. Additionally, I would examine whether small or family-owned producers have adequate access to veterinary services. I believe there should be biosecurity and investing in prevention methods is where we can save money. My decisions would be informed by the Texas Animal Health Commission, veterinarians, researchers, and agricultural producers.

I believe any investments we make to innovate and profit should benefit the life of our communities. Working families should not have to struggle more to make room for large companies when they lack other basic investments. This is important to me when I think about communities like those in House District 131. Some neighborhoods have experienced years of underinvestment and continue to struggle to access fresh, affordable food. We should take creating health services as seriously as we take incentives to attract billion-dollar data centers. For data centers, I would like greater transparency around their electricity and water demands.

Ensuring the long-term sustainability of our water resources requires a strategy that acknowledges the paradox of severe flooding occurring alongside persistent drought and groundwater exhaustion. I advocate for robust investment in modernizing our aging wastewater systems and expanding flood mitigation efforts. Enhancing our water supply through conservation and reuse is essential for every community. Because the agricultural sector is vital to our economy and a primary consumer of water, I support collaborative cost-sharing and incentives that empower ranchers and farmers to implement efficient practices. For families in House District 131, my priority is ensuring that neighborhoods which have historically faced underinvestment finally receive their equitable share of infrastructure funding and reliable access to safe, clean water.

Texans deserve to trust our electric grid during extreme heat and severe weather without worrying about skyrocketing utility bills. I’m excited to support initiatives that will strengthen our transmission infrastructure, uphold robust weatherization standards, and expand innovative energy storage and demand-response programs. As our population and economy thrive, we must ensure a diverse mix of reliable energy sources. Additionally, we must strategically plan for major new electricity users, like data centers, ensuring they contribute their fair share to infrastructure rather than placing the burden on residential customers and small businesses. I’m also committed to championing strong legislative oversight of ERCOT and the Public Utility Commission, as reliability, affordability, and accountability are key to a bright energy future for all Texans.

Texas universities, hospitals, and research institutions are major economic engines that create jobs, train scientists and physicians, and produce discoveries that improve people’s lives. I would support protecting stable federal investment in NIH research and oppose arbitrary funding changes that fail to account for the legitimate costs of maintaining laboratories, facilities, equipment, cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, and the workforce necessary to conduct high-quality research. At the state level, I would also consider targeted measures to protect strategically important Texas research capacity when temporary federal disruptions threaten major projects or researchers. Texas has invested decades in becoming a leader in medicine, science, technology, and innovation, and protecting that research infrastructure is both an economic-development priority and an investment in our future.

Public health policy must protect communities while also recognizing that trust cannot be built by dismissing people’s questions or concerns. I support evidence-based school vaccination requirements with appropriate medical exemptions, accessible vaccination services, and rapid public-health responses when outbreaks occur. At the same time, government needs to do a better job communicating with families through trusted physicians, schools, faith leaders, and community organizations, including providing information in the languages communities actually use. The measles outbreak demonstrated that vaccine-preventable diseases can still have serious consequences, particularly for children and vulnerable individuals. My approach would be to listen respectfully, provide transparent and scientifically accurate information, improve access to preventive care, and make decisions based on the best available medical evidence.

Scientific evidence and professional expertise are vital components of the policymaking process, particularly for complex issues like public health, energy, and agriculture. My approach involves examining the full body of evidence, prioritizing independently verified results that reflect broad consensus among researchers, while remaining mindful of potential biases. It is equally important to engage with families and local stakeholders whose lived experiences provide essential context that numbers alone might overlook. When expert consensus and public sentiment are at odds, our responsibility is to address those concerns through transparent communication without dismissing the underlying facts. Ultimately, I am committed to making decisions grounded in the best available medical and scientific evidence, while remaining flexible enough to adapt our strategies as new information emerges.