State Representative, Texas House District 49

Gina Hinojosa is a Democratic state representative from Austin who has served in the Texas House since 2017 and is the Democratic nominee for governor⁹¹. She grew up in the Rio Grande Valley, is a civil rights and union lawyer, and previously served as president of the Austin ISD school board⁴².

Where they stand

• School choice: No, keep public money in traditional public schools Voted · high confidence
  • Hinojosa voted no on SB 2, which created the state education savings account program. (2025-04-17) source
  • Hinojosa voted yes on an amendment removing the education savings account article from HB 1. (2023-11-17) source
  • Hinojosa says she will end what she calls the voucher scam and keep taxpayer dollars in neighborhood public schools. (2026) source
• Abortion: Legal in most cases up to viability (about 24 weeks) Said · high confidence
  • Hinojosa said she would sign a repeal of the abortion ban and supports a return to Roe v. Wade-era access, though she does not expect a Republican Legislature to pass it. (2026-09-25) source
  • Hinojosa voted no on SB 8, the 2021 law banning most abortions after cardiac activity is detected. (2021-05-06) source
  • Hinojosa voted no on HB 1280, the 2021 law prohibiting abortion. (2021-05-06) source
• AI data centers: Pause new approvals until the state finishes studying power and water impacts Said · medium confidence
  • Hinojosa called for an immediate moratorium on new data centers until the Legislature passes protections, and for ending the tax breaks given to large data centers. (2026) source
  • She has said she would have regulators freeze residential electricity rates until data centers and other high-load users pay for their own costs. (2026) source
• Property taxes: Eliminate school property taxes and replace them with sales tax or state money Said · medium confidence
  • Hinojosa says she would end corporate subsidies and use the savings to cut property taxes, with the end goal of eliminating residential property taxes. (2026) source
  • Hinojosa voted yes on SB 4, raising the school homestead exemption to 140,000 dollars, on second reading; she was recorded absent on the final House vote. (2025-05-20) source
  • A news review of her record says she voted against several bills limiting how fast cities, counties and school districts can raise property tax revenue, saying she voted to defend local control. (2026-09-24) source
• Gender care for minors: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · medium confidence
  • Hinojosa voted no on SB 14, which prohibits gender transition treatments for minors. (2023-05-15) source
  • She said the bills she voted against were efforts to 'punch down' at vulnerable Texans, but would not say whether she would sign a repeal of the ban on gender-affirming care for minors. (2026-09-25) source
• DEI programs: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · medium confidence
  • Hinojosa voted no on SB 17, which bans DEI initiatives at public universities. (2023-05-22) source
  • Hinojosa voted no on SB 12, which bars DEI duties in K-12 schools. (2025-05-25) source
• Religion in schools: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · medium confidence
  • Hinojosa voted no on SB 10, requiring Ten Commandments displays in classrooms. (2025-05-25) source
  • Hinojosa voted no on SB 11, allowing a period of prayer and Bible reading in schools. (2025-05-23) source
• Marijuana: Decriminalize small amounts (fines, not jail) Voted · medium confidence
  • Hinojosa voted yes on HB 218 in 2023, a bill lowering the penalties for possessing small amounts of marijuana. (2023-04-27) source
  • News coverage of the House vote describes HB 218 as making possession of an ounce or less a fine-only Class C misdemeanor, with citations instead of arrests. (2023-04-26) source
  • She also voted yes on HB 441 in 2021, a similar bill on marijuana possession penalties. (2021-04-30) source
• AI regulation: Let states like Texas write their own targeted AI rules Voted · medium confidence
  • Hinojosa voted yes on HB 149, which regulates the use of artificial intelligence systems in Texas. (2025-04-23) source
• Housing and growth: Allow townhomes and apartments in more places to bring prices down Voted · medium confidence
  • Hinojosa voted yes on final approval of SB 15, which limits lot size and density requirements for new homes in certain cities. (2025-06-01) source
  • She says she would stop private equity firms from buying up single-family homes and authored a 2025 bill limiting institutional investors' purchases. (2026) source
• Energy and climate: A gradual shift to cleaner energy, driven by incentives Said · low confidence
  • Hinojosa says the state needs better ways to get wind, solar and other clean and affordable energy onto the grid. (2026) source
• Immigration: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · medium confidence
  • Hinojosa voted no on SB 4, which made illegal entry into Texas a state crime. (2023-11-14) source
  • Hinojosa voted no on SB 8, on sheriff agreements with ICE. (2025-05-25) source
• Redistricting: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · medium confidence
  • Hinojosa voted no on HB 4, the 2025 mid-decade congressional map. (2025-08-20) source
• Transgender athletes: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · medium confidence
  • Hinojosa voted no on HB 25, requiring K-12 athletes to compete by biological sex. (2021-10-14) source
  • Hinojosa voted no on SB 15, applying the same rule to college sports. (2023-05-18) source
• Curriculum and books: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · medium confidence
  • Hinojosa voted no on HB 900, setting state rules for school library materials. (2023-04-20) source
  • Hinojosa voted no on final approval of SB 13, on school library advisory councils and parental rights. (2025-05-31) source
• Guns: Position does not fit our answer choices; see evidence. Voted · medium confidence
  • Hinojosa voted no on final approval of HB 1927, which allows handgun carry without a license. (2021-05-23) source

No public position found on: Safety net programs, Minimum wage, Business regulation, Healthcare, Texas power grid, Policing and crime, Election rules, Judges, Politicians trading stocks, Term limits, Campaign finance, Electoral College, Ranked-choice voting, Death penalty, Qualified immunity, Mandatory minimums, Drug prices, Childcare and pre-K, Paid leave, Student loans, Kids online, School vaccines, Nuclear power, E-Verify mandate, China policy.

Record

• Member of the Texas House of Representatives since 2017, representing a central Austin district⁹.
• Served on the Austin ISD board of trustees, including as board president⁴⁹.
• Won the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary for governor with 58.5 percent of the vote³.
• Listed by the Texas Secretary of State as the Democratic nominee for governor in the November 3, 2026 general election¹.