FEATURED, FROM LEFT: Edinburg Mayor Omar Ochoa; First Lady Leah Wise; Roxanne Lerma, Director of Communications and Media, City of Edinburg; and U.S. Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa. Hinojosa congratulates Ochoa after administering the oath of office to the new mayor, who is an attorney, before a standing-room only audience on Wednesday, November 12, 2025 at the Edinburg Arts, Culture & Events Center (ACE), located at 315 W McIntyre Street. Ochoa won 62 percent of the vote during the Tuesday, November 4, 2025 mayoral race which also included former Mayor Richard Molina, former Mayor Pro Tem Johnny García, and writer and community activist Jonathan Salinas.
Photograph By XAVIAN ANDRÉS FLORES
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Mayor Omar Ochoa calls on Edinburg leadership at all levels “to swing for the fences in economic growth, working tirelessly to recruit businesses with high-paying jobs in technology, healthcare, and advanced trades”
By DAVID A. DÍAZ
[email protected]
Newly-elected Edinburg Mayor Omar Ochoa is calling on the city’s leadership at all levels “to swing for the fences in economic growth, working tirelessly to recruit businesses with high-paying jobs in technology, healthcare, and advanced trades.”
Ochoa, a trial lawyer and former Edinburg City Attorney, won 62 percent of the vote during the Tuesday, November 4, 2025 mayoral race which also included former Mayor Richard Molina, former Mayor Pro Tem Johnny García, and writer and community activist Jonathan Salinas.
“We must look to problems of the future before they overtake us. This includes securing the lifeblood of our future by championing bold, long-term water solutions for Edinburg. And we can’t do all of this alone. We need partnerships because we cannot grow our city on the backs of taxpayers. We must work directly with the school district, county, state, and federal levels to bring resources to Edinburg.”
A trial lawyer, also called a litigator, is an attorney who represents clients in court trials for both civil and criminal cases. Their work involves building a case strategy, prepare for and conducting trials, examining witnesses, presenting evidence, and arguing to a judge or jury. Trial lawyers are skilled in courtroom litigation and are prepared to argue for the best possible outcome in a trial, which can include settlements or going to court.
https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=what+is+a+trial+lawyer&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8
Edinburg and the Rio Grande Valley face a severe water shortage primarily due to the Rio Grande River’s critically-low levels, driven by drought and Mexico’s scarce water delivery to deep South Texas as required by a decades-long treaty with the United States. Edinburg is responding by implementing water conservation measures and planning to develop alternative water sources, such as a new treatment facility to extract and treat underground aquifers and reuse treated wastewater.
https://www.texastribune.org/2024/07/18/rio-grande-river-drought/
As Edinburg City Attorney, he served from November 2018 until April 2024 as the chief legal advisor to the mayor and city councilmembers, city officials, and all city departments, offices, and advisory boards.
In addition, as Edinburg City Attorney, appointed by the Edinburg City Council, he helped lead the city’s lobbying efforts before the Texas Legislature in 2023, 2021, and 2019, helping the mayor, city councilmembers, and state lobby teams secure millions of dollars in state funds for state and city projects in Edinburg.
“Edinburg, you voted to ‘Move Our City Forward’ to launch our community into the future, to ensure that the best days of our city are always ahead of us. I’m proud, humbled, honored to stand here today and announce that a new era in Edinburg starts now,” he pledged as part of his inauguration speech on Wednesday evening, November 12, 2025 at the Edinburg Arts, Culture & Events Center (ACE), located at 315 W McIntyre Street.
An inauguration speech is a formal address delivered by a new leader, such as a mayor, after they have taken their oath of office. It serves to set the tone for the new administration, unite the public after an election, celebrate regional values, and outline policy goals for the term ahead. These speeches are a key part of the formal inauguration ceremony, which marks the official start of a new leader’s term.
“This new day calls for a new vision and a new way of doing things. We must act with energy, responsibility, and deliberate speed,” he said. “Our action must be deliberate in that we carefully consider and plan city action to safeguard our tax dollars and the resources that make our city incredible.
“But we must also move with speed because we realize our time is limited. Although progress is often measured in decades, the commitment to act must be measured in days. And we cannot delay,” Ochoa continued.
Edinburg is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, according to the most recent 2024 population estimates released by the U.S. Census Bureau. Edinburg’s population rose from 105,956 in 2023 to 108,733 in 2024, an increase of 2.62 percent, according to the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation. This population increase rate places Edinburg 25th in the nation, 10th in Texas, and first in the four-county Rio Grande Valley for fastest rate ofgrowth among cities with populations of 100,000 or more.
Ochoa, at age 41 not yet considered in the U.S. to be middle age (45 years to 65 years), said economic development and good jobs must benefit the younger generations, as well as working-age adults in Edinburg.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the largest percentage of the city’s population is under 20 years of age, while a significant portion of the population also falls within the 25-64 working-age bracket.
“We are a town where field laborers and dreamers became CPAs, lawyers, and entrepreneurs. That enduring belief — that our children should have opportunities we never had — is our founding creed,” he proclaimed. “We must stop the brain drain of our best and brightest and create a genuine brain gain for our youth.”
A “founding creed” is a statement of fundamental beliefs and principles that define a nation or organization at its inception.
A “brain drain” is the departure of educated or professional people from a region, economic sector, or field for another usually for better pay or living conditions.
A “brain gain” is the influx of highly-skilled and educated individuals into a region, often through the return of people coming back home or by attracting new talent from other areas.
“I’m filled with immense humility at the public’s trust given to me, and I know that my duties are best fulfilled with guidance from God. I will be asking for his help every day,” he reflected. “But mostly I am excited, eager, restless, chomping at the bit to roll up sleeves, dive into the details, and tackle the issues that our community has so loudly said they want addressed.”
As the new mayor of Edinburg, Ochoa is the chief executive officer with administrative powers that include representing the city, overseeing subordinate officers, and ensuring laws are enforced. However, Edinburg has a council-manager form of government, meaning day-to-day administrative and operational power is vested in the city manager, not the mayor.
The mayor’s role is more ceremonial and legislative, while the city manager handles administrative duties like budget, hiring, and program implementation under the direction of the Edinburg City Council, which is made up of the mayor and four city councilmembers – all who are elected by voters from throughout the city, and each of them have four-year terms.
EDINBURG MAYOR’S ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES AND POWERS
- Chief Executive Officer: The mayor is the chief executive officer of the municipality.
- Law Enforcement: The mayor must ensure all laws and ordinances are faithfully enforced.
- Oversight: The mayor has the duty to inspect subordinate municipal officers.
- Recommendation: The mayor recommends measures for the improvement of the municipality.
- Ceremonial Duties: The mayor administers oaths of office and presides over council meetings.
- City Manager Support: The mayor is involved in the appointment and removal of the city manager, who is the chief administrative officer, and works with the city manager on policy and budget matters.
EDINBURG CITY MANAGER’S ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES
- Chief Administrative Officer: The city manager is the chief administrative officer responsible for the general administration of the city.
- Budget and Finance: The city manager prepares the budget for the council’s consideration and is responsible for administering the city budget.
- Personnel Management: The city manager is responsible for recruiting, hiring, and supervising all city staff and employees.
- Policy Implementation: The city manager implements policies adopted by the city council.
- Staff Reports: The city manager provides staff reports and program information to the city council.
Born and raised in Edinburg, Ochoa’s roots run deep in the community.
A graduate of Edinburg North High School, he went on to earn a business degree, a master's in accounting, and a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin.
Prior to joining the City of Edinburg, he worked at a prominent law firm in Houston before returning to the Rio Grande Valley in 2018 to establish the Omar Ochoa Law Firm, which is based in the Edinburg-McAllen-Mission metropolitan area of South Texas, but practices nationally.
Even though he has traveled and lived far away from Edinburg, Ochoa has never forgotten from where he came.
“I have a very special connection to the Rio Grande Valley. I was born and raised here, went to public school here. All along the way, my family was very civically involved (growing up) and (they) are still down here,” he said. “I love the Valley and it is a very deep part of my personality and it always has been. So I knew I would make it back here at some point in my career. I just didn’t know when or how.”
His father, Joe Ochoa, a pharmacist who was Mayor of Edinburg from 1993 to 2003 and 2006 to 2009, and his mother, Lydia Ochoa, a certified public accountant (CPA), grew up as migrant laborers and went on to receive professional degrees from prestigious universities.
Like many parents in the Rio Grande Valley, they raised their children to value education and hard work.
On December 10, 2022, the Ochoa clan proudly welcomed another prominent South Texas attorney into their family with the marriage of Omar Ochoa and Leah Wise.
Prior to establishing the Omar Ochoa Law Firm in January 2018, Ochoa was an attorney at Susman Godfrey L.L.P. in Houston and Dallas.
As a trial lawyer, he is highly experienced in a wide range of complex litigation for businesses and individuals, including antitrust, class actions, Qui Tam and whistleblower actions, employment law, and breaches of contract.
Ochoa has been recognized nationally for his legal work, including for his role in the recovery of over $1 billion for car buyers who suffered from a global conspiracy within the automotive parts industry.
But his public service achievements on behalf of his hometown – including in the area of open government – bring equal pride and satisfaction as do his many other professional accomplishments.
Open government is the governing doctrine that relies on transparency, participation, and collaboration to make government more accessible, responsive, and accountable to citizens. It involves making government information and date publicly available, allowing citizens to be involved in policy-making, and working together to solve problems. The core principles are intended to improve public management, build trust, prevent corruption, and foster a more democratic and inclusive society.
Ochoa’s commitment to government transparency in Texas has established his reputation as a champion of open government, as he has published on a regular basis news stories, and sent free-of-charge to area mainstream and social media sites, along with more than 1,000 South Texas leaders, since March 2019.
Government transparency is the principle of making government actions, decisions, and data accessible and understandable to the public. This includes providing easy access to information like budgets, meeting minutes, and spending records, offers through searchable online platforms, to allow citizens to hold the government accountable and promote a health democracy.
The State of Texas has many open government laws to help make the work of state and local governments transparent to the government.
The main open government laws are the Texas Public Information Act and the Texas Open Meeting Act.
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A transcript of former Mayor Joe Ochoa’s and Mayor Omar Ochoa’s respective presentations during the Wednesday, November 14, 2025 inauguration ceremony follows:
FORMER MAYOR JOE OCHOA
First of all, good evening. Welcome, family, friends, citizens. First thing I want to do is thank God for giving us the opportunity to be here this evening to witness this historical occasion.
I’m going to start by going back nine months and I did a quote at the start at my son’s kick-off campaign, and I told everybody, “I’ve known Omar for 41 years, therefore I feel pretty qualified to tell you a little about Omar. Now, Omar has come to me for advice and blessings for many of his journeys and challenges. I can attest that once Omar commits to something, he will find a way to bring it to fruition.”
Fast forward nine months, and I am here today speaking for Mayor Omar Ochoa.
Not in my wildest dreams did I think that 32 years later, after I was elected to be your mayor in 1993, that I would have the honor of calling my son “Mayor”.
Edinburg, you spoke loudly that you wanted fresh solutions. Your presence, your vote, have shown that you care about your city’s future.
You wanted a leader who puts the city’s interests first, a leader who understands that every tax dollar must be spent wisely, a leader who understands that every decision at city hall affects real families, a leader who will listen and will focus on what matters most – the citizens of Edinburg.
By the grace of God, Omar has been blessed and he has earned your vote, and therefore earned this seat at the table. Omar works diligently for solutions, he listens, he is compassionate, respectful, and will unite people for the betterment of all. This is the Omar that I know, and that’s the mayor that you elected.
I want to applaud Mayor (Ramiro) Garza, Councilmen Dan(Díaz), Jason(De León), David(Salazar), (Gerardo) Jerry (Lozano), for making strides in uniting this community. There is no grandstanding, bickering back and forth, no whining, no trying to outdo each other, just simply putting Edinburg citizens first. Thank you, mayor.
A big, huge thank you for all – for everyone who took part in this campaign, both physically and inspirationally, for your prayers, your heartfelt thoughts: families, friends, citizens, small businesses who were not afraid to step up and resound your opinion to move Edinburg forward, and giving my son your trust.
¡Viva! (Long Live!) Edinburg! Edinburg Forward!
MAYOR OMAR OCHOA
Edinburg, you voted to “Move Our City Forward”, to launch our community into the future, to ensure that the best days of our city are always ahead of us. I’m proud, humbled, honored to stand here today and announce that a new era in Edinburg starts now.
This moment is about more than a decisive election; it is about the identity of a city that’s always been built on growth and pride. It’s about the culmination of a community spirit that is starving to continue moving forward.
And the results of this election speak for themselves. When pushed to choose, Edinburg you picked hope over fear. When offered division, we chose unity. When challenged by chaos, Edinburg ignored the noise and resoundingly selected progress.
To all the friends, supporters, neighbors, and community members who came out in full force to vote, you were loud, you set a record for voter turnout in a city election, and the entire RGV heard you say “Let’s move Edinburg forward.”
Of course, even as we look towards the future, we must honor the past and the legacy of the giants on whose shoulders we stand. Mayor Ramiro Garza, you served our city well. As mayor you restored confidence and stability in city government, and under your leadership Edinburg brought home another (4th) All-America City designation. Our community owes you a debt of gratitude.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: An All-America City is a community that has received an award from the National Civic League for its outstanding efforts in civic engagement, collaboration, and innovation to solve local problems. These communities demonstrate strong civic capital, inclusivity, and impact through projects that address challenges and create positive change. The award is a prestigious recognition given to cities, towns, counties, and neighborhoods.
https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=what+is+an+All-America+City?&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8)
It’s been 32 years since I went to my first mayoral swearing in ceremony.
Quick math, I was 9, the year was 1993, and it was the start of the first term of the greatest mayor in Edinburg’s history, my dad, Joe Ochoa. I am literally unable to describe the pride I feel having just taken the same oath to serve my community as Mayor Ochoa all those years back. Dad, I will not let you down.
Along with Mayor Garza and Mayor Ochoa, I am the 23rd Mayor of Edinburg to take this oath. I’m a history nerd, so I counted all of the pictures on the wall in City Council Chambers. Each of our past mayors faced their own unique circumstances and specific challenges, but I’m certain we experienced similar feelings.
I feel a sense of dedication that comes with the understanding that I am here to represent everyone in Edinburg, whether you supported me or not, whether you voted for me or not, whether you hope that I succeed or not. I am here to serve all of you.
I’m filled with immense humility at the public’s trust given to me, and I know that my duties are best fulfilled with guidance from God. I will be asking for his help every day. But mostly I am excited, eager, restless, chomping at the bit to roll up sleeves, dive into the details, and tackle the issues that our community has so loudly said they want addressed.
In the same way that we honor past leaders, we honor the families of Edinburg who have built this remarkable community over decades and generations. Big and small, recent to Edinburg or here for generations, it is the families of Edinburg that make our community great. We are a community built on the sweat and grit of families who came here believing that life gets better when we move forward.
We are a town where field laborers and dreamers became CPAs, lawyers, and entrepreneurs. That enduring belief — that our children should have opportunities we never had — is our founding creed.
I know personally I would not be here today without my family. My mom Lydia Ochoa who showed me what a strong woman looks like. My sister Dr. Alessandra and her husband Mike and their kids, my sister-in-law Crystal and her son Carlo, my dad and his wife Susie.
These are the people I lean on most. But the foundation of my life is my exceptional wife, Leah Wise, and I could not do any of this without her.
I love my family with all my heart. And I know deep in me that all of the residents of the City of Edinburg feel the same way about their families. That’s who we are. And it’s this realization, this sense of empathy that drives me.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Empathy is compassion, understanding, sympathy, sensitivity, and kindness.)
You want your family to be happy, you want your neighborhood to be peaceful, you want your community to thrive. And as your mayor, I pledge to work tirelessly so that everyone has the opportunity to reach these dreams.
This new day calls for a new vision and a new way of doing things. We must act with energy, responsibility, and deliberate speed. Our action must be deliberate in that we carefully consider and plan city action to safeguard our tax dollars and the resources that make our city incredible.
But we must also move with speed because we realize our time is limited. Although progress is often measured in decades, the commitment to act must be measured in days. And we cannot delay.
Our city must excel at providing the basic services to our citizens. We must identify roads long overdue for repair; neighborhoods that need lighting to feel safer at night; and support our first responders who are the protectors of Edinburg.
We must confront our vulnerability to flooding — a critical challenge — by forging new levels of regional collaboration and ensuring that the devastating impact of storms is mitigated, so that our hard-earned money stays in your pocket and stormwater stays out of your home.
Because ultimately, with excellent services, we are not just building roads and ditches; we are building capacity for economic growth and community vibrancy. We must swing for the fences in economic growth, working tirelessly to recruit businesses with high-paying jobs in technology, healthcare, and advanced trades. We must stop the brain drain of our best and brightest and create a genuine brain gain for our youth.
We believe that a city is only as vibrant as the life it offers its residents. We must work to transform our downtown into a central community hub — a vibrant city center that attracts and encourages a young, creative spirit.
We will invest in the quality of life our hard-working families deserve, developing a master plan to expand walking trail sand parks and pursuing a major family attraction that will be a powerful engine for tourism and economic output right here in the Rio Grande Valley.
And we must look to problems of the future before they overtake us. This includes securing the lifeblood of our future by championing bold, long-term water solutions for Edinburg. And we can’t do all of this alone. We need partnerships because we cannot grow our city on the backs of taxpayers. We must work directly with the school district, county, state, and federal levels to bring resources to Edinburg.
The city employees who are here in the room, I worked closely with you when I had the honor of serving as your City Attorney for nearly six years. I know many of you all, and I promise that I will never criticize you in public because that has no value, it does not increase morale.
But we will also institute accountability in the city because our taxpayers deserve it. However, when things go wrong, I will be the first person to take the blame. And when things go right, I will be the first person to give you the credit and thank you for your service.
And above all, we believe that we must harness new ideas and technology to remake our government. We must modernize city operations and institutionalize accountability across the board. I have zero tolerance for corruption in our city government, and we will shine a light into every corner of city hall, ensuring that we move forward with integrity because that’s what our citizens demand and what they deserve.
Edinburg, we are made for this moment, and we will seize it — together. Now is not the time for small plans and small thinking. The playbook of the past; the systems of the past; the way of running a city from the past; does not get us where we want to be.
We must act with urgency on our core foundations, knowing that every delayed decision means another home at risk of flooding, another pothole damaging a car, and another generation forced to leave town to find their future.
If you are energized by the future of Edinburg — if you are ready to “Move Edinburg Forward” — then I invite you, roll up your sleeves with me and work every day to make this vision happen because we need the residents to be involved together.
I cannot thank the residents of Edinburg enough. I promise I will work everyday to make you proud.
Thank you all, God Bless you, and y que pasen muy buenas noches (have a very good night)!
The inaugural ceremony is available online at:
https://www.facebook.com/CityOfEdinburgGovernment/videos/810565905178561
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Reports by Omar Ochoa on government transparency and open government laws in Texas are available at no charge by using the title of his stories, one at a time, and placing that title in the Search Bar/Box/Field, which is usually a text box with a magnifying glass icon.
Those articles follow:
- Texas lawmakers allow local governments and state agencies to discuss cybersecurity protections behind closed doors, reports South Texas attorney Omar Ochoa
- New state law shaped by Sen. Juan Hinojosa makes “zoombombing” – the disruption of virtual government meetings with offensive, sometimes hateful content – punishable by jail time and/or fines, reports South Texas attorney Omar Ochoa
- Public given more time to see agendas, proposed budgets before local governments take action under new state law coauthored by Rep. Janie López, reports South Texas attorney Omar Ochoa
- Sen. Judith Zaffirini and Sen. Juan Hinojosa successfully led efforts to require state and local governments to improve responses to public information requests or face consequences, reports South Texas attorney Omar Ochoa
- UT System Board of Regents authorizes negotiations to buy The Monitor’s home facility in McAllen as newspaper plans to downsize and relocate, reports South Texas attorney Omar Ochoa
- Open Government Hotline that provides Texans with information about open records laws would be improved under House Bill 4990 by Rep. Canales, says South Texas attorney Omar Ochoa
- News media outlets want authority from Texas Legislature to allow journalists to use aerial drones for video and photographs as part of their news gathering, reports South Texas attorney Omar Ochoa
- At least two proposals by Valley State Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, would increase government transparency, reports South Texas attorney Omar Ochoa
- Proposed purchase of more than 26 acres for future UTRGV campus expansion in Edinburg, which may include more parking for Robert and Janet Vackar Stadium, set for action by the UT System Board of Regents on February 19, 2025, reports attorney Omar Ochoa
- South Texas attorney Omar Ochoa says local lawmakers’ Capitol staff members are great resources for constituents to learn how to participate in the legislative process
- $55 million in improvements for Robert and Janet Vackar Stadium, home to UTRGV Vaqueros football team, set for action by UT System Board of Regents on November 20 – 21, 2024, reports South Texas Attorney Omar Ochoa
- Open Government Seminar, free and open to the public, set for Hidalgo County Commissioners Court Chambers in Edinburg on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, reports attorney Omar Ochoa
- Rep. Canales played key role in 2023 in helping eliminate delay tactics previously used by some Texas governments in releasing public records requested by citizens, reports South Texas attorney Omar Ochoa
- 2023 Local Newspaper Study looks at changing ways that different generations of Americans get their information;
- Congressional debate building over a federal proposal, the “AM for Every Vehicle Act”, as major automakers plan to eliminate AM radio in vehicles in the coming years;
- Birth dates of political candidates, and of all adults with criminal arrests and convictions by Texas entities, would become public record under House Bill 2309 by Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi;
- “Focus report – Topics for the 88th Legislature” provides Texans with easy-to-understand guide to 61 top issues, from abortion to water, facing the Texas Legislature;
- Freedom of Speech and Expression policy at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and all other UT campuses approved by UT System Board of Regents;
- News media owners and public access groups battle in Congress over proposal Senate bill - S. 673 – also known as the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act;
- Lobby team for 88th Texas Legislature could be selected by Edinburg mayor and city council on Tuesday, October 18, 2022;
- 2022 Barbara Jordan Media Awards winners selected for respectful, accurate portrayal of Texas with disabilities – more than 5.4 million people;
- Misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories student on social, global landscapes by the Center for Media Engagement at the University of Texas;
- Prominent media attorney Thomas Williams to highlight Open Government seminar in Edinburg on Monday, June 13 2022;
- “Texas Privacy Act” overturned after judge rules it is an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment;
• KRGV-TV News named “Finalist for Overall Texas Excellence” by Texas Association of Broadcasters, and earns four other journalism honors;- “Public Information Act Handbook 2022”, authored by Attorney General Ken Paxton, now available online;
- Texas social media law, promoted by Gov. Abbott, blocked from taking effect until broader court hearing is set;
- Texas Press Association names Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo/Starr County, as Champion of Transparency;
- Gov. Abbott signs into law two new Texas government transparency measures – led by Sen. Zaffirini, Rep. Canales, respectively – which addressed pubic records problems that arose as a result of COVID-19;
- Congress considering pro-news media “Local Journalism Sustainability Act” and “Journalist Protection Act”;
- New law shaped by Rep. Longoria, Sen. Hinojosa, Rep. Guillén, and Rep. Muñoz financially protects government-employed first responders who are quarantined as a result of COVID-19 or other contagious diseases;
- Lawmakers pass key government transparency bills, including measures featuring Rep. Canales and Sen. Zaffirini;
- Sharing on social media makes people overconfident in their knowledge, according to researchers at the University of Texas at Austin;
- Transparency bills by Sen. Zaffirini, Rep. Canales, and Rep. Guerra advancing in the Legislature;
- Rep. Lucio, III, recalls Mexican drug cartels’ plot in 2009 as an example of the need to protect home addresses, other sensitive information, of all elected officials, reports attorney Omar Ochoa;
- Sen. Zaffirini files bills to reform Texas open government laws;
- Valley state representatives land spots on key committees that will shape transportation, health, higher education, energy, redistricting, and the state budget;
- “Topics for the 87th Legislature” provides an easy-to-understand, trustworthy guide of hottest issues facing Texans in 2021;
- Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas finds journalists putting new Texas public records law to the test;
- Even during COVID-19 emergency, Edinburg protects the public’s right to comment during city council sessions;
- Senate Bill 494, supported by Valley legislative delegation, designed to strike balance between open government laws and abilities of elected leaders in Texas to save lives;
- “Fake News” isn’t easy to spot on Facebook, according to a new study;
- First National Drone Safety Awareness Week highlighted by FAA as a federal lawsuit in Austin targets Texas law for allegedly discriminating against “image journalists”;
- City of Edinburg, as part of its dedication to open government, also posts advance notices for certain informal events which feature it’s elected and appointed leadership;
- Sens. Hinojosa/Zaffirini, Reps. Canales/Guerra take leadership roles on SB 1640, which benefits the Texas Open Meetings Act;
- Sen. Hinojosa, Rep. Canales played key roles in new Texas law that increases the public’s right to know how taxes are spent;
- “Transparency in government should be a hallmark of the City of Edinburg” with new public information software; and
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Texas Legislature taking actions involving transparency in governments throughout the state.
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For more on this and other Texas legislative news stories that affect the Rio Grande Valley metropolitan region, please log on to Titans of the Texas Legislature (TitansoftheTexasLegislature.com).
