Jessica Farrar

Jessica Farrar
Member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 148th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 1995
Preceded by	Yolanda Navarro Flores
Personal details
Born	November 26, 1966 (1966-11-26) (age 44) Houston, Texas
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Marco Sanchez
Residence	Houston, Texas
Alma mater	University of Houston
Profession	State Representative
Religion	Roman Catholic

Jessica Christina Farrar is a United States politician and an incumbent in the Texas House of Representatives. She is currently serving her 9th term as the representative from District 148, located in Houston, TX. She is the House Democratic Caucus Leader, and is the longest-serving Hispanic member from Harris County in the Texas House of Representatives.

Early Life and Education

Farrar was raised in Houston, TX and graduated from Lamar High School in 1984. She went on to receive a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Houston ^[1] and a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Texas School of Law.

Texas House of Representatives

In 1994, Farrar was elected to the Texas House of Representatives at the age of 27. She has since represented district 148, which is located in Houston, Texas. This district includes portions of the Heights, Timbergrove, East Spring Branch, Northside Village, and 2nd Ward areas.

Current Committees

• Environmental Regulation - Vice Chair
• Border and Intergovernmental Affairs - Member

Past Committees

• 74th Legislative Session
  • Corrections
  • Criminal Jurisprudence

• 75th Legislative Session
  • Corrections
  • Criminal Jurisprudence
  • Rules & Resolutions

• 76th Legislative Session
  • Appropriations
  • Corrections

• 77th Legislative Session
  • Appropriations
  • Corrections - Vice Chair

• 78th Legislative Session
  • Corrections
  • County Affairs

• 79th Legislative Session
  • Agriculture & Livestock
  • State Affairs

• 80th Legislative Session
  • Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
  • State Affairs

• 81st Legislative Session
  • Environmental Regulation
  • Land & Resource Management - Vice Chair

Caucuses

• House Democratic Caucus - Chair
• Woman's Health Caucus - founder and Vice Chair
• Environmental Caucus - founder
• Mexican-American Legislative Caucus - member

Notable Legislation

Each legislative session, Farrar introduces a bill to abolish the death penalty in Texas.

In 2003, Farrar sponsored legislation that would prohibit employment discrimination based upon sexual orientation or gender identity.^[2]

In 2009, she proposed a bill that would recognize postpartum psychosis as a defense for mothers who kill their infants.^[3] Under the terms of the proposed legislation, if jurors concluded that a mother's "judgment was impaired as a result of the effects of giving birth or the effects of lactation following the birth," they would be allowed to convict her of the crime of infanticide, rather than murder.^[4] The maximum penalty for infanciticide would be two years in prison.^[5] Farrar's introduction of this bill prompted liberal bioethics scholar Jacob M. Appel to call her "the bravest politician in America."^[6]

In 2011, Farrar introduced legislation that would prohibit peace officers from inquiring as to the immigration or nationality status of a witness or victim in a criminal investigation.

The Killer Ds

In May 2003, Farrar helped to organize a group of Texas House Democrats who left Texas for Ardmore, Oklahoma. The absence of 52 House Democrats prevented Republican passage of the redistricting plan during the 2003 regular session. The Killer Ds were followed by a group of 11 Senators, called the Texas Eleven, who fled the state in August 2003 for the same reasons.

Community Involvement

Farrar founded a non-profit mentorship and educational program for Latina college students known as Latinas on the Rise in 1998, and she currently serves on the Board of Directors. In 2001, she authored a bill to create the Greater Northside Management District, a group dedicated to promoting the economic development and quality of life for commercial property owners and to creating opportunities for new development in portions of Farrar's district. She also co-founded the Texas Women's Health Foundation in 2007, a non-partisan non-profit aimed at de-politicizing women's health issues, and she serves as an ex-officio member of its board.

In addition to these positions, Farrar serves on the Board of Directors for Air Alliance Houston (formerly known as the Galveston-Houston Association for Smog Prevention), Avenue CDC, Rice Design Alliance, Women Action for New Direction Education Fund, and the National Advisory Committee of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health. She also serves on the Postpartum Support International's President's Advisory Council.

References

1. ^ Houston Chronicle, October 18, 2008
2. ^ Representative files bill to extend employment rights The Daily Texan, February 4, 2003.
3. ^ Proposed Texas House bill would recognize postpartum psychosis as a defense for moms who kill infants
4. ^ When Infanticide Isn't Murder
5. ^ When Infanticide Isn't Murder
6. ^ When Infanticide Isn't Murder

External links

• Texas House of Representatives - Jessica Farrar official TX House website
• Project Vote Smart - Representative Jessica Farrar (TX) profile
• Follow the Money - Jessica Farrar
  • 2006 **2004 **2002 **2000

Persondata
Name	Farrar, Jessica
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	November 26
Place of birth	Houston, Texas
Date of death
Place of death