Josey Garcia

Josey Garcia is an American politician who, as of 2023, serves in the Texas House of Representatives, representing Texas's 124th House of Representatives district. She is a member of the Democratic Party, [1] and serves as the first active-duty women veteran to serve in the Texas House of Representatives. [2]

Biography

Representative Garcia is a veteran of the United States Air Force where she served for twenty years.[3]

Upon her retirement in 2014, Josey became a published author and community advocate in San Antonio. In 2020, she co-founded Uniting America Outreach, a nonprofit that delivers food and supplies to people in need. During Winter Storm Uri in 2021, Uniting America Outreach delivered over 9,000 meals to San Antonio’s most vulnerable residents. Her organization raised over $50,000 to provide food, clothing, and hygiene products, which they took directly to Ciudad Acuña, Mexico during the 2022 crisis at the border. [4]

She is married Josey to her husband Ramon, an Army veteran who served in both Operation Iraqi Freedom, Iraq and Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan, where he was awarded a Purple Heart when he was shot during a combat mission. Their blended family consists of eight children.[5]

Awards

Representative Garcia was voted "Fresh of the Year" by members of the House Democratic Caucus for her accomplishments in the 88th Legislative Session in 2023. [6]

Legislative Accomplishments

In her first legislative session, Representative Garcia authored 39, and joint-authored 175 bills which primarily focused on better serving Texas veterans, improving outcomes for foster care youth, criminal and juvenile justice reform.

Highlights include:

• The Vanessa Guillen Day Act, which designated September 30 as Vanessa Guillen Day to honor her service, and break the silence on military sexual violence. [7]

• HB 4333 which ensured that the Bexar County Family Diversion Court, which allows first-time offenders of domestic violence who also struggle with substance abuse to enter a rigorous program and access treatment, can continue its work for four additional years.[8]