PRIORITIES

Stand up for Harris County Families.

Donald Trump, Greg Abbott, and their MAGA extremists are taking away our health care, taking food off the tables of vulnerable families, defunding disaster recovery and flood prevention, dismantling discrimination protections, rigging elections, and making life more expensive for all of us. Abbie will use the law to stop this lawlessness –– through lawsuits and creative legal strategies to block, undermine, mitigate, and, at the very least, slow down these attacks until voters can send these MAGA extremists packing.

Defend Voting Rights.

Defending voting rights is essential to a functioning democracy –– and make no mistake, our Democracy is under attack. Abbie will use the full authority of the office to protect voter access, defend election workers and administrators, and challenge unlawful state interference in Harris County elections. That includes litigation when necessary to challenge voter suppression, discriminatory election laws, and efforts to undermine the integrity or independence of Harris County’s election system. We are already seeing the type of attacks that will come from the extreme far-right during the mid-terms, and we need to be prepared to defend our elections and our democracy.

DEFEND HARRIS COUNTY FROM TRUMP, ABBOTT, AND THE MAGA MACHINE

Decrease Domestic Violence and Support Survivors.

We need an all-of-government approach to end the scourge of domestic violence. While it is up to the District Attorney to prosecute domestic abusers, the County Attorney can –– and Abbie will –– partner with the District Attorney to expedite civil protective orders to keep women and children safe against abusers. Abbie will also refer abusers to the District Attorney for prosecution and continue her efforts (started during her service on Houston City Council) to expand domestic violence awareness and access to resources for survivors.

Reduce Gun Violence.

Gun violence is now the number one cause of death among children. We can do better for our families by expanding violence‑prevention efforts, protecting diversion and treatment‑based programs, and reducing unnecessary criminalization while ensuring accountability for serious harm. We must continue to invest in proven public health strategies that are reducing gun violence in other cities, like Harris County’s recent gun violence interruption programs. Abbie will work to pave the way for these efforts, working to remove legal obstacles to the implementation of these successful programs and helping to educate lawmakers and the public. She’s already working with trauma surgeons, law enforcement, and parents to ensure firearms don’t fall into the hands of children and criminals.

Reform Protective Services Division.

The County Attorney represents the State and works closely with the Department of Family Protective Services on DFPS cases (Child Protective Services (CPS) and Adult Protective Services (APS)). Reforms are necessary to better protect children and vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Abbie will work to ensure that the interests of the child are always put first, and that parental rights are protected when possible and appropriate.

KEEP CHILDREN, FAMILIES, AND SENIORS SAFE

Enforce Environmental Laws.

Abbie will pursue civil enforcement actions for violations of environmental laws, nuisance actions, and regulatory enforcement to protect public health. That includes seeking injunctions, penalties, and compliance measures against companies that endanger Harris County residents. She will work closely with county departments and regional partners to ensure environmental regulations are enforced consistently and that communities most impacted by pollution are not left without legal recourse. Protecting vulnerable communities, many of which have been underserved for far too long, requires using the law to prevent harm, not just respond after disasters occur.

Protect against Flooding.

Harris County families are extremely vulnerable to extreme weather and are on borrowed time when it comes to a major storm in our region, including a direct hit up the Ship Channel. Gov. Abbott and his MAGA machine are coming after billions of our flood protection dollars. They are attempting to take over the county’s Flood Control District so that Abbott’s political appointees can direct where the dollars go, including sending them outside of Harris County . Abbie will fight this attempt and work with our state and federal delegations to kill the bills. Abbie will also make sure the County Attorney’s office does everything it can to hold both developers and petro-chemical manufacturers accountable and ensure compliance with laws and regulations designed to prevent flooding.

Secure and Protect Federal Grants.

Millions of dollars in federal funding support many of the County’s most critical programs. Abbie will direct her office to help County departments navigate the complicated maze of federal and state requirements, and the alphabet soup of departments, to secure and use funds responsibly, and to prevent claw-backs and other penalties.

Protect Public Health, Air, and Water from Polluters.

Just a few weeks ago we saw 1M gallons of sulfuric acid spill at the Ship Channel. Workers were injured. We’ve had ITC and the list goes on. We continue to grapple with the devastating impacts of concrete batch plants near schools and neighborhoods. State preemption has prevented the county from its duty to protect the public. Abbie will work to restore local control, and in the meantime to use creative legal strategies to keep county residents safe and aware of what’s going on around them.

PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT AND HOLD POLLUTERS ACCOUNTABLE.

Stop scammers.

Abbie will support affirmative litigation and enforcement actions against businesses and individuals that engage in deceptive practices, price gouging, scams, and other forms of consumer fraud. That includes using the County’s civil enforcement authority to protect residents, recover damages when possible, and deter repeat offenders. Abbie will also continue education programs like the County’s Stay Scam Free program, which aids in increasing consumer trust and safety through knowledge sharing, outreach, and engagement.

Crack Down on Slumlords.

Abbie will harness health, safety, and consumer protection laws to hold slumlords accountable for unsafe and unsanitary conditions in rental properties. This is a real problem with life-threatening consequences. Recently, a fire in southwest Houston displaced 40 tenants and put 100 firefighters at risk. The City of Houston filed a public safety based lawsuit against the owners of the complex earlier this year, but, according to KHOU-TV News, residents and city officials have documented burglaries, home invasions, and stretches without air conditioning or heat for years. Abbie will work to be proactive to prevent tragedies like this before they happen.

Help Residents Report Complaints for Possible Investigation.

Abbie will work to expand access for residents to report complaints for possible investigation by the Office and leverage Texas Rule of Civil Procedure 202 for investigations (Rule 202 allows for investigations for potential claims/suits by court order).

Keep Up with Threats Posed by AI.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the power to transform our lives for the better. But scam artists can also use AI to defraud consumers. Abbie will make sure the county is up to date on the latest schemes and will keep the public informed. As AI use continues to grow in every aspect of county government, Abbie will support transparency, guardrails against discrimination and surveillance abuse, and policies that ensure AI is used to improve public services without replacing workers or concentrating power in the hands of a few corporations.

PROTECT HARRIS COUNTY CONSUMERS

County government cannot do its job without a strong and thriving workforce. Abbie will continue to support policies that raise wages and improve job quality by ensuring labor standards are written into county contracts are enforceable and enforced. That includes defending prevailing wage requirements, project labor agreements where applicable, workplace safety standards, and anti-discrimination provisions. She will also work with county departments and local unions to ensure procurement and hiring rules reward responsible employers and protect workers from misclassification and exploitation.

PROTECT HARRIS COUNTY WORKERS

Help local policy overcome state interference.

Abbie will use her extensive experience as a Houston City Council Member to defend voter access, public health measures, worker protections, and safety policies when they are targeted by the State of Texas. She has seen first-hand how early legal analysis, careful drafting, and strategic litigation can make the difference between a policy that survives and one that is struck down. Abbie will prioritize proactive legal review of county policies before adoption, close coordination with departments and Commissioners Court, and readiness to defend Harris County in court when state actions unlawfully limit local authority. Whether that is attacks on MWBE programs, anti-worker safety legislation, taking away HCFCD, “Death Star” bills, or any other attempt to diminish local authority, she knows local control is not protected by rhetoric alone. It is protected by preparation, sound legal strategy, and the willingness to act.

Safeguard Our Civil Rights

Abbie will create a stand-alone Civil Rights Division in the County Attorney’s office to defend civil rights protections, enforce anti-discrimination laws, and ensure county policies are applied fairly and consistently. That includes standing up to state actions that target or exclude marginalized communities and making sure Harris County remains a place where everyone is treated with dignity, fairness, and respect under the law. The division will also produce know-your-rights programs, materials, and legal resources. For example, Abbott and Paxton are challenging the County’s funding of legal representation for immigrants in need. We must not only defend this program, but also create ways for residents to submit videos and information related to abuses such as ICE violations.

DEFEND LOCAL CONTROL

Abbie will work to strengthen the County Attorney’s Office to operate transparently, ethically, and effectively; expand access for residents and neighborhoods; and invest in staff retention and training so the office can act quickly and effectively rather than reacting after harm has already occurred.

MAKE THE COUNTY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE STRONGER

LEGISLATIVE REVIEW

Abbie has worked at every level of government, including at the State Legislature, and will work with Commissioners and County departments to set the county’s legislative agenda in Austin and Washington, DC. She believes Harris County should support legislation that protects working families, defends civil rights, and restores local government’s ability to solve local problems; and should oppose legislation that punishes counties for adopting policies that reflect local needs or that targets Harris County for political reasons. For example, the County should support:

Local control and anti-preemption legislation: Bills that roll back or narrow the “Death Star” approach to preemption and clarify that counties can adopt reasonable local standards on public health, worker safety, environmental protection, and consumer protection.
Voting rights and election administration protections: Legislation that expands access to the ballot, protects election workers, and prevents partisan takeovers of local election operations. Harris County should support policies that let counties choose the election administration structure that works best for them, rather than one-size-fits-all mandates.
Worker protection and fair contracting authority: Bills that strengthen wage theft enforcement, deter worker misclassification, protect whistleblowers, and allow stronger compliance tools on publicly funded projects, including prevailing wage and safety requirements.
Environmental and public health enforcement tools: Legislation that strengthens local and state authority to hold polluters accountable, improves enforcement and transparency, and protects communities from harmful permits that threaten public health.
Civil rights protections: Bills that protect LGBTQ+ Texans, protect reproductive freedom and privacy, and remove outdated discriminatory statutes from the books, including repeal of Texas Penal Code 21.06.
Domestic violence and gun violence prevention: Legislation that works to reduce firearm deaths and injuries (the leading cause of death for children in our nation) and instances of domestic violence.

And, for example, the County should oppose:

Any expansion of HB 2127 and similar preemption efforts: Including proposals that increase penalties or expand the categories of local policy that cities and counties are allowed to regulate. This is the wrong direction for a state as large and complex as Texas.
Bills that financially punish local governments before they have a day in court: For example, legislation like SB 2858, which would empower the Attorney General to freeze a city or county’s sales and property tax revenues while litigation is pending. That is punishment before a final ruling and it invites political abuse.
“Harris County-only” election takeover bills: For example, legislation like SB 1750 / HB 3876, which would eliminate the Harris County elections administrator structure and force a new model on the county. Harris County should be able to fix problems without the state stripping local discretion to score political points. There is also an ongoing effort to take-over Harris County Flood Control District and make it a regional entity using our local taxpayer dollars. We must oppose efforts like this as well.
Unfunded mandates that shift costs to counties: Including proposals that require local law enforcement to take on expanded federal immigration enforcement responsibilities without funding, which undermines public safety and community trust while forcing counties to absorb the bill.
Attacks on healthcare and targeted civil-rights restrictions: Legislation that targets LGBTQ+ Texans, restricts medically supported care, or interferes with private healthcare decisions should be opposed as government overreach that harms families.
Efforts to usurp County funds and resources for other purposes. Legislation that attempts to take funds from taxpayers for other parts of the state. Whether that is the dissolution of HCFCD, taking HCTRA funds, school district takeovers, or even attempting to take over control of natural resources including water.