{ "id": "epvazvwzyk", "slug": "donna-howard", "title": "Donna Howard", "updated": "2026-09-29", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.politics", "label": "Politics and government", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions", "label": "Government and public administration", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics.institutions" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders", "label": "Politicians and government officeholders (biographies)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-governors-and-state-officials", "label": "US governors and state officials", "api_url": 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"geo.us.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-governors-and-state-officials.state-legislators.southern-state-legislators.alpha-ho-to-k", "label": "Surnames Ho to K", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-governors-and-state-officials.state-legislators.southern-state-legislators.alpha-ho-to-k" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Donna Howard is an American politician and former critical care nurse, a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 48 since 2006.", "snippet": "Donna Howard is an American politician and former critical care nurse, a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 48 since 2006.", "node": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-governors-and-state-officials.state-legislators.southern-state-legislators.alpha-ho-to-k", "markdown": "# Donna Howard\n\nDonna Howard is an American politician serving as a Democratic member of the [Texas House of Representatives](https://www.edgepedia.org/texas-house-of-representatives) from the 48th district. She has served in the House since 2006, when she won a special election to succeed Todd Baxter.[1](https://www.lrl.texas.gov/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=5618) • [2](https://house.texas.gov/members/3310/biography) Before entering the legislature, she worked as a critical care nurse and served on the Eanes ISD board.[2](https://house.texas.gov/members/3310/biography)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Party | Democratic[3](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A3310&ID=author&LegSess=89R) |\n| Current office | Member, Texas House of Representatives, District 48[3](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A3310&ID=author&LegSess=89R) |\n| Previous offices | Member, Eanes ISD board (1996–1999)[2](https://house.texas.gov/members/3310/biography) |\n| Education | Bachelor's degree in nursing and Master's degree in health education, University of Texas[2](https://house.texas.gov/members/3310/biography) |\n\n## Party affiliation\n\nHoward is a Democrat, as listed in the official Texas House authorship records for the 89th [Legislature](https://www.edgepedia.org/legislature).[3](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A3310&ID=author&LegSess=89R)\n\n## Early life and education\n\nHoward is a native of Austin.[2](https://house.texas.gov/members/3310/biography) She earned a [Bachelor's degree](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelors-degree) in nursing and a [Master's degree](https://www.edgepedia.org/masters-degree) in health education from the University of Texas.[2](https://house.texas.gov/members/3310/biography) She worked as a critical care nurse at Brackenridge and Seton hospitals and served as Austin's first hospital-based Patient Education Coordinator.[2](https://house.texas.gov/members/3310/biography) She was a health education instructor at UT and a past president of the Texas Nurses Association (District 5).[2](https://house.texas.gov/members/3310/biography) She was married to attorney Derek Howard for 40 years, and the couple raised three children together.[2](https://house.texas.gov/members/3310/biography)\n\n## Career\n\nHoward was elected to the Eanes ISD board in West Austin for the 1996–1999 term.[2](https://house.texas.gov/members/3310/biography) In 2006, she won the House District 48 seat in a special election held on January 17, 2006, followed by a runoff election on February 14, 2006; she was sworn in on March 2, 2006, to serve the unexpired term of Todd Baxter, who had resigned on November 1, 2005.[1](https://www.lrl.texas.gov/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=5618) Her official biography states that she has served in the Texas House since 2006.[2](https://house.texas.gov/members/3310/biography)\n\nIn the House, Howard serves as the Vice-Chair of Article II in the House Appropriations Committee and as Vice Chair of the Higher Education Committee.[2](https://house.texas.gov/members/3310/biography) She also serves as the Chairwoman of the Texas Women's Health Caucus, which her biography describes as the largest caucus in the country solely focused on advancing women's health policy.[2](https://house.texas.gov/members/3310/biography) She has served on the boards of Austin Area Interreligious Ministries, Common Cause Texas, Texas Freedom Network, and the Texas Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, and serves as a board member of the Expanding Horizons Foundation, which supports low-income housing and education.[2](https://house.texas.gov/members/3310/biography)\n\n## Electoral history\n\n- 2006 special election, Texas House District 48: The special election held on January 17, 2006, produced a runoff, which Howard won on February 14, 2006, to serve the unexpired term of Todd Baxter; she was sworn in on March 2, 2006.[1](https://www.lrl.texas.gov/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=5618)\n\n## Issues specific to Howard\n\nIn November 2007, Howard received the Sierra Club State Legislative Service Award for \"New Leadership for the Environment,\" according to the Texas Legislative Reference Library's member profile.[1](https://www.lrl.texas.gov/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=5618) A January 2008 article about Howard, titled \"State Representative Donna Howard: the measure of a thoroughly modern woman,\" is also cataloged in the Library's profile of her service.[1](https://www.lrl.texas.gov/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=5618)\n\n## Positions and legislative record\n\n### Women's health\n\nHoward chairs the Texas Women's Health Caucus, which her official biography describes as the largest caucus in the country solely focused on advancing women's health policy.[2](https://house.texas.gov/members/3310/biography) In the 89th Legislature she authored a bill relating to the expansion of eligibility for Medicaid to certain women, with joint authors including Troxclair, Johnson, Cook, and Collier.[3](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A3310&ID=author&LegSess=89R) She also authored a bill relating to a maternal health care workforce campaign, joined by Flores, Davis, Bernal, and Allen, which was referred to the Public Education Committee on March 3, 2025.[3](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A3310&ID=author&LegSess=89R)\n\n### Health care workforce and nursing\n\nHoward's background is in nursing, and her legislative record in the 89th Legislature includes a bill to transition the nurse aide certification program from the Health and Human Services Commission to the Texas Board of Nursing and to create a workgroup on nursing career pathways and a panel on nursing program standards.[3](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A3310&ID=author&LegSess=89R) She also authored a bill relating to the Texas Health Care Workforce Education Fund and proposed a constitutional amendment establishing the Texas Health Care Workforce Education fund.[3](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A3310&ID=author&LegSess=89R) A bill she co-authored relating to the creation of the Tarleton State University College of Osteopathic Medicine was referred to the Public Health Committee on February 27, 2025.[4](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A3310&ID=coauthor&LegSess=89R)\n\n### Higher education\n\nAs Vice Chair of the Higher Education Committee, Howard has worked on higher education legislation.[2](https://house.texas.gov/members/3310/biography) In the 89th Legislature she authored a bill relating to the period for which an applicant for admission as an undergraduate student to a public institution of higher education is entitled to an academic fresh start, which was referred to Business & Commerce in the Senate on April 28, 2025.[3](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A3310&ID=author&LegSess=89R) She also co-authored a bill on establishing the Higher Education Research Security Council and a bill relating to measures to protect institutions of higher education from foreign adversaries.[3](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A3310&ID=author&LegSess=89R)\n\n### Sexual assault and crime victims\n\nHoward authored a bill relating to the prosecution of the offense of sexual assault in the 89th Legislature.[3](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A3310&ID=author&LegSess=89R) She authored a bill relating to the care provided to sexual assault survivors by health care facilities, which was referred to the Criminal Justice Committee in the Senate on April 29, 2025.[3](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A3310&ID=author&LegSess=89R) She also authored a bill relating to victims of sex offenses and sex-based human trafficking offenses, which was laid on the table subject to call on May 5, 2025, and a bill relating to continuing education for barbers and cosmetologists on identifying and assisting victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and human trafficking.[3](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A3310&ID=author&LegSess=89R)\n\n### Public education and school finance\n\nHoward authored a bill relating to a credit for prepayment of the amount required to be paid by a school district for the purchase of attendance credit under the public school finance system, joined by Walle, Lalani, Garcia, and Simmons.[3](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A3310&ID=author&LegSess=89R) She co-authored a bill requiring public schools to provide certain parents notice regarding incidents and risks related to the parent's child and suicide prevention materials.[4](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A3310&ID=coauthor&LegSess=89R) She also authored a bill relating to a parental right to information concerning a public school special education program.[3](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A3310&ID=author&LegSess=89R)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Texas Legislative Reference Library: Member profile for Donna Howard](https://www.lrl.texas.gov/legeLeaders/members/memberDisplay.cfm?memberID=5618)\n2. [Texas House of Representatives: Representative Donna Howard Biography](https://house.texas.gov/members/3310/biography)\n3. [Texas House of Representatives Authorship Report, 89th Legislature](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A3310&ID=author&LegSess=89R)\n4. [Texas House of Representatives Coauthorship Report, 89th Legislature](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A3310&ID=coauthor&LegSess=89R)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Politics and government › Government and public administration › Politicians and government officeholders (biographies) › US governors and state officials › State legislators › Southern state legislators › Surnames Ho to K*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 29, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/donna-howard", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/donna-howard.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Donna Howard\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/donna-howard. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Donna Howard](https://www.edgepedia.org/donna-howard)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/donna-howard](https://www.edgepedia.org/donna-howard). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Donna Howard\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/donna-howard. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Donna Howard is an American politician and former critical care nurse, a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 48 since 2006." }