The County Connection: Harris County’s Historic Investment in Early Childhood

Transparency in government means giving the public the information they need to make the decisions that affect their everyday lives. And in Harris County, residents deserve to know vital information particular to our region, like when there is a chemical hazard housed next door. Last month, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office (HCFMO) launched the new Community Right-to-Know Map of Registered Facilities. The map is a database of facilities that make or store hazardous chemicals within Harris County. Just type in an address, zip code, or small city to see any facilities near you. You can access the map here.

The bail bond system is complex and involves numerous stakeholders throughout the criminal justice system, including the approximately 37,000 individuals that go through the system every year. In Texas, there is a legal presumption of the right to bail, meaning Texans have a right to bail in all but the most extreme circumstances. Bail is a security given by the accused that they will appear before the proper court and answer the accusation brought against them. To increase transparency around this complex system, Harris County Commissioners Court unanimously approved the development of an online bail data dashboard to inform the public about current bail bond practices in Harris County.

In February, the Harris County Justice Administration Department (JAD) launched phase one of the interactive Harris County Bail Dashboard, where the community can view aggregate data information on misdemeanor and felony demographics, bond types and amounts, bonds by courts, and more. Results show that between 2017 and 2021, the number of felony bonds set by judges between $50,000 and $150,000 increased by 178%, and felony bonds set at over $150,000 increased by 139%. Bondsmen typically post the entirety of the bond amount and collect a percentage of that bond from a defendant as payment. However, many bondsmen are currently agreeing to one to two percent payment, well below the typical 10% that defendants usually have to pay, allowing many more defendants to get out on bond than usual, despite the increase in high bond amounts set by judges for felony cases.

These tools reflect JADs growing set of resources, reflecting the commitment of Harris County to a more transparent and accountable government. The JAD has also released several public-facing dashboards: the Index Crime Rates Dashboard, the Traffic Stop Demographics Dashboard (which measures the metric of different outcomes and possibilities during a traffic stop), The Court Appointments Dashboard, and the Indigent Defense Dashboard, among others. To learn more about JAD’s dashboards and to view dashboard user guides, visit our website here.

Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo this week downgraded the county’s COVID-19 Threat Level Indicator from Level 2: Orange to Level 3: Yellow, due to decreasing positive cases of COVID-19 and ICU populations.

Level 3 signifies a moderate, but controlled level of COVID-19 in Harris County, meaning a further demonstrated reduction in transmission and the local healthcare system is well within capacity. Unvaccinated individuals should continue to mask and physically distance. Fully vaccinated individuals should mask or physically distance where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.

The COVID-19 vaccine and vaccine booster are available at no charge for all Harris County residents 5 and above. To find out more information, locations and hours, click here. For a complete list of indicators, guidance, and related information visit ReadyHarris.org.

Harris County is a hotspot for business, development, and jobs, and our need for skilled workers is never ending. And the County government must compete when it comes to finding employees with specialized skills in areas such as architecture, engineering, and science. This month, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Commissioners Court approved a new immigration sponsorship policy to support us in our efforts to recruit, hire, and retain the workforce we need to keep our County running smoothly.

The approved policy specifies responsibility, eligibility, immigration filing considerations, and costs for the program, which will only be considered on a case-by-case basis for highly specialized positions that are difficult to fill. The new policy will allow the County Administrator to oversee a more regulated process, and is designed to align with existing requirements of the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) for employer-based immigration sponsorships.

This week, International Women’s Day was celebrated around the world. Here in Harris County, we know how important it is to fight for the rights of women – to serve in leadership roles, to receive equal consideration for business contracts, and to be granted the assistance they need to work and earn the same as men. To honor the need for women’s input in County government,  Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Commissioners Court this week approved the creation of a Women’s Commission to serve as an advisory board to Commissioners Court in matters concerning gender disparities in health and economic outcomes for the residents of Harris County. The Harris County Women’s Commission will consist of nine members and will conduct research and make recommendations to Commissioners Court.

Working for a livable wage is essential for Harris County residents to pay their rent, buy food, pay for transportation, and so much more. American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)-funded programs Hire Up Harris and Apprenticeship Systems will fund workforce training programs to train economically vulnerable Harris County residents for local jobs that earn $15 per hour or more. Harris County will be accepting proposals for this funding from local organizations, yet there is no standing requirement that applicants are held to the same standard of providing a $15 per hour livable wage for their own employees.

This month, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Commissioners Court voted to require contracted organizations brought on to provide ARPA workforce training for Harris County residents to pay employees at least $15 per hour. Over the last three years, Commissioners Court has approved several forms of a $15 per hour livable wage policy for the County’s hiring and compensation practices and for certain types of construction project contracts.

The tragic death of 9 year old Arlene Alvarez horrified our community and should outrage all of us. In February, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Commissioners Court, passed a resolution honoring Arlene’s life and expressing our County’s grief. We’ll keep fighting to make sure we do everything we can to fight gun violence because no family should have to experience such a terrible tragedy.

In February, Harris County Commissioner’s Court voted to extend the Clinician Officer Remote Evaluation (CORE) program to the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office (HCFMO). The CORE program enables on-scene officers to video call a Masters-level clinician for assistance while responding to a mental health crisis in the community, and was found in an evaluation to increase access to mental health specialists for police officers in the field. In addition to CORE, the County has created the Holistic Assistance Response Team (HART) program, now being piloted in Cypress Station. HART is a County initiative that alleviates law enforcement from having to attend to mental health calls by sending trained clinicians to respond to these calls in their place, allowing law enforcement to focus on violent crime instead.

During the past few weeks, we have witnessed the greatest violation of peace in Europe since World War II, with the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Russia. Thousands of Harris County residents have Ukrainian heritage and many Ukrainians and Harris County residents who stand with Ukraine have taken to the streets of Houston to protest these violent assaults on their families. This week, Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and Commissioners Court expressed their support of Ukrainian residents here in Harris County, and urged peace in Ukraine.

As part of the County Judge’s Office initiative to make local government more transparent and accessible, we invite you to get involved by viewing Commissioners Court meetings. You can check here to see the meeting schedule, and watch the official close captioned livestream here or on the Judge’s homepage here.

Harris County never stops preparing for the next big storm. And while the 2018 Harris County Flood Control District Bond Program is in full swing, we continue to seek input from community members as we implement projects in watersheds across the County. If you have a comment about a particular project, we invite you to attend the corresponding virtual meeting and be part of the planning process. Learn more about upcoming 2018 Bond Program Community Engagement Meetings here.

Do you have unwanted household hazardous items? Properly dispose of them by making an appointment with the Household Hazardous Waste Collections facility at 6900 Hahl Road in Houston. Learn what items are accepted and make an appointment here.