On Monday, March 6, 2023, Dallas City Council Members Adam Bazaldua and Paula Blackmon testified before the Texas House Ways and Means Committee in favor of House Bill 300, which would exempt menstrual hygiene and infant care products from the state sales tax. Additionally, on Tuesday, March 7, Council Members Bazaldua and Blackmon testified before the Texas Senate Criminal Justice Committee along with Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot in favor of Senate Bill 1319, a bill would allow law enforcement to map cases of overdoses within their municipalities which was voted out of the committee later that day.
“In collaboration with the City of Dallas, Council Members Paula Blackmon and Adam Bazaldua, we are working with legislative leadership on a clear path forward to participate in Overdose Mapping in the State of Texas, including in the Dallas County region.” Said District Attorney Creuzot. “This will be a powerful tool to help keep Texans safer across the state.
Bazaldua and Blackmon jointly co-chair the Opioid Response Strike Force, launched in November 2022, aimed at aggregating resources across partners in and around the City of Dallas. Through their efforts, the City of Dallas launched a comprehensive bilingual fentanyl awareness campaign to educate residents about both prevention and response. Governor Greg Abbott has also made the opioid response an emergency legislative priority in the 88th Texas Legislature, further ensuring critical legislation will be considered during the session.
