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Accomplishments
Dr. Lalani did not go to Austin only to hand out proclamations and take photos. He got to work as fast as any freshman representative in recent history. Fort Bend communities in Sugar Land, Richmond, Mission Bend, Stafford, Meadows, and all over House District 76 have been waiting for a Democrat who will take action.
- Help Defeat Abbott’s School Voucher Scams
- Co-Sponsor SB 532 to Expand Mental Health Services on Texas Campuses
- Co-Sponsor HB 12 to Extend Medicaid for Postpartum Mothers to 12 Months
- 36 Bills Signed Into Law
- Founding Member AAPI Caucus
- Freshman of the Year by award by AAPI Caucus
- Patient Advocacy Award by Texas Academy of Family Physicians
- Civil Rights Community Award by SL95 - S.O.J.E.S
- Raise Your Hand Texas Public Education Champion Award, 88th Legislature
- Texas PTA Champion for Children, 88th Legislature
Health Care for Women, Mothers, and Uninsured
As a lifelong physician, Dr. Lalani has seen firsthand the effects of poor healthcare access. Texas is the least insured state in the Nation. Dr. Lalani has brought expertise that has been lacking in Austin for decades. He is the only medical doctor on the Democratic side of the aisle, and he is the only active practicing doctor in all of the legislature. That means Representative Lalani is seeing patients and advocating for them on the Texas house floor the next day. That's why he became a co-sponsor for HB 12, which expanded Medicaid for new mothers from six months to twelve months. This crucial postpartum period is when mothers and infants are most vulnerable.
Public Education Champion and Higher Education Advocate
It is well known that Dr. Lalani is an education advocate, which is why he was placed on the Higher Education Committee as a freshman Representative. Here, he ensures that higher education is not limited to the most fortunate but open to all Texas families. When Governor Greg Abbott called multiple special sessions to defund public schools with his private school voucher scam, Dr. Lalani stood up to Abbott. Thanks to relationships with fellow Democrats and pro-public education conservatives, Representative Lalani was part of a coalition that defeated the private school voucher scam. The fight is still ongoing but there is plenty of fight left in Dr. Lalani when it comes to protecting the public schools that serve our most economically disadvantaged communities.
A Leading Advocate for Mental Health Services and Funding
As a specialist in geriatric medicine and hospice care, Dr. Lalani knows that health care does not end with our physical bodies; our mental health is directly related to our physical well-being. This can be especially true for young adults and seniors. Developing minds and older citizens facing cognitive decline can be more susceptible to mental health issues. Texas and the rest of the nation must start giving equal importance to our mental health. I Co-sponsored SB 532 to expand mental health services on Texas campuses to ensure the state supports young people during one of their most challenging transitions.
Making Our Legislature Reflective of Texas Families
Being among the first Muslims to serve in the Texas Legislature has been an honor for Representative Suleman Lalani. He helped form the AAPI Caucus and hosted the first Iftar celebration ever held in the Capital. In a place that showed open hostility to Muslims only a session earlier, Dr. Lalani is breaking barriers. This has not gone without a cost for him and those who have embraced the diversity of adding Muslim legislators. Ultra-conservative organizations have attacked any Representative who attended Dr. Lalani's Iftar. These Islamophobic attacks cannot change the fact that Texas has prospered thanks to the diversity of places like Fort Bend County. These hateful attacks will fail, and Dr. Lalani will continue to champion our diversity in Austin and celebrate your family's religion, heritage, and history.
