One For All E-Newsletter: January 27, 2022 Edition

Dear Friends,

Strong communities guarantee equitable access to opportunities for all. Whether it is health care, economic stability, or the ability to participate in elections, communities are healthier, safer, and more resilient when everyone can take part.

This month, Harris County became a stronger community by approving and implementing community health and economic equity initiatives that will improve the overall quality of life for our neighbors.

Increasing Access to Free COVID Testing
For almost two years, Harris County has been responding to the ever-changing community needs tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. As you are probably aware, it became almost impossible to find an at-home COVID-19 test earlier this month. In response, Commissioners Court approved allocating $2 million to Harris County Public Health (HCPH) to purchase rapid antigen tests and distribute them to schools, community organizations, and health clinics. Coupled with the free PCR tests also offered by HCPH, students, families, and patients have increased access to learning their COVID-19 status.

Stepping up to Provide Emergency Nurses at Local Hospitals
Nurses working on the frontlines are protecting all of us, including those in the hospital and the community at large. As the virus surged during both the Delta and Omicron waves, Harris County stepped up to fund emergency nursing at local hospitals—even when the State of Texas would not. In January, we funded $40 million to cover more than 650 emergency nurses at public and private hospitals in the area, on top of the $30 million investment in August 2021. We thank the nurses and all the healthcare heroes taking care of our Harris County community.

Opening Doors to Good Jobs by Giving a Fair Chance to All Applicants
Everyone deserves a fair chance. For too long, Harris County has sent the wrong signal to job applicants with criminal history and allowed discrimination against those applicants by requiring people to declare their criminal history at the start of their employment applications. This month, Harris County joined 37 states and more than 150 cities and counties across America to “ban the box”. In future, Harris County will not ask about a person’s arrest or conviction record before determining if they are otherwise qualified for a position. Additionally, questions about a candidate's past history will not automatically disqualify them from getting a job. By giving people a fair chance to live productively and honestly, we are making Harris County a more inclusive and safer place to live.

Access to Free and Fair Elections
Perhaps the most urgent information for Harris County voters is included in the section below. The Harris County Elections Administrator’s office has prepared the following tips and video to help you avoid delays in getting Vote by Mail ballots due to the Texas Legislature’s Senate Bill 1, which is causing the rejections of Vote by Mail applications and has new ID requirements.

Please review the voting information below to learn more.

Sincerely,

TIME SENSITIVE INFORMATION

The Texas Legislature approved Senate Bill 1, which made significant changes to voting and election laws, including new mail ballot requirements that have led to an increased number of mail ballot applications flagged for rejection. The new state law requires voters to provide their Texas driver’s license number, Texas ID number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number. Failure to provide an exact match on the application to what is on your voter record could result in a rejection of the application, meaning voters will need to return a corrected mail ballot application before the deadline.

THE DEADLINE TO APPLY TO VOTE BY MAIL IN THE MARCH PRIMARY ELECTION IS FEBRUARY 18, 2022.

Below are some helpful voter tips to avoid delays in successfully processing your application in time for the March Primary. Follow the link below for an instructional video available for download.

Tips to avoid delays due to the new State law:

Call Harris County Elections at 713-755-6965. The voter services team is dedicated to walking voters through the process of filling out applications. There are operators who are fluent in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese.

Provide two forms of ID. Even though the form only asks for one, the best way to ensure an application isn’t rejected is to provide both a Texas ID and the last four digits of your Social Security number.

Provide a contact email or phone number. Providing this information on your application will allow our team to reach out and address any issues with the application to minimize potential delays.

Select a political party. In addition to filling out the new ID requirements, voters are required to select a political party in order to vote in the upcoming March Primary Election and Runoff Election. If you select “Annual Application: Send me a ballot for all elections in this voting year”, voters also must select either “March 1st Democratic Primary and Runoff” OR “March 1st Republican Primary and Runoff” in the options to the right.

For more information, including sample ballots & polling locations:
VISIT: HarrisVotes.com
FOLLOW: @HarrisVotes on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram
CALL: Harris County Elections at 713-755-6965

DOWNLOAD THE FLYER

RideONE BIKE RIDES: BLACK HISTORIC LANDMARKS

Commissioner Rodney Ellis and the Harris County Precinct One RideONE bike program invite you to join us for a four-hour, 25-mile Black Historic Landmarks Bike Ride. Celebrate Black History Month by cycling on Precinct One's bikeways. The ride will be a loop around Houston with visits to important landmarks such as Brays Bayou Trails, Bill Coats Bridge, Hermann Park, Houston Zoo, Mickey Leland Statue, Miller Outdoor Theater and many more locations.

REGISTER HERE | VIEW A COMPLETE LIST OF ALL UPCOMING BIKE RIDES

SACRED STRUGGLE / VIBRANT JUSTICE MURAL

The Sacred Struggles / Vibrant Justice mural honoring eight Houston African American civil rights leaders brightens the Columbia Tap trail in Third Ward near 3115 Blodgett. The jewel-toned mural is dedicated to those who fought for fairness, equality and opportunity, including the sacred right to vote.

Those honored include: Reverend John D. Moore, Christia Adair, Heman Sweatt, the Honorable Hattie Mae White, Reverend William Lawson, Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, Congressman Mickey Leland and the former Houston City Councilwoman Ada Edwards.

With Black History Month beginning in a few days, there couldn't be a more appropriate time to take a few minutes to remember those who gave so much to their community.

TROUT FISHING IN EISENHOWER AND TOM BASS PARKS

Looking for a new fishing spot?

Whether you are fishing for food or enjoying an afternoon of catch-and-release, the ponds in Eisenhower and Tom Bass parks have been stocked in your favor. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) recently added 800 rainbow trout to a Tom Bass Park pond. On Wednesday, February 16, TPWD will return to an Eisenhower park pond to add an additional 600 rainbow trout to the 600 previously added this month.

Dust off your fishing equipment and see if there's a rainbow trout with your name on it.

PROJECT BRAYS: REDUCING FLOOD RISK ONE BRIDGE AT A TIME

Project Brays, the most significant flood damage reduction project managed by Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD), is one bridge closer to completing the project that will ultimately reduce the risk of flooding for 15,000 structures.

The newly reconstructed Buffalo Speedway bridge reopened to all traffic last month. The project benefits and improvements include:

Reducing the risk of flooding by improving floodwater flow through Brays Bayou
Providing a higher, longer and wider bridge for improved vehicular traffic
Installing a left-turn lane at each intersection
Adding a 10-foot-wide sidewalk for people walking and biking

Construction updates for Project Brays