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Jolanda is from Houston, Texas. She has a bachelor's degree in political science and government from the University of Houston and a law degree from the University of Houston Law Center. 

Jolanda is the owner and managing partner at the Law Office of Jolanda Jones, a keynote and motivational speaker at Jolanda Jones Consulting, and an author. 

Ballotpedia, Jolanda Jones

Jolanda Jones is currently the state representative for Texas House District 147. She was first elected in 2022 and is serving her 1st term. She served as a member of the Houston City Council from 2008 to 2012 and as District IV Board Trustee for Houston Independent School District from 2016 to 2020. She ran for Harris County tax assessor in 2020 but did not win. 

Candidate website

Supports equal pay protections to ensure women are paid fairly.

Supports the Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) program, which aims to promote the growth of women and minority-owned businesses in state contracting.

Supports improving local highways, public transit, and street infrastructure.

Believes in ensuring the $30 billion of federal infrastructure funding is equally distributed within House District 147.

- Supports equal pay protections to ensure women are paid fairly.
- Supports the Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) program, which aims to promote the growth of women and minority-owned businesses in state contracting.
- Supports improving local highways, public transit, and street infrastructure.
- Believes in ensuring the $30 billion of federal infrastructure funding is equally distributed within House District 147.

Economy

Supports policies that enforce good policing and aim to reform the criminal justice system.

Supports policies that enforce "good policing" and aims to reform the criminal justice system.

Believes in "fixing a broken juvenile justice system" to enhance public safety.

Believes in "fixing a broken juvenile justice system" to improve public safety.

Supports reforms to improve workforce reentry for formerly incarcerated individuals.

Supports workforce reentry programs for formerly incarcerated individuals.

- Supports policies that enforce "good policing" and aims to reform the criminal justice system.
- Believes in "fixing a broken juvenile justice system" to improve public safety.
- Supports workforce reentry programs for formerly incarcerated individuals.

Public Safety

Texas Monthly, Sex, Threats, and Late-Night Phone Calls: The Allegations From Inside Jolanda Jones’s Legislative Office

Supports simplifying access to Children's Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program.

Supports simplifying access to Children's Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

Supports expanding Medicaid and healthcare coverage for uninsured individuals.

Supports increasing mental health and substance abuse services.

Aims to reduce health disparities for low-income Texans and people of color.

Supports expanding access to quality postpartum and prenatal care for women.

Opposes legislation to limit access to transgender health care.

- Supports simplifying access to Children's Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
- Supports expanding Medicaid and healthcare coverage for uninsured individuals.
- Supports access to abortion.
- Supports increasing mental health and substance abuse services.
- Aims to reduce health disparities for low-income Texans and people of color.
- Supports expanding access to quality postpartum and prenatal care for women.
- Opposes legislation to limit access to transgender health care.

Healthcare

Opposes using public money for private school vouchers.

Opposes school voucher program,s which allow parents to use public funds to enroll their children in schools beyond their local public options, including private schools.

Supports increasing salaries for teachers and public school staff.

Supports ending the state takeover of the Houston Independent School District and restoring local control to the elected Board of Trustees.

Supports "ending the state takeover of the Houston Independent School District (HISD)" and restoring local control to the elected Board of Trustees.

Believes in "closing the digital divide in public education."

Believes in "ensuring our schools are safe from gun violence."

Supports improving access to trade programs, vocational training, and community colleges.

Supports providing equitable funding to historically Black colleges and universities.

Opposes efforts to ban education about race and racism.

- Opposes school voucher program,s which allow parents to use public funds to enroll their children in schools beyond their local public options, including private schools.
- Supports increasing salaries for teachers and public school staff.
- Supports "ending the state takeover of the Houston Independent School District (HISD)" and restoring local control to the elected Board of Trustees.
- Believes in "closing the digital divide in public education."
- Believes in "ensuring our schools are safe from gun violence."
- Supports improving access to trade programs, vocational training, and community colleges.
- Supports providing equitable funding to historically Black colleges and universities.
- Opposes efforts to ban education about race and racism.

Education

As of September 7, 2024, Jolanda  Jones’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Energy & the Environment

Supports legislation to expand voting rights and increase ballot access.

Supports "restoring individuals' voting rights who have served time in prison."

Supports protecting the federal Voting Rights Act.

- Supports legislation to expand voting rights and increase ballot access.
- Supports "restoring individuals' voting rights who have served time in prison."
- Supports protecting the federal Voting Rights Act.

Voting & Elections

Accused of creating "an abusive and hostile work environment" and tolerating "toxic and unethical behavior."

Her full-time staff members resigned, citing "an abusive and hostile work environment" and "toxic and unethical behavior."

- Her full-time staff members resigned, citing "an abusive and hostile work environment" and "toxic and unethical behavior."

Ethics & Conduct

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Jolanda  Jones

Ballotpedia, Claudio Gutierrez

Claudio was born in Nicaragua. He earned a bachelor's degree in industrial and systems engineering from Florida International University. 

Claudio is the founder and president of Valens Project Consulting. He is also the founder of Potens Energy. Claudio previously worked as a manager at Nexans and an engineer at Electro Mechanical Industries, Inc. 

Claudio Gutierrez's campaign for state representative of District 147 is his first run for public office. 

Community Impact

Believes only homeowners are being taxed to support state government and social services.

Believes that infrastructure improvements are necessary, including water pipes.

Believes that infrastructure improvements are necessary, including water pipes and public parks. 

Supports removing unnecessary regulations that discourage aspiring small business owners.

Wants to incentivize affordable housing by reducing taxes for developers that include a certain percentage of affordable construction in their project.

- Believes only homeowners are being taxed to support state government and social services.
- Believes that infrastructure improvements are necessary, including water pipes and public parks. 
- Supports removing unnecessary regulations that discourage aspiring small business owners.
- Wants to incentivize affordable housing by reducing taxes for developers that include a certain percentage of affordable construction in their project.

Said, "Crime reduction is my number one priority."

Believes the root cause of crime and infrastructure problems is corruption.

Opposes undocumented immigration saying, "A country without a border is not a country at all!"

Said, "Zero-dollar bail bonds have no place in an effective justice system [and] third time offenders will automatically be disqualified from consideration for bail!"

- Said, "Crime reduction is my number one priority."
- Believes the root cause of crime and infrastructure problems is corruption.
- Opposes undocumented immigration saying, "A country without a border is not a country at all!"
- Said, "Zero-dollar bail bonds have no place in an effective justice system [and] third time offenders will automatically be disqualified from consideration for bail!"

As of September 7, 2024, Claudio Gutierrez’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes that funding for public universities has grown faster than their incoming student number and if universities don’t use their endowments to expand class sizes, they should lose public funding.

Intends to donate his monthly salary to a different classroom of a school in the district every month if elected.

- Believes that funding for public universities has grown faster than their incoming student number and if universities don’t use their endowments to expand class sizes, they should lose public funding.
- Intends to donate his monthly salary to a different classroom of a school in the district every month if elected.

Believes elections are not secure, saying, "I’ve served as an alternate judge in a handful of elections and it always amazes me how easy it is to cheat. I’ve even witnessed people shamelessly trying to vote minutes after they had already voted. It’s almost as if they don’t fear the consequences of voter fraud."

Said, "The left always cheats, so we all have to be vigilant."

- Believes elections are not secure, saying, "I’ve served as an alternate judge in a handful of elections and it always amazes me how easy it is to cheat. I’ve even witnessed people shamelessly trying to vote minutes after they had already voted. It’s almost as if they don’t fear the consequences of voter fraud."
- Said, "The left always cheats, so we all have to be vigilant."

Claudio Gutierrez

- Your state representative represents the interests of your local district in the Texas House of Representatives. The State House of Representatives, along with the State Senate, makes up your state lawmaking body: the Texas State Legislature
- Your state representative can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws. 
- There are 150 members of the Texas House of Representatives, each representing a single district. Representatives must be at least 21 years old and reside in the state for at least two years before their election. 
- State representatives are elected to two-year terms during even-numbered years. There are no term limits. 
- State representatives make $7,200 annually in addition to a $221 payment per day during legislative sessions and mileage reimbursements.