Judith is from Laredo, Texas. She attended The University of Texas at Austin. She has a Bachelor of Science degree, a Master of Arts degree, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree, all from The University of Texas at Austin.

The Texas State Senate – Senator Judith Zaffirini: District 21

Sen. Judith Zaffirini - Texas State Directory Online

Judith Zaffirini is originally from Laredo, Texas. She earned a bachelor's, master's, and doctorate in communicate from the University of Texas at Austin. Judith lives in Laredo with her husband, Carlos, and their one son, and they have two grandsons.

Judith is a State Senator. She works at the Texas Senate. She previously worked as a full-time educator at Laredo Junior College.

Judith currently works as a communications specialist and is the owner of Zaffirini Communications. She previously worked as an educator with 13 years of teaching experience.

Texas State Senate District 21 - Ballotpedia

Judith currently serves as the Texas state senator for District 21. She was first elected in 1986 and is serving her 11th term.

Supports a living wage and paid sick leave for all working Texans.

Supports investing in modern technologies, infrastructure, broadband internet, and education and job training to create high-quality jobs.

Plans to sponsor legislation to create free community college job training programs, infrastructure construction, higher minimum wages, and worker safety programs.

Supports economic growth through job creation, workforce development, infrastructure, and protections for working Texans

- Supports a living wage and paid sick leave for all working Texans.
- Supports investing in modern technologies, infrastructure, broadband internet, and education and job training to create high-quality jobs.
- Supports economic growth through job creation, workforce development, infrastructure, and protections for working Texans

Economy

Supports school safety initiatives, access to justice, legal system accountability, and protections for vulnerable populations

- Supports school safety initiatives, access to justice, legal system accountability, and protections for vulnerable populations

Public Safety

Believes healthcare is a right and supports expanding access to quality health services, especially for children, the elderly, the poor, disabled persons, and veterans.

Supports Medicaid expansion, the Affordable Care Act, and banning health insurance policies that exclude persons with preexisting conditions.

Supports expanding medical education to include physician assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, and certified registered nurse anesthetists.

Prioritizes improving health equity, ensuring affordable healthcare, and increasing rural healthcare resources.

- Believes healthcare is a right and supports expanding access to quality health services, especially for children, the elderly, the poor, disabled persons, and veterans.
- Supports Medicaid expansion, the Affordable Care Act, and banning health insurance policies that exclude persons with preexisting conditions.
- Supports expanding medical education to include physician assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, and certified registered nurse anesthetists.
- Prioritizes improving health equity, ensuring affordable healthcare, and increasing rural healthcare resources.

Healthcare

Supports reducing higher education costs by expanding tuition-free universities, implementing student loan forgiveness, and supporting workforce education programs.

Supports universal pre-kindergarten programs.

- Supports reducing higher education costs by expanding tuition-free universities, implementing student loan forgiveness, and supporting workforce education programs.
- Supports universal pre-kindergarten programs.
- Supports funding for special education.

Education

Plans to support incentives for alternative energy sources, especially wind and solar, manufacturing of electric vehicles, and recycling.

Plans to advocate for regulations that balance economic development with environmental concerns and preserve air and water quality.

Supports regulations that balance economic development with environmental concerns and preserve air and water quality.

- Plans to support incentives for alternative energy sources, especially wind and solar, manufacturing of electric vehicles, and recycling.
- Supports regulations that balance economic development with environmental concerns and preserve air and water quality.

Energy & the Environment

Supports protecting voting rights and legislative representation, and opposed redistricting actions she said violated the Voting Rights Act

- Supports protecting voting rights and legislative representation, and opposed redistricting actions she said violated the Voting Rights Act

Voting & Elections

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Judith Zaffirini

Judith Zaffirini is originally from Laredo, Texas. She earned a Bachelor of Science, a Master of Arts, and a PhD from the University of Texas at Austin. Judith lives in Laredo with her husband, Carlos, and their one son, and they have two grandsons.

Judith Zaffirini currently serves as the Texas state senator for District 21. She was first elected in 1986 and is serving her 11th term.

As of January 22, 2026, Judith Zaffirini’s website did not contain information on this issue.

- Your state senator represents the interests of your district in the Texas State Senate. The State Senate, along with the State House of Representatives, makes up your state lawmaking body: the Texas Legislature.
- Your state senator can author, sponsor, and vote on bills that may become state laws after going through the legislative process.
- There are 31 Texas state senators, each representing a single district with a constituency of around 1 million.
- State senators are elected to 4-year terms and one 2-year term per decade, and there are no term limits.
- They are paid a salary of $7,200/year and a per diem of $221/day.