Fortunately, a new law that took effect Sept. 1 should help make officials more accountable, and help standardize public meetings. State Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, authored House Bill 2840, which requires a governmental body to allow members of the public to address any item on a meeting agenda before or during the body’s consideration of the item.

New legislation proposed by state Rep. Terry Canales of Edinburg, which went into effect this month, is aimed at allowing people to make those memories just a little bit easier, by modernizing licensure requirements for hunters and anglers.

A law that went into effect today allows for Texas anglers and hunters to provide proof that they own a license through their phones, a move that helps modernize an age-old process. The bill, HB547, was put forth by District 40 Rep. Terry Canales. 

Without a doubt, our local leaders have the tools they need now to lessen the tough punishments that are on the books for cannabis. We would be well served to use this hemp misstep as an opportunity to implement cite-and-release policies and look at strategies to lessen the lifelong burden and implications a marijuana conviction can bring upon our young offenders.

House Bill 81 by state Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, aims to prevent headlines like the ones that surfaced in 2015 after the city of McAllen refused to disclose how much it paid Iglesias for a concert appearance at a Christmas parade. At the time, the city argued that publicizing his paycheck would jeopardize future negotiations with performers — and the Texas Attorney General's Office agreed, allowing the city to keep the information secret.

State Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, became the first Hispanic chairman of the Texas House Committee on Transportation, the legislator’s office confirmed in a news release on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the Texas Press Association recognized Canales for his efforts. Executive Vice President Donnis Baggett traveled to Edinburg to present Canales with the organization’s Transparency Champion award on Thursday. Baggett commended Canales’ transparency-related efforts during the 2017 legislature, calling him a “warrior.” Canales said he deeply appreciated receiving the award, but wasn’t totally happy about it.

“The government exists for the people, by the people,” Canales said, citing the Texas government’s lack of transparency and accountability. “But the very idea that we have to single out a legislator for an award to fight for transparency shows how pervasive the problem is. Transparency should be inherent. We shouldn’t have to give this award.”

Lawmakers from the Rio Grande Valley took advantage of the governor’s visit to Pharr Tuesday to personally give him a letter expressing their support for expanding the state’s network of trauma hospitals.

State Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, hand-delivered a letter signed by the RGV delegation’s three state senators and seven state representatives to Gov. Greg Abbott, who was in town for the inauguration of South Texas College’s Regional Center for Public Safety.

More than a quarter million retired teachers and public school employees are struggling under the health insurance program for retired teachers and employees, Teacher Retirement Systems Care or TRS-care. State Representative Terry Canales has sent a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott, urging him to call a special legislative session in order to attempt to fix the issue.

National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)/Texas, the state’s leading small business association, has announced that Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, is the only state legislator from Hidalgo County – and only one of three Democrats  in the Texas Legislature – who earned a perfect 100 percent rating on key measures of vital importance to small businesses in the state.