Victoria Neave

Neave was named the House Democratic Caucus Freshman of the Year.{{Cite web |last=Weston |first=Shawn |date=2017-05-30 |title=Neave named Freshman of the Year |url=https://dallasvoice.com/neave-named-freshman-year/ |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=Dallas Voice |language=en-US}} During her first session, she passed a law to allow "Texans applying for or renewing their driver’s license the option to donate $1 or more toward rape kit testing."{{Cite web |last=Samuels |first=Alex |date=2018-06-08 |title=After crowdfunding law, Texans raise nearly $250,000 toward testing rape kits |url=https://www.texastribune.org/2018/06/08/crowdfunding-Texas-rape-kit-testing-victoria-neave-wendy-davis/ |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=The Texas Tribune |language=en}} As of June 2018, the program had "collected more than $234,956."

Neave was arrested in June 2017 on a Driving While Intoxicated charge after she crashed her BMW into a tree and repeatedly told arresting officers that "I love you and I want to fight for you, and I invoke the Fifth Amendment."{{cite news|last1=Farmer|first1=Liz|last2=Rajwani|first2=Naheed|title=I disappointed myself, state Rep. Victoria Neave says after DWI arrest|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/2017/06/07/texas-state-rep-victoria-neave-arrested-suspected-drunken-driving|access-date=June 30, 2017|newspaper=Dallas Morning News|date=June 7, 2017}} Neave said after her arrest that she was "deeply sorry, and will accept the consequences of my actions, and will work to make this right." As a local attorney and legislator, concerns were expressed at favoritism by police, prosecutors and local media towards Neave.{{cite news|title=Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down|url=http://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/editorials/article/Thumbs-up-thumbs-down-11209704.php|access-date=June 30, 2017|newspaper=Houston Chronicle|date=June 9, 2017}}

Neave was reelected to her second term in the general election held on November 6, 2018, when she defeated the Republican candidate, Deanna Maria Metzger, 28,923 (57.1 percent) to 21,770 (42.9 percent).{{cite web|url=https://enrpages.sos.state.tx.us/public/nov06_331_state.htm?x=0&y=0&id=545|title=Election Returns|date=November 6, 2018|publisher=Texas Secretary of State|access-date=November 20, 2018}}

In 2019, Neave passed omnibus legislation to tackle the backlog of thousands of untested rape kits in Texas called the Lavinia Masters Act, or House Bill 8, which also included $50 million from the Texas budget.{{Cite web |last=Novack |first=Sophie |date=2019-09-03 |title=Thousands of Rape Kits in Texas Went Untested For Years. Lavinia Masters Is Ending That. |url=https://www.texasobserver.org/activist-and-rape-survivor-lavinia-masters-on-the-battle-to-end-texas-rape-kit-backlog/ |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=The Texas Observer |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date= March 21, 2021 |title=There's been an 80% reduction in rape kit backlog in Texas, state rep says |url=https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/inside-politics/texas-politics/state-rep-victoria-neave-80-reduction-rape-kit-backlog-texas/287-575fb8c2-af67-464b-96fe-5ba6e5d5dca1 |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=wfaa.com |language=en-US}} As of 2021, there was an 80% reduction in the rape kit backlog.{{Cite web |date= March 21, 2021 |title=There's been an 80% reduction in rape kit backlog in Texas, state rep says |url=https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/inside-politics/texas-politics/state-rep-victoria-neave-80-reduction-rape-kit-backlog-texas/287-575fb8c2-af67-464b-96fe-5ba6e5d5dca1 |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=wfaa.com |language=en-US}} Neave has also "[led] the charge at the Texas Capitol to fight these arrangements [nondisclosure agreements] through a bill that would void contractual agreements that prevent employees from notifying law enforcement or regulatory agencies about sexual harassment or sexual assault in the workplace."{{Cite web |date=2019-04-01 |title=Dallas lawmaker targeting shady nondisclosure agreements to protect sexual harassment victims |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2019/04/01/dallas-lawmaker-targeting-shady-nondisclosure-agreements-to-protect-sexual-harassment-victims/ |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=Dallas News |language=en}}

Neave was selected as one of seventeen speakers to jointly deliver the keynote address at the 2020 Democratic National Convention.{{cite web |title=Democrats Unveil A New Kind of Convention Keynote |url=https://www.demconvention.com/press-releases/democrats-unveil-a-new-kind-of-convention-keynote/ |website=2020 Democratic National Convention |access-date=16 August 2020 |date=16 August 2020}} In 2021, Neave while only in her "third term, was appointed to a coveted committee chair position in the Texas House" and is only the sixth Latina in Texas History to chair a committee in the Texas House of Representatives.{{Cite web |date= February 13, 2021 |title=A Dallas Democrat becomes only the sixth Latina to chair a committee in the Texas House |url=https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/inside-politics/texas-politics/a-dallas-democrat-becomes-only-the-sixth-latina-to-chair-a-committee-in-the-texas-house/287-f8f1b790-f67f-4fa6-8717-24708e9e1504 |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=wfaa.com |language=en-US}} She was appointed as Chair of the Texas House Committee on Juvenile Justice and Family Issues.{{Cite web |date= February 13, 2021 |title=A Dallas Democrat becomes only the sixth Latina to chair a committee in the Texas House |url=https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/politics/inside-politics/texas-politics/a-dallas-democrat-becomes-only-the-sixth-latina-to-chair-a-committee-in-the-texas-house/287-f8f1b790-f67f-4fa6-8717-24708e9e1504 |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=wfaa.com |language=en-US}} In 2023, Victoria Neave Criado was appointed as Chair of the Texas House Committee on County Affairs.{{Cite web |last=Representatives |first=Texas House of |title=Texas House of Representatives |url=https://www.house.texas.gov/ |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=www.house.texas.gov}}

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Category:1980 births

Category:Living people

Category:Democratic Party members of the Texas House of Representatives

Category:Politicians from Dallas

Category:Texas lawyers

Category:Thurgood Marshall School of Law alumni

Category:Women state legislators in Texas

Category:21st-century American women politicians

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