Former Texas State Rep. Garnet Coleman, longtime Houston lawmaker, dies
HOUSTON - Former Texas State Rep. Garnet F. Coleman, who represented Houston for more than three decades, has died.
Passing of Former State Rep. Garnet Coleman
What we know:
Coleman passed away from natural causes on Sept. 23, his family announced in a statement.
Coleman represented Houston’s House District 147 from 1991 until his retirement in 2022. During more than three decades in the Texas House, his family said he worked to expand access to health care, strengthen mental health services, advance criminal justice reform and invest in the communities and institutions he served.
What we don't know:
Coleman’s family has not announced details about services or arrangements. The family said that information will be released in due time.
Coleman’s legacy
What they're saying:
In a statement, his family emphasized his impact on the community he served and beyond.
"His legislative work helped establish Children’s Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program in Texas and sustained their funding. As the Texas House’s lead writer of the health and human services portion of the state budget during four legislative sessions, he secured major increases for health coverage, mental health care and HIV/AIDS services. He later helped develop the state’s Medicaid 1115 Transformation Waiver, bringing substantial federal support to Texas health care providers. President Barack Obama selected him to serve in a working group of state legislators on health reform.
Coleman also passed Texas’s mental health parity legislation, helped establish crisis intervention training for peace officers and passed the Sandra Bland Act. In Houston, he championed neighborhood development and advocated relentlessly for Texas Southern University, Prairie View A&M University and the University of Houston. He served as past chairman of the Texas Legislative Study Group House Caucus and the Texas Legislative Black Caucus. His work reflected a sustained commitment to people too often left without access to care or opportunity.
The family asks for privacy at this time and that he be remembered for his service, dedication to his family, and never-ending passion for uplifting all Texans."
The Source: The information in this article comes from a statement from the family of former state Representative Garnet F. Coleman.