Rep. Perez, Vincent

Biography

State Representative Vince Perez proudly represents House District 77 in El Paso, Texas. He serves on several key House committees, including the Committee on Ways and Means, the Committee on Higher Education, and the Committee on Local and Consent Calendars. Additionally, he holds leadership roles as a Deputy Whip for the Democratic Caucus and is a member of the Democratic Policy and Steering Committee. Prior to joining the Texas Legislature, Perez demonstrated impactful leadership as the El Paso County Commissioner for Precinct 3 from 2013 to 2020.

Throughout his career, Representative Perez has established a strong reputation as an innovative, reform-focused leader, committed to modernizing government operations and enhancing the quality of life in his community. His tenure at the county level was marked by substantial advancements across criminal justice, fiscal responsibility, healthcare, economic development, and transportation infrastructure.

In 2013, Perez played an instrumental role in the approval of El Paso County’s Comprehensive Mobility Plan, a landmark initiative that invested over $400 million into vital transportation infrastructure, delivering every project on time and within budget. That same year, he championed healthcare expansion, voting to allocate more than $150 million for the construction of state-of-the-art primary care clinics, significantly increasing healthcare access for El Paso residents.

Driven by a commitment to justice and fairness, Perez spearheaded critical investigations in 2014 into the appointment practices of private defense attorneys for indigent defendants, revealing systemic inefficiencies and biases. His advocacy prompted the Texas Indigent Defense Commission to mandate comprehensive reforms, significantly improving representation and reducing unnecessary incarceration and backlog in criminal courts.

Further innovating criminal justice practices, Perez successfully established El Paso County’s first pretrial office, significantly enhancing evaluations of defendants’ risks and needs for legal counsel. He also ensured round-the-clock operation of the county jail magistrate, streamlining judicial processes and protecting defendants’ rights. Under his guidance, El Paso County became a national model by adopting the National Center for State Courts’ “CourTools” system, promoting transparency and efficiency within the judicial system. His proactive leadership helped El Paso County avoid costly litigation faced by other major Texas counties, positioning it as a leader in criminal justice best practices.

Perez’s impactful leadership earned him recognition as "National County Leader of the Year" in 2016 by American City & County Magazine—the first Texas County Commissioner ever to achieve this distinction.

Continuing his visionary leadership, Perez established the groundbreaking County Economic Impact Fund in 2018, enhancing economic development opportunities and diversifying incentives to attract major investment to the Borderplex region. Additionally, in 2019, he successfully protected the health and welfare of his constituents by preventing the approval of a hazardous medical waste facility after exposing critical inaccuracies in the company’s application to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).

In addition to his legislative duties, Representative Perez has provided strategic leadership as Chairman of the El Paso Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Policy Board, Chairman of the Central Appraisal District Board of Directors, and as a member of the Texas Border Trade Advisory Committee.

Perez holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., reflecting his deep commitment to informed and effective governance. A lifelong resident and passionate advocate for El Paso’s Mission Valley, Perez resides there with his dogs, Lady and Whiskey.