As a legislative staffer, and as a lobbyist, Eric Woomer has assembled an impressive resume of accomplishment in aiding legislators to achieve their public policy goals.
Significant legislative and professional accomplishments achieved while serving as a lobbyist include:
- Reformed Antiquated Lien Laws.
Mechanic’s, Contractor’s and Materialman’s lien rights are guaranteed in the Texas Constitution, but neglected state statutes needed reform. In 2023, we worked with a broad array of construction interests to secure legislation to align notice requirements to all tiers of subcontractors and suppliers for lien affidavits, reduce the Statute of Limitations for a suit to foreclose a lien from two years to one year, and adopt straightforward statutory forms for Notices of Claims for Unpaid Labor or Materials and Unpaid Retainage.
- Increased Access to Mental Health Medications.
- To assist Texans struggling with mental illness to remain stable on their physician-prescribed medications, in 2021 and 2023, we enacted legislation to improve the availability of antipsychotic prescription drugs under Medicaid managed care programs, and to limit "step therapy" protocols imposed by health insurers for mental health medications for patients with severe mental illness to one failure, as well as limit non-medical switching during the plan year.
- Restricted Guns in State Mental Health Hospitals.
- In 1995, Texans were barred from carrying handguns into hospitals licensed under Ch. 241, Health & Safety Code. However, state mental health hospitals are state entities, and not licensed under Ch. 241. Over time, signage was posted in state hospitals barring the carrying of handguns, despite not having proper statutory authority. In 2017, we led efforts to ensure guns cannot be carried in state mental health hospitals in Texas and permitted new signage inform the public.
- Expanded Pediatric Preceptorship Opportunities.
- Pediatric preceptorships match pre-clinical students with pediatricians for summer rotations, historically focusing on general pediatric practices. Our team successfully passed legislation targeting shortages in pediatric subspecialties as well, by funding on-site training for students interested in these fields and addressing specialty gaps in rural & underserved areas.
- Added Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) to the Texas Newborn Screening Panel.
- Hundreds of babies are born each year in the United States with DMD, a devastating, progressive and ultimately fatal disease. Muscle damage begins before birth, then worsens over time, leading to a decline where children lose the ability to run, walk, use their limbs, and then breathe unassisted. Despite advances in testing and disease detection, the average age of Duchenne diagnosis is 5 years old, and this delayed diagnosis dramatically increases the costs for families and to the health care system. In 2025, our team led efforts to add screening for DMD to the Texas newborn screening program, allowing for earlier detection, access to specialized therapies, and improved outcomes for these fragile kids.
- Created Forensic Psychiatry Fellowships in Texas.
- There is a well-recognized shortage of psychiatrists, and particularly of trained and board-certified forensic psychiatrists. Our team secured $5 million in new funding for additional training programs to increase access to specialized forensic psychiatric consultation and evaluation services in civil and criminal matters. This workforce expansion benefits courts, correctional systems, community mental health centers, and private and public mental health systems.
- Increased Medicaid rates for physicians.
- Medicaid physician payments have not been increased for more than a decade, while patient caseloads and physician practice costs have increased. Our team lead efforts in 2023 and 2025 to invest more than $150 million per biennium in increased Medicaid payments to pediatric physicians and maternal fetal medicine specialists.
- Increase restaurant worker training regarding food allergies.
Studies show that among children and adolescents, anaphylaxis, a severe and life-threatening allergic reaction, is most commonly a result of food allergies. As many as 200 deaths occur annually due to severe allergic reactions to food. In 2023, our team led efforts to pass legislation requiring updated training of restaurant staff to increase awareness of allergens and prevention of allergic reactions, as well as requiring food service establishments to display a poster related to food allergens and how to respond to an allergy-related emergency.
Accomplishments as an advisor to state legislators include:
- Implementation of a “graduated” driver’s license program for young Texans, imposing greater restrictions on their ability to drive while unsupervised during the first 6 months of licensure.
- This effort led to a 33% reduction in auto-related teen fatalities in Texas since its passage, a rate of decline that leads the nation. The Austin American Statesman cited passage of this legislation as a primary cause for the improvement.
- Creation of Texas Professional Educator Home Loan Program, a housing assistance program which helps more than 300 teachers annually to own homes.
- The program is housed within the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation, which makes millions available annually to support down payments assistance efforts and make low-interest loans to first-time homebuyers.
- Passage of legislation decreasing the statutory definition of “intoxicated” from .10 to .08 for all driving intoxication offenses.
- As a result of this effort, the number of alcohol-related fatalities in Texas has declined by 23%, while attracting millions in additional federal highway funds to the state.
- Development of the Senate Hispanic Research Council, the research & policy development arm of Texas Senate Hispanic Caucus.
- Starting from scratch, this program has grown to a self-sufficient 501(c)(3) whose mission is to provide educational and leadership opportunities to all segments of the Hispanic community by supporting active participation at all levels of government. Among it’s most significant achievements is the creation of the Sen. Gregory Luna Scholarship Program, a fellowship program which helps participants gain invaluable experience and exposure to the Texas Senate as full-time legislative assistants in the capitol, performing a variety of legislative tasks, including legislative research summaries, bill tracking, constituent correspondence and drafting floor statements, articles, press releases.